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Car
accident police reports are filed by a police officer who observes the
accident scene. Before you leave the scene, the officer
will either give you a copy of this report or, more likely, he will give you
information for you to call the police department after the
police reports have been processed regarding the car accident.
In many
jurisdictions it is your responsibility to ask for these reports.
Car accident
police reports include statements the officer obtained at the scene about the
accident. It also includes accident victim contact information along with
other details that can significantly impact your case.
Sometimes information the police officer described is inaccurate, so be sure to obtain
a copy your to place in your car accident police reports
information file. This simple effort could save you much money
later on in insurance costs and difficulties obtaining a proper
settlement.
Details about
your accident may become fuzzy over time, but creating your claim before the statute
of limitations expires means accurate details are necessary for years after
the accident occurred.
Almost two years
after my car accident, I searched for different auto insurance. I was
shocked to learn that my car insurance rates were almost 9x higher with some
companies than I was accustomed to paying. Since many of these
companies now produced rates electronically, there was little information I
could obtain even when I spoke with people over the phone from large insurance
companies.
What I discovered
was my insurance company covering the accident listed me as the driver at-fault.
I wasn't at fault. An insurance agent told me "this is a
common 'error'." It seems suspicious that such a sweeping
problem is a simple mistake, since the outcome would be huge insurance premiums
people would pay with little explanation as to what the legitimate cause is.
Since I already
had my accident police reports listed in my file, I could quickly verify
who was at fault. My premiums were almost instantly adjusted.
How
did I discover this problem?
I spoke with an auto insurance agent who works out of his own
office. He took a few minutes extra to help me understand just what
the problem could be. I had already had 4 other agents in 4 different
companies tell me "the accident was the cause for the
increase."
This agent told
me the same thing, but pointed out that I was incorrectly listed at-fault by my
insurance company. He also told me to fax him a copy of the car
accident police reports which would clearly state if I was at fault.
In two days my rates dropped almost $1700/year!
Know
Your
Car History
History databases on used cars are extensive and readily available.
When it comes time for you to sell a previously damaged used car, a buyer can
very easily claim diminished value caused by any substantial damage previously
repaired. Car accident police reports list types of accidents
in accessible databases for you or your buyer to find.
Used cars that have been in car accidents are
often worth substantially less money than used cars that don’t have car accident histories. As a result, it’s important to know that the car you’re looking to buy has not
suffered serious damage repairs if you want to get a fair price. Much
information about these vehicles may come from car accident police reports
and other repair records now entered into central databases.
When you’re shopping for used cars, make sure that you check all the information about the cars you’re looking at before you make a purchase.
It's easy to discover what car accident information is listed on your car for
free at AutoCheck Record Checks.
When you've settled on a used car, it's recommended to get the
full report. A little money now can save you thousands when buying a
vehicle that looks perfect, but just had great body work finished to complete the sale.
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