Most common myths about insurance claims:
Myth: My insurance rate will increase if I get my insurance provider involved and apply for my accident benefits.
Fact: No! Your insurance rate will increase only if your insurance provider can find you at-fault. A driver is deemed at-fault by the insurance company if there is a level of at-fault responsibility anywhere between 1 and 100 percent therefore any driver who is more than zero percent at-fault will have an at-fault accident mark on his or her insurance record.
There are other factors that could affect your premiums:
- Driving history, including previous at-fault accidents and driving violations within 6 years;
- Type of vehicle including make, model and model year;
- Where you live and drive your car;
- Driver's age and gender, along with the number of years licensed;
- The number of kilometres driven in a year;
- Whether the vehicle is used for pleasure, commuting or business purposes.
FAQ: How does an At-Fault Accident Affect Me?
FAQ: How does an At-Fault accident affect my insurance premium?
FAQ: How does my company determine whether I am at fault in an accident?
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Myth: Opening an insurance claim is a complex process often taking a long time to settle and provides very little or nothing to the individual filing the claim in the end.
Fact: It may seem complex but it's not! Read our Step-by-Step Program to understand more on how to open up a claim and negotiate with your adjuster. The principle for getting a good settlement is negotiation and common sense when working towards a mutual agreement with your claim adjuster. After all, it is your money and you deserve it! Isn’t it time to get what you've been paying for?
FAQ: What Happens After You File a Claim with Your Insurance Company?
FAQ: How long it takes to close a case with the final settlement?
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Myth: When an adjuster provides you with a claim evaluation, it is his or her final undisputable decision, even if it is not fair to me.
Fact: Wrong! Any decision your adjuster makes is negotiable. Read more on how to negotiate with an adjuster. If you feel you're not being treated fairly, don't be hesitant to negotiate, barter or argue with the adjuster about items such as the value of your motor vehicle or any other personal property that was damaged. It is your money!
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Myth: I must know legal terminology and technicalities when I am involved with an insurance claim in order to get an adequate accident benefits allotments.
Fact: No! Most of the cases involving minor injury and or property damage to someone who has an accredited insurance policy has shown that they can successfully negotiate with an insurance adjuster to reach a satisfactory settlement on their own and may not require the services of a lawyer to represent them. Keep it in mind that WE CAN provide you with legal advice and have a lawyer or paralegal represent you.
FAQ: When lawyers have to be involved?
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Myth: If I hire a lawyer to negotiate for me the overall cost will be about the same amount as the amount of benefits dollars I will get from my insurance, or perhaps even more.
Fact: No! Paralegals or lawyers usually charge about 10 to 20 percent from the total benefit monies the insurance will pay out to you and 20 to 25 percent from the final settlement; You get your money regardless, there is nothing to loose!
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Myth: If I beat the ticket in court, I'm not at fault for the accident
Fact: Wrong! Residents of Ontario, Canada, are governed by a "no fault" auto system in which the name itself leads to confusion. Regardless of whether a ticket/charge applies (or does not), the insurance company still must determine the degree of fault for any and all vehicles. Read more on Fault Determination Rules for further details. You'll enjoy it and it goes into much greater detail.
FAQ: The police officer who attended the accident scene told me I was not at-fault in the accident. Why did my insurance company tell me that I am at-fault?
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Myth: If I file an Accident Benefits claim with my insurance company it will affect my credit score.
Fact: Wrong! Your insurance company cannot institute any negative changes to your credit score except in the case where there is non-payment or the issuance of NSF check(s) by you for your insurance policy payment.
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Myth: Ontario has a "no-fault" insurance policy so it must mean that you cannot be at fault!
Fact: Wrong! Someone is always deemed to be at-fault in a car accident, whether partly or fully. The law requires insurance companies to assign a percentage of faults for each of the drivers involved in the accident. This is accomplished by using the Fault Determination Rules. The no-fault convention only applies to bodily injuries suffered by the driver or passengers in the car accident. Benefits will be paid by the insurance company, no matter who caused the accident. However, the damage to your automobile is assigned fault to one or other of the drivers even though you make your claim against your own company.
FAQ: What is no-fault insurance?
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