When you are involved in an auto accident, your insurance firm will reimburse you for the damages. However, if you are not responsible for the accident, they will partner with the other motorist’s insurance firm to recoup the amount. This procedure is known as subrogation. Since the driver is not involved, it’s good to know the procedure in case you want to sign a subrogation waiver.
What is Subrogation?
This is a legal procedure applied in different forms of insurance claims such as home, health, and auto insurance. Typically, it’s a right for insurance companies to compensate a policyholder for the financial loss and pursue repayment from a third party that is responsible for the loss. Subrogation proves it simple for a policyholder to get compensation after a loss. With this process, the insurance firm takes the financial burden of their client and tries to get cash from the company or party that was at fault.
How Subrogation Works
Subrogation is a complex term that is better understood using some practical examples. For example, you get into a car crash, and the car is destroyed. You pay your deductible, and the insurer reimburses for the remaining repair expenses. However, if the insurer concludes that you didn’t cause the crash, they’ll get the offender’s insurance firm to reimburse them for compensation of your claim.
In such a situation, you don’t have a legal mandate to file a claim, receive reimbursement, and get cash from an insurance firm responsible for the loss. That is why your insurer takes over, and subrogation lets them do that.
What to Expect From a Subrogation Claim
If an insurance firm intends to get into a subrogation arrangement with a third party insurance company, they must legally notify you before starting. The moment subrogation starts, you will not have to be involved. Nevertheless, you can request your insurer to ask the third party firm to reimburse you for your deductibles.
The duration of a subrogation claim can be based on various aspects. If it’s evident that you were not at fault, there is some evidence to argue over and the request might be settled in a couple of pf weeks.
Nevertheless, insurance claims are never straightforward. It’s not clear who caused the crash, the subrogation claim might take months. This is because the third-party firm will attempt to avoid a payout.
Benefits of Subrogation
The key benefit of subrogation to a policyholder is that it eliminates them from the legal action entailed in receiving a payout from a third-party firm. The insurer assumes the financial burden, so the policyholder is not involved in any way. If evidence indicates that you didn’t cause the crash, your insurer will file a subrogation case with confidence that you will recoup the cash with less hassle. So, you can get a claim payout fast that can get you back to your work fast.
Note that a subrogation waiver can be utilized if you intend to deny your insurer’s legal right to pursue the third party insurance firm that is accountable for the loss.