Getting into an accident while on the road can make you think about many things. Among them are your loved ones, the hospital bills, and of course, the auto insurance. For the latter, you have to take note that there are important steps to undertake in order to make a car accident insurance claim. Don’t fret if you are not familiar about these things. We are listing them down for you.
What Should You do After a Car Accident?
If you are conscious right after the accident, it will be safe to move your vehicle out of traffic, but make sure you do not leave the place where it happened. Don’t force yourself if you can barely move. Get out of the vehicle once you have turned the engine off. Check if your companions need medical assistance, and if they do, call 911 right away. Always report to the police regardless if no one got seriously injured. Remember to call your car insurance company in order to report on the matter.
What Information Do You Need to File a Claim?
Here are some things to be ready with:
- Ger ready with information about the accident. This will ensure that you have your notes ready in case the insurance company asks you about the scenario later on.
- Stop blaming the other driver for what happened. You can easily figure out what transpired later on once you have spoken to an agent from your insurance company.
- Better yet, exchange info with the other party. It is important to share your personal information and that of your insurance company with the other party involved. Make sure you also get the same details from the other driver.
- Take photos. Capture shots of your vehicle as well as those of others involved. Take a shot of license plates too. These details will help your auto insurance company know the extent of damage on your part.
Are There Specific Information Needed Too?
While going through the above procedures, you must also consider gathering the following important information to help you file the insurance claim later:
- The year, make, color, and model of the other party’s car.
- Names (and ages) of driver and his passengers
- Exact location where the accident took place
- Date and time the events happened
- Weather and road conditions during that time
- Your driving speed
- Time the police arrived at the scene, as well as their names and badge numbers
- Names and contact information of witnesses, if there are any
- Policy number which is found in your insurance card
Why Do You Need to Call the Police?
Notifying the police must be done right away after the accident. This will help not only if someone is injured, but because the police report is vital information that insurance investigators will make use of when assessing your auto insurance claim.
Other Important Things to Remember
Your car can be repaired and your insurance company covers for that. Same is true for your injuries. This is provided that you have the appropriate coverage included in your policy, like medical expense coverage, or collision expense coverage. When having the car repaired, you may be required to take it to one of the repair shops accredited by your insurance company.
You are also allowed to compare prices between several repair shops as per your adjustor’s approval. Keep medical receipts to claim for medical expenses for you and your passengers.
