Motor insurance covers are meant to cushion motorists and road users from the ravaging effects of car accidents.
On most occasions, insurance companies step in to pay for damages that are resulted from accidents.
However, more often than not, some motorists fail to get the much-needed reprieve after accidents because of decisions made after an accident.
Here are mistakes that could cost you your insurance claim after an accident.
1. Failing to make a police report
When making claims after an accident, insurance companies demand that motorists attach a police report.
Police report not only confirms to the insurance companies that the accident occurred but also give details of the accident in terms of location and time.
These reports are heavily relied on because they provide an authoritative account of the accident rather than word of mouth by the driver. This is the main reason why motorists are urged to involve the police after an accident.
2. Fleeing the accident scene
After an accident, fleeing the scene can cost your insurance claim because this makes it difficult to prove that an accident actually took place at a given location.
That is the reason why motorists are urged not to move their vehicles after an accident to allow the police to document the nature of the accident.
Secondly, fleeing the scene is often an admission of guilt that you actually cause an accident.
Most people flee the scene in fear of involving the police in the case.
3. Falsefying details of the accident
Falsifying accident details amounts to insurance fraud. Motorists are always urged to give true accounts of events leading to the accident.
4. Making settlements with the other motorists
One common trend that has been witnessed over the years is that motorists often settle for roadside settlements with other motorists to cover for damages caused.
This is often witnessed in cases where the motorists do not want to involve the police in the matter as they could be at fault.
Another reason people settle for settlements is that they lack valid insurance coverage.
Making a settlement at the scene is also disadvantageous because it makes it difficult to prove that an accident happened. After all, the other motorist always leaves the scene after making the settlement.
In most cases, in the roadside settlement, motorists get a lower payment for damages than they could have gotten through the insurance.
5. Failing to notify the insurance company
Another reason why people lose out on insurance is if they fail to make their claims on time. This is the reason why motorists are often urged to notify their insurance of an accident once it happens.
Delays in reporting also affect the motorist's account of events, and making mistakes in recounting the accident can lead to errors in the claim.
Once it is determined that there are errors in the claim, the insurer will often deny it as they also investigate the incident.
The National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) indicates that 15,925 crashes were recorded on Kenyan roads between January 1 and September 26.
Most of the cases were linked to human errors.
