The answer is yes. You should contact your insurance company even if the car accident wasn't your fault. Your insurance company requires you to place them on notice of an accident based upon the terms of your policy, which is a contract between you and your carrier. Even if an accident wasn't your fault, you may still have to file certain claims with your insurance company for a variety of reasons.
Slow Claims Process
Delays can slow down the claims process with the at-fault driver's insurance company. For example, the other insurance company usually verifies the loss facts with their insured before they can approve your car repairs and a rental. If they have a difficult time contacting their insured, a delay can occur in getting your car fixed. For a quicker resolution, you may need to proceed with a collision claim through your own insurance company so that repairs can begin as soon as possible. Your insurance company will attempt to recover the deductible when they file a subrogation claim on your behalf.
Fault
Just when you thought fault for the accident wasn't an issue, the other driver reports a bogus version of the facts to his insurance company. You now have a potential problem in getting the repairs covered because insurance companies tend to side with their own insured when a factual dispute arises. This means you'll have to consider filing a collision claim with your own company and let the insurance companies fight it out. If called upon, you'll need to cooperate with your insurance company if litigation must decide liability for the accident.
Uninsured Driver
It's a fact that not all motorists carry auto insurance. Even when an accident is clearly not your fault, you may still have to go through your own insurance company for the repairs to your vehicle and a rental.
Medical Bills
If you become injured in a car accident, some states leave you with no choice but to file a Medical Pay (MP) or Personal Injury Protection (PIP) claim under your own auto insurance policy for payment of medical bills stemming from an accident. Regardless of fault, the laws of some states mandate that auto insurance is the first level of insurance coverage, even before health care coverage. Check your policy to see if you carry this coverage.
Underinsured Motorist Coverage
Some motorists carry the minimum amount of liability coverage required to operate a car in that state. This potentially means that the other driver may not carry enough bodily injury coverage to compensate your claim for pain and suffering. If you have underinsured motorist (UIM) coverage, you would have to contact your insurance company to file this claim for additional compensation.
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