After a car accident, a driver may be hurt, traumatized, or shaken up. A serious car accident can quickly change a life for the worse. For an insurance company, accidents, their costs, and consequences are daily business. After an accident, where do you start in dealing with an insurance company?

If possible, review your insurance policy before contacting your agent. With automobile insurance, Pennsylvania follows a hybrid law of choice-no-fault. This means that when you purchased your car liability insurance, you made a choice whether to purchase one of the two following plans:

• Pure no-fault: Limited Tort insurance prohibits recovery of non-economic damages, such as pain and suffering, from at-fault drivers, and provides protection for you against the same


• Modified no-fault: Full Tort coverage reserves your right to sue negligent drivers, and allows legal actions to proceed against you

If your accident involved only damage to your car, you can probably work out a settlement with your agent. For accidents involving substantial injuries, consulting with a Philadelphia personal injury lawyer experienced with car accidents is the next call to make after notifying your insurance agent.

Working with insurance companies

Speaking with a lawyer provides background on any injury claim you may have, and options for moving forward. You can learn the type of information an insurance company already knows. Following are tips to keep in mind when speaking with insurance companies:

• If you have insurance, you are entitled to the benefits you paid for. Although you may have a friendly relationship with your insurance agent, remember the insurance company will be paying your bills and is looking for reasons not to. Be courteous, truthful, ask questions if you do not understand something, and stick to the facts


• If an agent for the at-fault party contacts you, do not provide more than simple facts about your accident and your contact information


• Do not discuss injury settlement offers without seeking guidance from legal counsel. A good lawyer can help negotiate higher compensation, and ensure you do not receive less than you are entitled to

Although the injury happened to you, negotiating a settlement is the business of insurance companies and personal injury lawyers. Be cautious and get good legal advice from an experienced Philadelphia car accident attorney. It is important to find a knowledgeable attorney who understands the law and will dedicate their efforts on getting their clients a fair settlement or trial verdict.