Call your agent. This is the first place to go when there has been an accident. Your agent can do a number of things for you, including helping you fill out an accident report and then sending it to the company.
Most agents will also help their customers understand the basic claims process and answer questions that arise as the claim progresses. If they cannot answer your question, they will know who to ask at the insurance company. They may also know things that the average claim representative does not (for example, whether your rates will go up if you make a claim).
Some agencies have their own claims department staffed by people whose entire job is to help you navigate the claims process. These are not the people who are paying your claim, but they understand the process and are there to help you handle yours. Use them.
These days, many insurers market policies directly to customers, which means there is no independent agent to provide guidance. If you don't have an agent, or if your agent provides limited assistance with claims, you will be working mostly with the insurance company directly. This is not a bad thing. You are ultimately dealing with the insurer anyway, since that is where the claim payments come from.
If you're not sure if you have an agent, check the Declarations Page that came with your policy when you bought it. If you can't find that, check your most recent bill. If you still don't know, ask your insurance company.
Talk to your claim representative. When you reported your claim, you should have been given some basic information, including a claim number, the name of the adjuster handling your claim, and a phone number to reach that person. This information is gold - if you forget everything else, remember it. This person is your contact any time you need information about your claim.
Depending on the nature of your claim, you may have to work with any number of people, including estimators, body shop personnel, car rental companies, doctors, your agent, people at the other insurance company (if another is involved), etc. But your claim adjuster is the one at the center of it all. This person's job is to keep things moving, keep you informed, answer your questions and, ultimately, get you a fair settlement.
Some insurance companies use different adjusters to handle separate parts of a claim (eg, car damage vs. doctor bills), but they serve the same purpose. Talk to them.
Don't rush to get an attorney. There are cases where it's necessary, but a lawyer often will only slow down the settlement process and cost you money. Consider your options carefully before deciding. You have at least a year (usually two or three) from your accident date to get a lawyer, but once you sign the retainer, it can be hard to get out of it.
