Steps to Take When You are in an Accident - Auto Insurance ...

Steps to Take When You are in an Accident

The thought of getting into an automobile accident isn?t something you want to think about, but is something you should definitely be prepared for. While an accident isn?t ever a good thing, it is less stressful to deal with if you know how to handle the situation. Follow these steps if you ever get involved in a minor or major car accident.

1. Check to see that everyone in all vehicles is OK. If there are any injuries call 911 to get an ambulance to the scene so the injured parties can receive proper medical treatment.
2. Turn on your hazard lights to alert other drivers to your presence but don?t move the vehicles since there may be mechanical problems you cannot see. Call the police to inform them that an accident has occurred and request to have an officer come to the scene to file an official police report. There is no way to determine exactly how the other party will report the scene or to determine who is at fault. A police report goes to both insurance companies and can help establish liability.
3. Exchange insurance information with the other party. You should both receive copies of the police or incident report, which should give details about the incident and personal information for all parties involved, but if you decide not to call the police you?ll need to have some basic information on hand when filing your claim.
4. Write down details about the accident that may be relevant when you file the claim such as the direction each vehicle was traveling and approximate speed you were going when it occurred. The more information you have the better. If you have a camera or even a camera phone you can also take pictures of the damages done to each vehicle for documentation purposes. You may also want to get the contact information for any witnesses that can verify your information to the insurance companies.
5. Contact your insurance company to file the claim about the accident as soon as you get home to get an agent assigned to the case. You will be able to get liability established faster and get the ball rolling on any forms or information you need to provide. It looks better to your insurance company if they hear about the incident from you instead of receiving the report from the other party?s insurance company.
6. Don?t admit fault or guilt when talking to the police or the other party. You can show concern and compassion, but admitting guilt places the liability on you and requires your insurance company to pay for the repairs and injuries to the other party. You?ll also likely face an increase in your insurance rate as a result.
7. Keep a record of any repairs you have done as a result of the accident and ensure that the right parts for your vehicle are installed. The insurance company may place limits on where you can take your vehicle, but everything should be done correctly and according to the manufacturer?s specifications regardless of where the work is done.

The best protection when dealing with an automobile accident is being prepared ahead of time. If you know what to expect in the process of filing a claim it will be a less stressful situation for everyone involved and less time consuming as well.

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Accidents can and probably will effect your driving record and insurance payments. Like driving records you should stay up to date on your credit report. Read more information about credit through this link.

Although we do our best to offer you accurate and current auto insurance advice, we are not responsible for any negative consequences you may encounter after reading this advice. Insurance problems are often complex and can hinge on facts not provided in your submitted question. For this reason, you should not use this advice as a basis for any decision. We provide these answers for information purposes only, with the intention of steering you towards making your own conclusions about how to act or refrain from acting. Because we are not lawyers, no information on this site should be used as legal advice.

Source: http://www.autoinsuranceadvice.com/insurance-articles/2268/steps-to-take-when-you-are-in-an-accident/

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