Mercury Insurance Claims

Auto accidents can be devastating, and anyone who has been injured in a crash should not have to endure the additional stress of dealing with an insurance company in order to obtain compensation. However, filing an insurance claim after a collision often is among the easiest and quickest ways to obtain the compensation you deserve. At the same time, insurance companies often low-ball injury victims and take steps to avoid paying the compensation that is due.

Whether you are just starting the process of filing an insurance claim or have been denied compensation by Mercury Insurance in California, you should speak with an experienced Mercury Insurance claims lawyer who can help you to negotiate with the insurance company in order to be compensated for your losses. If the insurance company will not or cannot provide you with the compensation you deserve, you may be able to file a car accident lawsuit.

The California Department of Insurance explains that anyone who has been injured in an accident may be eligible to file an insurance claim. Since California is a “fault state” for insurance purposes, a person who is injured in a car accident may choose to file a claim either with his or her own insurance company (this is known as a “first-party claim”) or through the other driver’s insurance company (this is known as a “third-party claim”).

Filing a third-party claim can allow the injured person to seek compensation without having to pay a deductible up front, but the claims process can be slower and insurance limits can prevent full compensation.

It is important for anyone who files a Mercury claim to know that he or she has rights under the Fair Claims Settlement Practices Regulations. Generally speaking, Mercury Insurance is required to do all of the following under California law:

• Provide information about benefits, coverage, time limits, and other issues pertaining to the insurance policy;
• Acknowledge the claim and begin an investigation;
• Provide you with forms and instructions, along with reasonable assistance, to move the claims process forward;
• Respond to communications with you (or your attorney) in a timely manner;
• Accept or deny your claim no later than 40 days after receiving proof of claim; and
• Offer a fair settlement.

There are additional fair claims settlement practices that your Mercury Insurance claims lawyer can discuss with you.

Insurance companies typically require you to report an accident and to file a claim within a specific period of time. The more pressing time window, in most cases, is the California state statute of limitations for a personal injury lawsuit. In California, injured persons typically have two years from the date of an accident to file a car accident claim.

This is important to remember because it means you must move through your Mercury Insurance claim in a timely fashion in order to remain eligible for filing a lawsuit if necessary.

If you were involved in a crash and need assistance filing a Mercury insurance claim or have received a denial and need to learn more about filing a car accident lawsuit, an experienced lawyer in Mercury Insurance claims can help you. Contact the Walton Law Firm for a free and confidential consultation to learn more.