Do Tampa Auto Accident Attorneys Recommend That I Report a Claim Even for a Minor Car Accident?

You’re in a Tampa car accident, and it appears that you have only minor property damage. It also appears that you do not have any injuries. Even if the car accident was not your fault you may hesitate in contacting your insurance company. You may be concerned that contacting your insurance company could result in your rates going up or your insurance being dropped.  If this is the case, you may want to weigh your options by consulting with a Tampa car accident lawyer.

You should know that your insurance policy is likely to state that there is a requirement that you contact your insurance company to report even minor car accidents whether they take place in Tampa, Clearwater, St. Petersburg or even outside the Tampa Bay area altogether. But if you are not going to be making any sort of claim against your insurance, it may be difficult for you to perceive any negative consequences by your not reporting the minor accident to them. Note that even if you later realize that you want to make a claim for a car accident that you had not previously reported to your insurance company, your insurance company must prove prejudice as a result of your not reporting the claim earlier in order to deny you coverage for the accident.

Also, you may feel more comfortable reporting claims for even minor auto accidents knowing that if you are not at fault for the Tampa car accident, you are protected by state law from the insurance company raising your rates or dropping you. That is because Florida statutes clearly say that the insurance companies are not allowed to raise your rates or drop you unless they have in their file proof that you are substantially at fault for the car accident.

Let’s say there is property damage, but no injuries. If the party who is at fault for the car accident has insurance, there may be even less reason to contact your insurance company, although that of course is always a safer way to go. You might contact the at fault party's insurance company and discuss with them your potential claim for property damage resulting from the car accident. They send an adjuster out to your vehicle in order to determine the extent of the damage and they are accepting 100% of their liability. You may have then feel more comfortable that there's no need to contact your insurance company. But if you have any injuries that result from the auto accident, you really do need to think twice about not reporting the claim to your insurance company. Even if the at fault party is accepting full responsibility for the Tampa car accident, under Florida’s no‐fault laws, you have to use your personal injury protection auto insurance for the first $10,000 worth of medical bills. Failure to contact your insurance company could result in PIP not being available to cover your injuries.  If you are without health insurance, this can be a significant financial burden to you.

If you’re in a minor accident, feel free to contact the Tampa personal injury lawyers at our law firm. Although we may not ultimately be able to represent you for your minor accident, we'll gladly provide you free information so you can make a determination of what is best to do your particular situation with regard to reporting the claim. Again, it's always safer to report even a minor Tampa car accident to your insurance company, but it's always best to talk with a personal injury lawyer before deciding not to do so. Contact us to help you make the best decision.