How to File a Car Accident Claim With State Farm

If you get into an auto accident in Colorado, one of your priorities will be to recover the financial compensation that you need to pay for your medical costs and vehicle repairs. The action you must take to achieve this is to file a claim with the at-fault party’s car insurance company. The at-fault driver is who will pay for the wreck under Colorado’s fault-based law. If you need to file a car accident claim with State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company, you can do this in a few different ways.

What to Do After a Car Accident in Colorado

Before you file your auto insurance claim, there are other steps that you should take in the immediate aftermath of a motor vehicle accident. State Farm will check to see if you took these steps while searching for reasons to deny your claim. They include:

• Calling 911 to immediately report the crash if it caused injuries, deaths or property damage.
• Checking to see if you or anyone else has been injured.
• Exchanging information with the other driver.
• Going to a hospital for medical care right away.
• Following your doctor’s orders and treatment plan

One of the things that State Farm will look for is whether you mitigated your losses or exacerbated them. If there is evidence showing the latter, such as a delay in seeking medical care, this may get in the way of your financial recovery.

How to File a Claim With State Farm

Gather information about your car accident to use during the claims filing process. The insurance company will ask you questions about the crash that you should be prepared to answer. This will generally include the time, date and location of the accident; a description of the crash and your damages; and the names of the parties involved.

When you’re ready, you can file in one of three ways:

• Call (800) SF-CLAIM (800-732-5246). This phone number will put you in touch with a representative from State Farm who can help you file a claim. If you are filing a first-party claim and there is a different phone number listed on your insurance card, use this instead.
• Go online. You can use State Farm’s website to file an auto claim online. This is a fast and convenient way to file whether or not you are a State Farm customer.
• Use the app. Download the State Farm Mobile App on your smartphone or another device and file your claim by following the directions. You can download the app from the App Store, Google Play or by texting MOBILE to 78836 to receive a link.

Although State Farm does not have a specific deadline for filing a claim, it does require “prompt reporting.” This typically means within 24 to 72 hours of a car accident. You only need to file your claim through one of these outlets. Once you file, you will be contacted by someone known as an insurance claims adjuster. This is the person in charge of processing your claim.

How to Deal With a Car Insurance Claims Adjuster

The first claim that you file is a preliminary report of the car accident, meaning you don’t need to know all of the details. It is important, however, not to admit fault for the crash or discuss your injuries with a claims adjuster until you know more about the accident.

Your goal should be to protect your legal rights from the very beginning when dealing with a State Farm insurance claim. This means being careful what you say to the adjuster. If you don’t feel comfortable dealing with the claims adjuster on your own, you have the right to hire a Denver car accident attorney to take over for you. Your lawyer can help you file a claim and handle the rest of your car accident case to achieve the best possible results.