Home•Motor Vehicle Accidents•Understanding First-Party Claims and Third-Party Claims

Understanding First-Party Claims and Third-Party Claims

In most states, it is required to carry some type of insurance if you operate a vehicle or own a home. Insurance can protect you and other parties if you are involved in an auto accident, or if your home is damaged for some reason.

One of the ideas behind insurance is that it gives people peace of mind in the event of an emergency. It does so by assuring that they will have the funds to pay for damages to their vehicle or medical care if they are injured in an accident.

However, understanding the different types of insurance and insurance claims is not always easy. Two of the most important types of insurance claims are called first-party and third-party claims. Knowing the difference between these two basic claims can be helpful if you are ever in the situation where you need to file an insurance claim.

Here are the details of first-party and third-party insurance claims explained:

      • First-party claims. This type of claim is between the policyholder and the insurance company and depends on the contract and specific type of policy the policyholder holds. For example, if your house suffers water damage in a flood and you know water damage is included in your homeowner’s insurance, then you can file a first-party claim with your insurance company.
      • Third-party claims This happens when someone who is not the policyholder files a claim against an insurance company. For example, if you cause an accident and someone is injured, that person will likely file a third-party claim against your insurance company.

Determining who is at fault

The type of claim you file with your insurance company largely depends on who was at-fault in the accident. If you know you were at fault, you’ll file a first party claim with your insurance. However, if another party was to blame for the accident or damage, you’ll file a third-party claim under their liability insurance. Because it is not always clear who is at fault in an accident, insurance companies usually send their own team to investigate.

If it is determined that you were at-fault, you can also expect your insurance premiums to go up after the claim is filed. If you’re not sure what type of claim to file, we recommend contacting a knowledgeable car insurance claims attorney in Texas.

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