Our Skilled FL Accident Attorneys Offer Help for Filing a Personal Injury Claim With Nationwide
When you’re involved in a car accident and suffering from painful injuries, you may not be thinking about how to file an insurance claim. You know that to get compensation for expensive medical bills and time off work, you need to file a claim, but it likely seems challenging and time-consuming, especially if you spend long days in the hospital. 
Our experienced attorneys at Spetsas Buist understand how overwhelming the process can be, especially when you have to deal with insurance companies. We can help make the process run smoothly by handling negotiations on your behalf and answering all your questions. Here, we discuss how to file a claim if you’re the at-fault driver or a Nationwide insurance customer.
Filing a Claim With Your Own Insurance
You should report any car accident to your own insurance provider, even if you were not at fault and filing a claim with the at-fault driver’s company. You might be wondering why you should do this. In a no-fault state like Florida, personal injury cases are treated differently than in at-fault states. At-fault drivers are still held liable for property damage, but if you were injured, you have to seek coverage first from your own personal injury protection (PIP) insurance policy. All drivers are required to carry this coverage, and you can only pursue compensation from the at-fault driver if the costs of your injury exceed your PIP coverage (usually about $10,000).
Depending on the circumstances of your accident, filing with your own insurance might be able help if:
- The at-fault driver is underinsured. You can cover some of the costs of an accident with an underinsured or uninsured driver through your own policy.
- You have a car loan balance. Gap insurance can help cover the costs of a lease balance if your leased car is totaled.
What’s critical to remember is that you should file your claim as soon as you can to avoid forgetting crucial details of the accident.
Filing a Third-Party Claim
A third-party insurance claim is one you file against an at-fault driver’s insurance provider when you are the injured victim and not responsible for the crash. You will likely file a claim using the insurance company’s online claims center to provide necessary information.
Because the at-fault party’s insurer will want to investigate the accident to determine liability, it could take a long time to resolve your claim.
How to File a Florida Car Accident Insurance Claim With Nationwide
Nationwide offers two methods for filing claims: file online through their auto claim center or, if you’re a subscriber, call the phone number on your insurance card. Provide as much information as possible, and write down the claim number provided. An adjuster will call you to discuss specifics, schedule a car inspection, discuss rental options, and arrange for repairs.
If your claim is rejected, you can contact Nationwide directly, draft an appeal letter, and submit an appeal with the company.
What You Can Do to Strengthen Your Claim
Insurance companies want to pay injured victims as little as possible. So, they may delay and deny your claim at every step. There are a variety of reasons they use to hold up the claims process, including the following:
- Missing documentation
- Issues with your policy and coverage
- Disputes over liability
- Too much lapsed time since the accident
It’s important to file quickly and to gather evidence to strengthen your claim so you can help avoid long wait times or rejected claims. Whether you’re filing for compensation for property damage or injuries (for costs above your PIP coverage), you can strengthen your claim by following these steps:
- Gather evidence. Keep careful records of photos from the scene, contact and insurance information for those involved, contact information from witnesses, the police report, medical bills and doctor notes, and pay stubs (if you missed work).
- Seek immediate medical attention. A common misconception is that if you’re not in pain and you don’t notice other symptoms right after an accident, you might not be injured. This isn’t always true. Stressful events like accidents release hormones that can mask pain, sometimes for days and weeks. See a doctor immediately to rule out serious injuries and to create a timeline connecting your injuries to the accident.
How Our Florida Car Accident Lawyers Can Help You
Whether you’re filing a claim for the first time or trying to appeal a claim denial, our experienced Florida car accident attorneys will help you deal with insurance adjusters and work through the legal process. We have years of experience dealing with insurance companies, and we can handle negotiations on your behalf. Let us help you avoid common mistakes and fight for the compensation you deserve.
