As careful as you may be, car accidents can occur. When you are part of one, there are several steps that you must follow to ensure that your insurance company will cover the claims. Here is what to do if this happens to you.
Get Out Of Traffic
Once you have checked yourself and the occupants of the other car over to see if you are hurt, move your vehicles off to the side of the road to give other automobiles who have the right of way room to get past. If your cars are unable to move, then put on your flashers or mark the area off so that the other vehicles know to move around. If there is a severe injury, call for an ambulance to come and treat it. If it is minor, you will still want to have a medical professional evaluate you. It can become serious over time.
Exchange Information
Find a place for all parties to stand away from the traffic going by to obtain each other’s information. You will need to show them your driver’s license and insurance card. If a police officer is on the scene, they will need this documentation as well. The officer might ask you to fill out paperwork for them also as well as recreate the scene by hand. Ask for the officer’s name and the case number so you can provide it to your insurance agent. Be sure to take photos of what happened and the damage to your own vehicle if you have your cell phone handy. The insurance company will want these when they determine your claim.
Call In Your Claim
Once you are away from the scene, call your insurance provider to start your claim. They will need all the information you have gathered including the police report number, the other driver’s international drivers license and insurance information, and a detailed version of what happened. They will also need any photos you may have taken of the accident and your vehicle as well as your medical bills and any estimates you may have gotten to repair the damage.
Get the Repairs Done
Once they have filed your data into their system, they will send an adjuster out to look at your car to determine the cost it will take to repair it. If there is quite a bit of damage, they may decide that your car is a loss. They will then reimburse you for the value of your car at that time. If they feel that your automobile is able to be fixed, they will inform you of how much they will cover. Set up an appointment at a body shop for the work to be done and let them know who is handling the claim. At this time you should also ask how long the job will take so that you can arrange for other transportation. Each insurance company is different so research your policy to see if they will cover a rental car as well.
You might also be concerned about how to prevent car theft. If you would like information about the best ways to do this, please see this article from Reviews.com.
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