Accidents are often an unavoidable occurrence when spending time on the road, whether at fault or if the collision is the cause of another driver. It’s important to know the necessary steps to take immediately following the accident to ensure a smooth transaction and to protect yourself.
1. Take Photos of the Damage
It’s important to take photos of any damage that occurs to your vehicle, other vehicles, and any surrounding property to ensure that you have proof should the situation escalate after filing a claim.
2. Exchange License Information
After ensuring that no one is injured after the collision, exchange driver’s license information and your insurance company info with all of the drivers involved. This will be necessary when filing a claim with your insurance company.
3. Don’t Admit Fault
Even if you know that you were at fault for the accident, do not apologize or admit fault, which can put all of the blame on you. The insurance companies will ultimately determine which driver caused the accident and if any other factors contributed to the accident. The person at fault will ultimately be determined if any of the drivers involved made an illegal or careless action while behind the wheel.
4. File a Police Report
File a police report by calling the local police station, which will make it easy to have all of the details collected and recorded to determine who is financially responsible for the collision. Your personal account will be taken, which can work to protect you later on should anyone involved later state that they’re suffering from injuries.
5. File a Claim with Your Insurance Company
Whether at the scene of the accident or after returning home, immediately call your insurance company to file a claim and report all of the necessary details. You’ll be asked your personal account and an agent will be sent out to inspect your vehicle at your home or if it is taken to Martins Collision to be repaired. The insurance companies representing the drivers will then work out the details of who is responsible for covering the costs.
It can be easy to make mistakes following an accident by not collecting the necessary information or following protocol. This can harm you later on and lead to a lack of information or proof of what occurred, making it easy to be targeted as a driver. Instead, have the correct documents on hand should a collision occur and remain calm, as incidents on the road are often an unavoidable part of life.
