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Being in a car accident is a traumatic experience, but it's important to stay calm and take the right steps to protect yourself. Here is a guide on what you should do if you find yourself in this unfortunate situation – just remember C.A.R.S.
The first step to take when involved in a car accident is checking for injuries. Make sure that you, your passengers, and anyone else involved in the accident are all safe and stable before anything else. If necessary, call emergency services for medical help or to report any damage caused by the accident. If your car is operational, you’ll want to move it out of the flow of traffic. After you have parked the car, remain in the vehicle with your seatbelt on while you call 911 and wait for first responders. stay inside until first responders arrive if possible. You don’t want to put yourself at further risk by standing on the side of a highway.
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A declarations page, also sometimes referred to as a “dec page,” is a page from your insurance policy that sums up your policy coverage.
No matter what state you are in, the first thing to do when there is an accident involving multiple drivers is to contact the police and have them come out to create an incident report. In many instances, there are factors on each side of the incident that could have prevented the accident. Because of this, there is usually some level of dispute about who was at fault in the accident. Having a police report will give an even playing field and a non-biased professional opinion on where the fault lies. After getting the police report and getting to safety, the next step is determining if you are in a no-fault or at-fault state:
If you are in a no-fault state, you will want to contact your insurance company to take care of any medical bills, vehicle repair/replacement, rental car funds, etc. If you are in an at-fault state, you want to contact your insurance company if you are found to be at fault. If you are not at fault, you will want to contact the insurance company of the at-fault driver so that they can get to work paying out for repairs to your vehicle and any necessary medical expenses that you pick up as a result of the accident. After speaking with the appropriate insurance company, you should have instructions on the next steps to take to get the payouts that you are eligible for.
It is critical to document details from the scene of a car accident to adequately handle the aftermath. When the police arrive at the accident scene, it is important to fill out an accident report as thoroughly as possible because the police report generated from it will provide official documentation of the crash. This will include details like the date, time, location, position of cars, etc. You’ll want to ask the responding officer where you can obtain a copy of this report, and make sure to get their name and badge number for your records. Taking pictures with a cell phone of both vehicles involved will be crucial if you need to submit a claim to your insurance company; photographs act as valuable evidence. Some insurance companies have mobile apps that allow you to submit your claim and upload pictures/videos in real time.
Before everyone leaves the scene of the accident, make sure to collect and exchange the following information to ensure that can refer to it if it is determined to file a claim with insurance.
Collecting all of this information on the front end will allow your claims adjuster to move quickly and provide a check to help with the damages if deemed covered by the policy.
After you take these steps and if you decide to move forward with filing a claim, you’ll want to make sure that you are providing your assigned adjuster with all the documentation you have obtained and follow their instructions. We recommend keeping your adjuster’s contact information as well as your claim’s number in an easy-to-access place to reference.
Life is unpredictable and accidents happen. Whether it's a fender bender or something more serious, the aftermath of an accident can be jarring. But with a solid insurance policy, you can rest easy knowing that you're covered. It's crucial to safeguard your interests after an accident, and having a solid record of evidence and documents can be a game-changer if legal action comes your way. Stay prepared and stay protected!
The contents of this article are meant as general information to help you understand personal lines insurance and not specific to a particular policy. Policies, coverages and discounts can vary by state and insurance carrier. To understand your coverage, you should speak directly with a licensed insurance agent or read your full policy contract. Call your agent or contact us at (833) 779-4090.
Summer is here, and while it's the season for road trips and beach outings, it's also a time when certain misconceptions about driving can lead to unnecessary risks. To help you stay safe and informed, we've collaborated with insurance experts to debunk five common myths about summer driving. Myth 1: Cars Don't Overheat in Summer Anymore.