When it comes to insurance, what you don’t do can be just as important as what you do. Wrong moves when filing a claim, or saying the wrong thing, can cost you. When it comes to auto claims:
• Don’t be embarrassed: Be aggressive about documenting the accident scene. Keep a disposable camera in the glove box or use your cellphone camera to snap pictures. Request a copy of the police report.
• Don’t apologize: Resist the urge to apologize or admit fault at the scene.
• Don’t buy roadside assistance from your insurer: Roadside assistance and towing plans from AAA or a similar group are fine. But when you get it from your insurance company, using it might count as a claim.
• Don’t hire a tow truck that just shows up: Some tow-truck drivers listen to police scanners and circle accident scenes hoping you’ll hire them. But they might be unlicensed or exorbitantly expensive, experts warn.
