Things can be chaotic right after a car accident, but if you follow some basic steps, you can make the experience less unpleasant, the claim filing process easier, and you won’t miss important details that could potentially derail your case if you are injured.
First and foremost, think about your safety and those around you before thinking about your insurance. If someone is hurt, call 911 right away. Try and stay calm. If you’re in a car accident, it’s a scary experience, but if you’re upset, you’ll make things worse. Call the police at the first safe moment.
It may seem counterintuitive but prepare yourself for the unlikely event of an accident.
If you are prepared, you can prevent some stress after a car accident. Keep a copy of your insurance information and paper and pen in your car. These things will make the process much easier after an accident. Mobile phones come equipped with a camera, take as many photographs are you can of your car, of any other car involved, and of the accident scene.
You are required by law to have proof of your insurance with you and insurers provide cards that contain your insurance information. You can print your insurance information if you don’t have a card yet.
Get out of the way.
Before you start gathering information from the other driver after the crash, it’s important to get to a safe place as quickly as possible. You should usually leave cars where they are, but the best thing to do is to ask the police for instructions on what they would like you to do. If the police request that you move the vehicles, try and take photos before you do so.
If you can’t move your car without causing further damage, don’t move it and make certain the police are aware.
Be very careful what you say to the other driver.
After an accident, you may talk to the other driver, but only to gather information and make sure the driver is okay. You should never plead guilty or say “I’m sorry” during your conversation, as this can be used against you in court. Finally, be polite and courteous with the police and any other drivers, even if you are upset try and stay calm. Most insurance companies will strongly advise you against admitting fault for an accident – some of them may even try to avoid paying for the damage from the accident if you do admit fault before talking to them.
Gather information.
Your insurance company will need certain information to file a claim. Some insurers offer forms that can help you while gathering information. You may need to fill in information about the other driver, the name of your insurance agent and whether there is any damage to your car.
If you are in an accident, record the following details of the people involved.
After the accident, exchange the following information: name, address, phone number, insurance company, policy number, driver’s license number, and license plate number for the owner of each vehicle. If the name of the driver is different from the name of the insured persons, establish, if possible, what the relationship is and record the name and address of each. Also make a written description of each car, including the year, model and color – and the exact location of the collision and how it happened. If there are any eye witnesses, take their information down too, such as full name, telephone number, email, and mailing address.
Finally, be polite and courteous with the other drivers, police, and first responders.
Photograph and document the incident.
Use your phone’s camera to document the damage to all vehicles. Keep in mind that it’s a good idea for your photos to show the full context of the accident so that you can make a claim with an insurance adjuster or in court. If there were witnesses, try to get their contact information, they may be able to help you if the other drivers dispute your version of what happened.
Get an accident report or at least a Driver Exchange Information.
You should ask a police officer for a copy of the police report. The opinion of the police officer who attended the accident might be useful if the drivers are in dispute during the processing of the claims. The police report will also contain information about the officer just in case an official is required to testify.
Please note that the other driver or the police will not need your social security number, so do not give it to them.
File your claim with your insurance company.
Call your insurance company to file your claim. Your insurance company’s phone number is most likely manned 24/7. You can also check the progress of your claim by going to your insurance company’s website. You will likely be contacted by a claims representative within 24 hours to discuss the details of your claim. You can talk to your insurance company, but do not give any information or recorded statements to the other driver’s insurance company, before consulting with an attorney, especially if you are injured.
After an accident, the whole process will be easier if you know the details of your coverage. For example, it is unpleasant to find out after the accident that your insurance company does not automatically cover the cost of towing or a replacement rental car. All in all, for just a dollar or two each month you can add rental car coverage while your car is being repaired.
A final question in accident cases is usually who will pay for the damages?
While the other driver may agree to pay for damages to their car on the day of the accident, they may then see the repair bills and decide that the amount is too high. Since more time has passed since the accident, your insurance company will have more difficulty gathering evidence if you make a claim.
Also keep in mind that you have no way of knowing if the other driver will change their mind and report the accident to their insurance company. He can even claim for injuries that did not occur at the scene of the accident. This means that your insurance company could end up paying him a hefty sum, or worse, you could be embroiled in a lawsuit. So make sure your company has your version of what happened.
After an accident, the best thing you can do is contact an attorney who has the experience to help you through this process. Some car accidents result in serious injuries and large medical bills that insurance companies will refuse to pay. An attorney can help you recover what you deserve under the law.
Our staff has over 35 years of experience and our results speak for themselves. You can call us for a free consultation.
