I recently got involved in a car accident here in Washington, and I would like to make sure I file my auto insurance claim correctly so I want to know what things I should remember to do.

Brendan

Seattle, WA

Filing an auto insurance claim is just one of those things in life that we hope we never have to do, but don’t want to end up doing wrong. There are, however, a few things you need to remember before filing that claim:

Do you really need to file a claim?
Yes, it is quite understandable, you pour good money in that auto insurance policy for your vehicle there in Washington, so why shouldn’t you file that insurance claim for that scratch on the bumper? Well, its called a deductible, and it can range from $200 to $750 against the amount of money your auto insurance provider will pay your for the damage repair. So if the damage is less than your deductible it is not cost effective. If the damage is minor and you can afford to have it repaired yourself, it would be highly recommended that you do so.

Remember also that once you file a claim, even just calling to inquire about it, your auto insurance company will tend to look at you as a higher risk customer. And this can cause your auto insurance rates to go up.

Keep track of all information you have, names and contact numbers of the other party or parties involved. Also you might get a call from the other party’s insurance provider for your version of the event so make sure you take down notes, especially who called you and what was discussed.

Do I have to consider the kind of car that I will purchase here in Everett, Washington if I’d like to have lower car insurance rates?

Tavion

Everett, WA

Yes, you have to take into consideration the kind of car that you will purchase in Everett, Washington if you would like to pay lower rates on your car insurance. Low profile vehicles usually are those that have lower car insurance rates. If the type of car that you have is in the higher risk of being stolen, then most likely, your rates will be higher than the rates of an average driver. Most car insurance companies take a look at the type of vehicle that are stolen frequently and necessarily adjust their rates.

According to the National Insurance Crime Bureau, the average number of vehicles being stolen has been dropping in the previous years because of increased surveillance and more security devices being installed. This is great news for every driver but it still essential to recognize the type of car you drive and to figure out that risk it has of being stolen. Although theft has been going down, the type of vehicles that are most stolen are still the same kinds of vehicle in general.

I was charged with DUI here in Kent, Washington and everyone is telling me that I should hire a lawyer. To save a lot of money, why can’t I just represent myself?

Howard

Kent, WA

Yes, you may be saving a lot of money without a lawyer by representing yourself in your DUI case in Kent, Washington but this could give you a risk of spending a lot more money later on if you lose your DUI case. An old saying that says, “He who represents himself has a fool for a client,” could be true for most criminal cases. It would be almost never a good idea to respond to a criminal charge like DUI without a good, experienced lawyer because a DUI case is such a specialized and technical matter.

An experience DUI lawyer could spot and develop the favorable issues in your DUI case. The DUI lawyer could also assess the value of your DUI case in the particular court and community where it is being heard and he/she could also negotiate the deal that would have the least harmful impact on your particular life situation. No matter how bright you may be, or how much Nolo reading you do, a lay person accused of DUI is almost never gonna be able to do this as effectively as a skilled DUI defense lawyer.