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What
should I do if I have an accident?
Get the names,
addresses and telephone numbers of any witnesses before they lose interest and
leave the scene. Notify the police. They will
advise you if their response to the scene is necessary or not.
In some regions, including
If
your vehicle needs to be towed, have it towed to the nearest collision reporting
centre where it can stay until you contact your insurer or request it be towed
to a place of safe storage. Be
sure to ask the tow truck driver what they charge prior to having the car hooked
up. Keep the
details so that you can advise us of where you vehicle is located.
. As soon as possible, either report the loss to our office or report it
directly to your insurer.
What
should I do if my vehicle is stolen
Report it to the police and then to us.
Usually stolen vehicles are recovered within a few
weeks, and sometimes with only minor damage.
Your insurer will wait a reasonable amount of time before offering a
settlement to you in order to see if the vehicle will be recovered.
During this time it is often a good idea to look for a replacement
vehicle so that your are prepared in case your vehicle is not recovered and your
insurer offers a settlement.
This coverage will pay for the cost of
alternative transportation such as a rental car while your car is being
repaired as a result of an insured loss. If you have purchased loss of use coverage
your insurer will provide payments up to the time settlement is tendered, or
until the
maximum limit is reached. It is important
to check your
limit as it is possible to use up the
entire limit in cases where the car is going through extensive repairs.
What
if something is stolen from my car? We all tend to think of our cars as safe
havens from the outside world. When we sing along with the radio we like to
think people don’t notice, and when we leave something valuable on our back
seat we like to think no one will touch it. Unfortunately, thieves often break
into cars that appear to have valuable items inside. If your car is vandalized
or stolen, you’ll need to file an auto insurance claim; however, items stolen
from your vehicle are usually covered under your homeowners, condominium or
tenants insurance and you will need to file a separate claim for them.
It’s best to avoid keeping valuables in your car.
Similarly, many
insurers have arrangements with glass replacement companies.
What
you should consider before you make a claim One of the main considerations for people is the financial consequences of making a claim on their insurance. If the damage is small it may be worth covering the cost yourself instead of using your insurance in order to prevent a negative effect on your rate. Often small repairs are near or below the existing deductible. Check with our office to discuss your options.
When deciding to look after damages yourself take into consideration the potential additional costs you could incur such as storage and rental car expenses.
The most important thing to remember is never to have any repairs started before speaking to your insurer. Contact our office to begin the claim process, or for after hours, contact your insurer's 24-hour claims line. A claims adjuster will explain the claims process and take down preliminary details.
The cost of
repairs is your responsibility until your insurer has agreed to pay. For your
peace of mind, you may want to obtain confirmation from your insurer that they
accept liability and will pay the cost of repair.
To reach the
Collision Reporting Centre in Toronto call 416-745-3301 or see their website
at
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