Straight answers

No. Valoroath is an independent educational site about car crashes and insurance claims. It is not an insurer, an insurance agency, a claims adjuster, a public adjuster or a law firm, and it does not sell, quote or bind insurance. See about Valoroath.

Licensed insurance agents and insurers working with Valoroath pay for coverage review requests sent through the form at coverage review. That payment doesn't change what our pages say. The details are in how we make money.

Licensed insurance agents or insurers working with Valoroath may contact you by phone, text or email about your coverage. You don't have to buy anything, and a coverage review is not a review of your claim.

No. We can't handle, review or advise on a specific claim. For your claim, contact your insurer, your state insurance department (see how to file a complaint) or a licensed attorney in your state.

Reply STOP to any text, or email [email protected] or use the contact page, and we will pass your request to the agents and insurers that received your request. Under FCC rules, callers must honor it within a reasonable time, no more than 10 business days.

We use state statutes and regulations, insurance departments, NAIC model laws and federal agencies, and date each check. See our methodology, the editorial policy and recent law and rule changes.

Call 911 if anyone is hurt. Otherwise it depends on your state: every state requires a report when someone is injured or killed, and many also require one when damage passes a dollar amount. See when to call the police and your state in claim rules by state.

Their name, phone number, insurer and policy number, driver's license number, and the car's plate, make and model. Photograph their insurance card and the scene. The full list is in information to exchange after an accident.

Your policy asks for prompt notice of any accident, even one you don't plan to claim, and some policies set a shorter limit for hit-and-run crashes. A late report can give the insurer a reason to question the claim. See reporting an accident to your insurer.

Compare the repair cost with your deductible and with how much a claim could add to your premium over the next few years. The claim or pay calculator runs the numbers, and paying without a claim covers what to put in writing with the other driver.

Report a hit-and-run to the police right away, then claim under your uninsured motorist or collision coverage. Read hit-and-run accidents and an accident with an uninsured driver.

If the other driver was at fault, you can claim against their liability insurance and pay no deductible, or use your own collision coverage, which is often faster, and let your insurer collect from them later. See first-party vs. third-party claims.

Your own policy usually requires you to cooperate with your insurer, which can include a statement. The other driver's insurer has no contract with you, so you can decline or answer in writing. See giving a recorded statement.

It depends on your state. The NAIC model rule many states follow asks insurers to acknowledge a claim within 15 days and to accept or deny it within 21 days after proof of loss, or to explain in writing why they need more time. Your state's deadlines are in claim rules by state.

When repairs would cost more than it makes sense to pay compared with the car's actual cash value. Some states set a percentage, often 75%; others leave it to the insurer's formula. See total loss claims or try the total loss calculator.

Usually, yes. Many states let you pick any licensed shop, and an insurer may suggest its network shops but not make you use them. See choosing a repair shop and parts.

Only if you bought rental reimbursement coverage, and only up to its daily and total limits. If the other driver was at fault, their insurer usually owes a reasonable rental. See rental reimbursement and the rental coverage calculator.

An at-fault accident often raises the premium at renewal for several years; a claim you didn't cause is less likely to, and some states limit those surcharges. See premium increase after an accident. For ways to lower what you pay, Guardbrook covers car insurance costs.

It is a LexisNexis record of your past claims that insurers check. Under the Fair Credit Reporting Act you can request a free copy once a year and dispute anything wrong. See CLUE reports and claims history.

In the middle of a term, most states allow cancellation only for listed reasons, such as unpaid premium or a suspended license. At the end of the term an insurer can more easily decline to renew, after written notice. See cancellation or nonrenewal after a claim.

It is a form your insurer files to prove you carry the required liability coverage. A state can require it after an uninsured crash, a serious violation or a suspension. See SR-22 after an accident.

Our sister site Brookguard lists minimum coverage requirements by state. Minimums can be lower than the cost of a serious crash, which is why underinsured motorist coverage matters.

Ask in writing for the estimate or valuation report behind it, then answer with your own evidence: shop estimates, comparable cars for sale near you, receipts for recent work. See a lowball settlement offer and disputing a total loss valuation.

Ask for the denial in writing with the policy provision it relies on, which the NAIC model rule requires. Check that provision against your policy, send any missing facts, and ask for a review. See a denied claim.

It settles disagreements about the amount of a car damage loss, not about coverage. Each side hires an appraiser, an umpire decides what they can't agree on, and you pay your own appraiser. See the appraisal clause.

File a complaint with your state insurance department, online or by mail, with your claim number and copies of your letters. It is free, and the department asks the insurer for a written response. See filing a complaint.

When you were seriously hurt, when the deadline to sue is getting close, or when you think the insurer acted in bad faith. Bad faith is a legal claim that depends on your state's law, so talk to a licensed attorney in your state. See insurance bad faith.