Contacting Your Insurance Provider – Am I Covered?

What Insurance Will Cover – What They Will Not

It’s always best practice to know from the outset what kind of insurance coverage you have and specifically what it will cover.  In the case of DWI accidents, there are a few coverage options that could occur.  Most insurance policies come with verbiage to cover you as the victim.  Even if the other party has no insurance, there are uninsured and under-insured provisions in most policies.  As the offender, your coverage could be effected in three ways. The first and most common way is that your insurance company will find out about the charge and raise your insurance rates – sometimes as much as triple what you were paying prior to the accident.  You will also be labeled a “high-risk” driver and need to carry a SR-22 form in attached to your insurance policy for a minimum of three years.  These changes go with the thought that your insurance company will continue to cover you.  The second way is that your insurance company may take the option to cancel (or the more friendly “non-renew”) your policy when the next renewal date arrives.  If this happens, there are places that specialize in high-risk drivers so you should be able to maintain coverage.  Be prepared that you will pay handsomely for this.  Insurance companies don’t like having to pay out for claims at all – especially when they involve careless actions such as DWI.  Therefore, they stick it to you good so you will not make this mistake again.  There is a third and rare option that the insurance company will somehow miss the charge and nothing will happen to your coverage.  Should this happen – don’t do anything except drive perfectly and pay all your dues on time.  If you should trigger a drop of coverage or any changes to your policy – well, this usually calls for a new DMV report and you’re sunk.

AAA and Other Services

One of the best known auto clubs is the AAA – American Automobile Association.  This is a “member’s only” club that is known for providing roadside assistance should that become necessary in your travels.  They offer such services as repairing a flat tire, filling an empty gas tank, getting you towed, or whatever else you may need.  AAA also provides many other useful benefits to travelers.  Discounts on travel destinations, hotels, dining, auto rentals – even medical prescriptions.   AAA can help you plan a trip, offer insurance options, well . . . they have a lot to offer.  There are a number of other auto clubs that may provide information and camaraderie depending on what state you are in and the vehicle you drive.

Information Your Insurance Company Will Need

It will be up to you to keep your insurance company informed as to the progress of the trial and whatever judgment is handed down (provided they don’t hear about it first!)  One of the first things the insurance company asks for is a copy of the police report from the accident.  This is typically seen as more reliable than your version of what happened.  It can be easier to supply this than go over everything anyway, since a well-written police report will have details of date, time, location, facts of the accident, and any other pertinent information.  This saves both you and the insurance company time and effort.  Hopefully you received a copy of the report at the time of the accident or shortly after.  If not, you will need to go to the police station and request one which may cost you a few dollars.  The next thing is photo evidence of all damage to your vehicle.  Get multiple shots from multiple angles so the insurance claims adjuster can get the best idea of what happened to your vehicle – plus they can hold this photographic evidence in your file as proof of your claim.  If you know of any witnesses to the accident, get their account of what they saw.  Have them write it down and get it witnessed by a professional notary or other official.  Rule of thumb when dealing with insurance claims is that too much information is better than not enough.  Your insurance company will go over the details with you as to the steps they will take to process your claim.  They will let you know what more, if anything, you need to do in order to assist the processing of the claim.