New Law Gives New Yorkers Limited Time to File Claims

Obviously no one plans to be involved in an accident - that’s why they call it an accident, after all. But since most people are in at least a couple of relatively serious auto accidents in the lives, it is important to know what to do if (when) it happens to you.

When you’re in an accident, you have enough to worry about, and at that point, it will be too late to find out what to do. Being in an accident is never a pleasant experience, but if you do a little research ahead of time, you will be able to handle the situation more calmly and effectively. Being informed can bring a lot of peace of mind!

New York is a No-Fault State

What does this mean for you if you are an accident victim? In a state that uses a tort-based or "at-fault" system, fault needs to be determined. This is usually accomplished with a police report, testimony, and witness interviews if needed. It can be a complicated process.

By contrast, no-fault is usually much easier to navigate. The basic idea of no-fault is that when you are involved in an accident, you contact your own insurance company and they pay for your damages. Since there is no need to determine who was at fault, there is much less chance that you will end up embroiled in a lawsuit.

However, you need to be aware of the individual laws in your state. New York’s new law states that accident victims only have thirty days to report injuries sustained. This is much shorter than the previous ninety-day allowance. Of course, you may be thinking that anyone should contact their insurance company long before thirty days, but this law doesn’t count the frantic phone call that you made from the curb. There is a specific form, called the NF-2, that must be procured from the insurance company, filled in, and returned - all within thirty days.

Making Things Hard on Victims

In the past, many people have held off on contacting their car insurance company regarding accident-related injuries. The most common reason is that symptoms sometimes take time to develop. Victims walk away from a car accident unscathed, but later feel aches and pains that they attribute to their collision.

The other common reason is that many people expect that their health insurance will pay for their injuries. It makes sense - car insurance fixes your car, and health insurance restores your health, right? Not always. If you are unsure which insurance will cover your accident-related injuries, fill out your NF-2 anyway.

Choosing the Best Insurance

When it comes to the NF-2 and New York’s car insurance laws, the name of the game is customer service. When you have such a short window to file your injury claims, you can’t be dealing with endless phone menus and unhelpful representatives. Don’t hesitate to shop around and find a car insurance company that takes care of you. Using sites like carinsruancerates.com can help you to compare and contrast the companies vying for your business. When you’re hurt and in need of help, don’t waste your precious time with an unhelpful company. Every day counts with New York’s new law!