Be Prepared
Uh no, you just got into an accident on your way to run a quick errand. What should you do now? Stay calm and read on to learn how to react to make sure that the process goes as smoothly as possible.
- Get out of your vehicle and help anyone who is injured.
- Call the police or highway patrol immediately.
- Take photographs of your damaged vehicle and the scene. Make sure to note the date and time that the images were taken.
- Protect the accident scene by setting up flares, putting up cones or moving your vehicle off the road. Keep these items in your trunk at all times in the event of an accident.
- Once the police arrive, give them as much information as you can about what happened. Do not admit fault; simply give the facts.
- Ask the investigating officer for a copy of the police report, as you may have to submit it with your insurance claim.
- Take as many notes as you can remember about the accident, and then call your insurance to report your claim.
- Keep all records of correspondence that you have regarding your claim, including the date, name and title of the person that you talked to about the accident.
- Keep a record of any expenses that you incurred as a result of the accident. Depending on your policy, you may be entitled to reimbursement for those expenses.
Get the Facts
This process sounds fairly easy, but many people forget to do this after an accident for one reason or another. It is important to get the names, address and phone numbers of everyone involved. Also, make sure to gather a description of the car(s) and license plate number(s), and be sure to get the insurance company and the vehicle identification number of everyone involved.