A car accident is the last situation you want to face; it gets even worse when the accident takes place out-of-state. When the accident takes place in your home state, then chances are you know the laws. But when it takes place outstation, then you are likely to get a panic-attack. But behold, and read the information below. It will familiarize you with what you need to do for car accident repair, regardless of the place of an accident.
When you encounter an auto-collision, you should immediately follow the five guidelines mentioned below.
1. Ensure the Safety
The first thing to do after an accident is to ensure that you and everyone traveling in the vehicle are safe. You have to check if someone is hurt, if yes then how bad is the injury? Can you move the injured person? If everyone is alright, then move to a safe place to prevent getting hurt due to ongoing traffic. If someone is severely injured and immovable, then call 911 right away.
If your vehicle has got minor damage like scratches, then move it off-road, to a safer place. If your car is not movable then, shut down the engine, shift into the park, and turn on your vehicle’s alert lights if they are working. You can alert other drivers on the road by placing cones, flares, etc. across the place of an accident.
2. Call the Highway Police
If your accident causes severe personal injury or significant damage to the vehicle, then you are responsible for informing the authorities. Even if the accident is minor, it’s wise to notify the police. So, police can formally document the whole accident. It will help to figure out whose fault was it, and you will also have the required information while applying for the insurance claim.
3. Collect the Information
Once everyone has recovered from the shock of an accident and wants to proceed ahead with car accident repair and an insurance claim, the first thing you need to is collect the information. The personal, as well as vehicle information, will be necessary to apply for the insurance claim.
The information includes – (a) Names and contact details of both the driver and passengers. (b) Details of the vehicle, such as model year, make, and color. (c) The license of the driver and plate number. (d) Name of insurance companies and policy numbers.
It would be best if you also documented the particulars of the accident. It includes – (a) Time and place of the accident. (b) Click pictures of vehicles as proof of damage. (c) Name of the police officer and badge number. (d) Any circumstances that might have caused the accident like road condition, weather, etc. (e) Names and contact details of witnesses, if any.
Remember to stay calm throughout the process. Please don’t act aggressively towards any other driver/s. And do not sign any documents apart from those given by policy or your insurance company.
4. Get In Touch with Your Insurance Company
It would help if you never forgot to call your insurance company after the accident takes place. The sooner they know about the accident, the faster they will be able to process your claim. It will help you have your car accident repair in no time, and you can get back your car in its original state.
Many insurance companies provide with the facility to file an online claim. However, if the accident has occurred substantial damage or severe personal injury, then it’s better to speak to an agent directly.
5. Phone Roadside Assistance
If your vehicle is not in a condition to drive, then ring up your insurance agent and check if your insurance covers towing charges and rental cars. If the insurance does not cover it, then they will at least provide references to a local towing company or a repair shop to tow it.
6. Decide Which Insurance to Use after the Accident
If you are not at fault for the accident, then you get to choose which insurance company to use for claiming and receiving costs for car accident repair. You can decide to go through your insurance company or the insurance company of the at-fault driver.
You can choose your insurance company as you are paying premiums, and they have to provide you with the coverage. If you have liability coverage, then you don’t get to choose, and you will have to go with at-fault driver’s insurance company.
To Summarize
Auto-collision is one of the most unpleasant situations, and if you encounter it, then you would want to get out of it the quickest. The guidelines mentioned above will help you speed up the insurance claim process after the accident. When you follow these guidelines, you will not only be safer but also get your car accident repair done quicker.
