An insurance claim is one where a loss of any kind is covered by your insurance firm. It comes in return of periodic premiums that you pay towards either life, health, or vehicle insurance policy.
However, quite often people have difficulty in understanding what is the right way to go about an insurance claim, be it health insurance or motor accident claims. Due to the lack of information, people do not know whom to contact first in case of a car accident, or which documents to submit while filing a claim for health insurance. We have laid out a step-wise process guide that will help you understand the procedures involved in a health insurance and car insurance claim process respectively.
Health insurance claim process
- Time
Ideally, health insurance claims need to be filed within seven days of the treatment completion or discharge from the hospital.
- Itemized bill
Ask your healthcare provider to furnish you with an itemized bill that lists every service you have availed for, including the costs of those services and any medicines you used. This is because when you fill in your health insurance claim form, you are also required to submit original copies of your bills.
- Get your claims form
Contact your insurance provider to get your claims form. You could even download this form from your insurance providers’ website. The following is the mandatory information required in your claims form:
- Your insurance policy number
- Person who received the health care services
- Specify if there is co-insurance or dual coverage, if applicable
- What was the purpose of treatment
- Make copies
Once you’ve filled your claims form, along with itemized bills attached, make copies of the same. This step is necessary so that you can easily re-file for a claim in case any documents go missing in your current claims process.
- Review and send your form
Call your insurance provider and review all the filled documents with them before sending in your claims form. Also cross check if any other documents, bills or information is needed. Before you send your form, also check when your claim is due so that you can follow up with your insurance company in case your claim does not arrive by the stipulated date.
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Car insurance claim process
- Contact the police
The best thing to do as soon as there has been an accident is to contact the police who will then come to the spot of the accident and take down your statement. This is the first and most important step in your car insurance claim process and hence it is advisable to avoid delay in reaching out to the police.
- Call your insurance company
The next point of contact after the police should be your insurance company. They will guide you through the procedure and tell you what they need from you. After this call, your insurance company will then open the claims file.
- You will be assigned a claims specialist
Your insurance provider will assign you to a claims specialist who will be your key point of contact for further details regarding your claim. He may also advise you which garage (that is a part of their network list) you can send your car for repairs. He will then review your case and assess any potential personal injury claims as well as handle any payments and costs involved in repairing your car. It is best to provide your claims specialist with whatever information they require at the earliest so that your claims process moves rapidly and swiftly.
- The final step
Once the claims specialist has retrieved information from you and done all his homework, he will then give you an estimate regarding the cost of repairing your vehicle. The claims specialist will also let you know if the repairing expenses need to be borne by you or it will be deducted directly from your insurance provider. Once you and the insurance firm agree upon these grounds, your car will go for repairs and you will receive the car back after completion of repairs.
