Some Steps To Watch When Filing Your Auto Insurance Claim
It can be frightening to be involved in an accident and it is difficult to remain calm in this type of situation. As soon as you are calmer, and know that you are not injured and will be ok, there are a few important things to do before you can file for insurance compensation.
It is against the law to not stop at the scene of your accident, especially if there is injury and damages. Although it is not the norm, sometimes people do flee the scene. Once you have calmed down, be sure to notice the other vehicle’s license plate. If you see that it is safe to do it, secure the area, turn off the ignition and turn on the hazard warnings to alert the oncoming traffic of the situation.
If there are injuries or the collision is in a dangerous situation, call 911 or whatever the emergency response number is for the location. When anyone is fleeing the scene of an accident they have been involved in, call the emergency response number. Be in no hurry to admit to being the cause of the accident, even it you do believe the fault lies with you.
You should begin by exchanging driver information; addresses, names, phone numbers-including cellular, vehicle registration and insurance details. Then, take notes as to details of the accident; draw a map of the location of the accident showing street names, position of the vehicles, the direction each was traveling, skid marks, points of contact and any damages incurred. When you write down the details of the accident, put in the make, model, and color of each vehicle involved in the collision.
If you have a camera or even a cell phone that takes photos, this would be very beneficialIt would also be very beneficial if you have a camera or a cell phone that takes photos.
Gather information from as many witnesses as possible and obtain their phone numbers and vehicle registration. Note the condition of others involved in the accident, whether they are impaired or not or distracted when driving. Was anyone eating or talking on the phone while driving or did any road conditions or weather conditions contribute to the accident.
After reporting the accident to the police, and you are allowed to leave the scene, call your insurance company as soon as possible to inform them of the accident and tell them about all damages. In the event that your car is not drivable, your insurance coverage may provide a rental car.
The insurance company will now want to make an appointment to look over the damaged vehicle and take pictures for their files. When the insurance company has assessed the damages to the vehicle, they then will tell you whether or not if your auto can be repaired. When the auto’s condition is repairable, then you will have to decide where the repairs can be taken care of.
As soon as the damaged vehicle has been taken to a repair shop, you will have to pay the person doing the repairs the deductible amount according to your policy and the auto insurance company will pay the rest of the bill. If the vehicle is in your possession and repairs have been made, but the deductible has not been paid, your vehicle could legally be impounded and that could be more expensive than the deductible.
Visit Peppercoin Insurance to read more great auto insurance articles including ‘Dangerous Vehicle Means Higher Auto Insurance Rates‘ and more.
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