If you or your loved ones were ever in a car accident, you might have noticed that the insurance company gets involved pretty quickly to do their part of the car accident investigation. In Arizona, every driver is supposed to have a minimum amount of insurance so that they can remain legal on the roadways. In the event of a car accident, the insurance provider of the at-faulty party, whose negligence caused the accident, is usually responsible to cover the physical, emotional and property damages of the victim. But before paying the compensation, the insurance companies will have to do their own car accident investigation, in order to be sure that they are paying the right amount and to be sure that their client is the at-fault party. So today we are discussing how insurance companies conduct a car accident investigation.

Why Insurance Companies Need to Do a Car Accident Investigation?

If the insurance company has to pay some sort of claim, you can be sure that they will conduct some form of investigation. The car accident investigation is thorough, although it usually revolves on how big the claim is. If you notice that the insurance company is on the line to pay out, you can assume that they will place as much scrutiny on the claim as they possibly can. And for a good reason. By scrutinizing the claim, the insurance company is actually protecting itself. They want to make sure that they pay out as little as possible for that particular claim. Yes, sometimes there are cases of fraudulent car accident claims, but thanks to a detailed car accident investigation, these types of claims are easily prevented. Furthermore, the insurance company needs to protect its bottom line. So when they conduct these investigations, they want to make sure that it was their policyholder who caused the accident and that they are paying the right amount for the claim.

How is the investigation conducted?

How detailed will the insurance company be in their car accident investigation, depends on many factors. The most important factor is the amount that they will have to pay. For example, if there are no injuries or the claim is below a certain threshold, the investigation could be complete within a few days and resolved over a couple of phone calls. But, if the accident caused severe injuries and extensive property damages, the car accident investigation won’t be that simple or short. Before the insurance company moves forward, they will usually require additional evidence, which can include:

• Statements from eyewitnesses
• Police reports
• Medical reports
• Photo or video surveillance of the accident

It’s not uncommon that the insurance company wants to talk to every party involved. They might even ask for a recorded statement. The adjusters (which work for the insurance company) are also likely to visit the scene of the accident in order to see the damaged vehicle in person. It’s also important to point out that the insurance company might also look into the claimant’s social media activity to see if they can find anything that they can use against the claim. So until the car accident investigation is over and the decision on your claim is reached, we highly recommend that you don’t share any information on your accident or anything related to it. Also, don’t be surprised if the insurance company asks you to approve a request to release medical information. For all these, and future questions, you should consult your personal injury lawyer instead of handling the case yourself. An experienced car accident attorney will know the ins and outs of the entire process and will be able to guide you through the process and represent you, so that you get the compensation that you’re owed. So if you get into a car accident, make sure to contact