You will probably have to deal with one or more adjusters who will figure out how much insurance money you can get back. Follow these simple tips to make sure you've done everything you need to do to get the right information and do things the right way.
Help yourself out and get ready ahead of time. Know the rules of the state where you live and drive and what you need to report. Always keep an emergency kit in your car. It should have paper, a pen, and an accident report form, which you can get from the DMV for free online.
If you're in an accident, stay calm and stop your car. Do what you can to make the person or people who are hurt feel better. Call the police and the EMT to help anyone who is hurt.
If you smell gas or see that the car is on fire, move everyone out of the area. Do not move seriously hurt people unless leaving them where they are poses a threat to their lives.
If the accident isn't too bad and no one is hurt, turn on your hazard lights and move both cars to a safe place on the side of the road. Set up flares or triangles that reflect light on the back and sides of the cars to let other drivers know where you are.
Both drivers need to share information about their car insurance. You also have to give each other the names of the drivers, anyone else in the car, and any witnesses. You should get full addresses and phone numbers as well as names.
Next, you'll need to call your insurance company, and if you think you need to, now is the time to call a lawyer.
The company that insures your car will need to get all of the relevant information. They will need to know the other car's year, make, model, and licence plate number. They'll also need the driver's name, address, phone number, date of birth, driver's licence number, and the state where the licence was issued.
If the other driver isn't covered by insurance, find out as much as you can about them and then call the police. All witnesses' full names, addresses, and phone numbers will be needed by both the police and the insurance company.
If the police come to the accident scene, ask the officer there for a business card with his full name and how to reach him.
If you have a digital camera with you, take many pictures. These days, many cell phones have built-in digital cameras, which is very convenient.
Write down everything you know about the accident as soon as you can. Things like the weather, the condition of the road, how well you could see, and how bright it was could all be very important in figuring out who was at fault.
You also need to write down how fast you think each car is going. As well, draw a picture of the scene of the accident and note which way each driver was going. Write down things like stop signs, traffic lights, other cars on the road, and any other obstacles.
You should also write down any damage to the car or other property and any injuries to the body, no matter how small they seem.
No matter what you do, don't talk to the other driver about who was at fault. Insurance companies recommend you do not engage in conversation about fault. Tell the police officer what happened, but don't do it in front of the other driver.
Remember that no one can make you talk about the accident or say you were to blame. Before you answer any questions, you can always talk to a lawyer first.
We hope you never have to make a claim on your insurance. But if you are ready, you will be much more likely to write down the information you need to make sure your claim goes smoothly if you have an accident.
