What would you suppose is the most significant document after a vehicle accident if you had to guess? If you are like a lot of people, you are guessing it is the police report. This is not correct. It is possible that it is the at-fault driver’s license number. This is also incorrect.
While the police report is crucial, it is not the most crucial document. The at-fault party’s driver’s license number is required, however it will almost certainly be included in the police report. So, what is this paper we are talking about? Your insurance policy’s declarations page, usually known as the “Dec” page. Read on to find out why it is so crucial, and then call 909-982-0707 to schedule a free legal consultation with Law Offices of Fernando D. Vargas.
Obtaining access to your declarations page
Your De page is a one-page overview of your insurance coverage. It employs possibly perplexing acronyms that you are unlikely to understand. However, the contents of your case may determine whether you win or lose your lawsuit. This is why it is one of the first things we want a customer to see – and why many of our clients will A) Have no idea what it is and/or B) Have no idea why it matters whether the other party’s insurance company should be paying the claim.
The fact is that this has nothing to do with blame, and that obtaining it is straightforward. Do not look through all of your documents in an attempt to locate it. To locate it, do not read every page of your insurance policy. Call your insurance agent instead and request a faxed or emailed copy of your Dec page. Then send it to your personal injury lawyer.
The Dec page provides a wealth of information
We can learn a lot about your policies by looking at the Dec page. First, we will see if you need to pay an unpaid bill. Why? Because there will be a little box on the Dec page with the words “med pay” next to it. This is a slang term for medical payment coverage. It is usually approximately $5,000. If you have that coverage, you can travel wherever you choose for treatment, and your physician will charge your insurance directly.
If the at-fault motorist does not have insurance or is underinsured, the Dec page can inform us if your claim is likely to succeed. Anyone driving on California highways is required to have insurance, but this does not guarantee that everyone observes the law. Even if you have a copy of the other party’s insurance card, keep in mind that it may not be genuine. It is possible that they have missed a payment or that their coverage has been canceled.
Your Dec page will tell you how concerned you should be. There is a checkbox that should be ticked. “UM” stands for “uninsured motorist coverage.” If you have coverage, your claim will very certainly be paid – whether by the insurance company of the motorist who hit you or by your own.
