Who’s At Fault in a Car Accident? A Guide to Liability in Ohio
Posted in: Car Accidents
KNR Legal Blog
If your vehicle was damaged, but you were thankfully not in a crash personally, you may still need to file a claim against your comprehensive auto insurance. Comprehensive insurance is a type of policy that covers damage to your vehicle outside of a collision. The most common types of damages covered by a comprehensive policy include:
However, comprehensive coverage does not pay for anything and everything. If you are in an accident, your comprehensive policy does not cover property damage related to the collision, your medical expenses, or any other person’s personal injury expenses. Before you file a claim against your comprehensive insurance policy, review your policy. It will determine what is and is not covered.
If the damages were caused by another person or business, speak with the Ohio car accident lawyers of Kisling, Nestico & Redick. We can help you file a claim that is more likely to be approved or find other avenues of recovery.
Ohio does not require you purchase comprehensive insurance. The state is only interested in your being insured for damages and personal injuries resulting from a collision. Comprehensive insurance benefits only yourself, not victims of an accident you cause.
While comprehensive insurance is not required by law, it may be required by another party. For instance, if you lease your vehicle, the owner may require you to have comprehensive coverage to keep the car in great shape.
First, you should determine whether the damage to your car will be covered under your specific comprehensive policy. You may need to speak with your insurance agent or an attorney to determine this.
Second, look through your policy to figure out if your claim requires a police report regarding the damage. If the damage to your vehicle was caused by a third party, such as if it was stolen or vandalized, then you should call the non-emergency police number and file a report. If the damage to your vehicle was caused by nature and not a person, you probably do not need a police report.
Third, get an estimate of what it will cost to repair the damages and compare it to your deductible. If repair costs are less than your deductible, filing a claim does not make sense. You will have to pay it all out of pocket anyway. Also, filing an unnecessary claim could raise your auto insurance rates.
Fourth, check and see if any warranties apply to the damage. If you have a warranty on your vehicle or on a part of your vehicle that is damaged, the warranty may cover the repair costs without you filing an insurance claim.
Additionally, if an individual, group of people, or business caused the damage, you should contact the Ohio car accident lawyers of KNR. An attorney can help you provide the necessary evidence to your insurer to ensure your claim is covered. However, if an insurance payout is not possible or you need more than your policy offers, a lawyer can help you hold the party who caused the damage responsible in court.
If you believe you need to file a claim against your comprehensive insurance policy, you should call your insurance agent or an insurance representative to provide notice of the damage and tell them a claim is coming. There should be a phone number on your insurance card, but depending on your auto insurance provider, you may also be able to provide notice of damage online or through a mobile app.
Your insurer will have a process for filing a claim. This will generally include providing basic information such as when the damage occurred or when you found it. You will also need to provide evidence of the damage, which may include photos, a police report, and an estimate of repair costs.
If there is damage to your vehicle and you are not sure whether you should file a claim against your comprehensive auto insurance policy, contact Kisling, Nestico & Redick to schedule an initial consultation. We can review what happened to your car and who may be responsible. If an insurance claim is appropriate, we can help you with this process.
Call us today at 1-800-HURT-NOW.