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| Fender Bender |
The other party
Make sure you exchange information with the other party at
the scene of an accident. You need to
obtain the name of the other driver, their driver’s license number along with
the name of their insurance company and policy number. If possible, you should also obtain the
driver’s telephone number in order to make it easier on your insurance company
investigator.
If you are Injured.
Injuries are often undetectable right after an accident due
to shock and adrenaline. If an
ambulance is called, it is a good idea to allow the medical professionals to
evaluate your injuries on the scene. If
you feel that you might be hurt or injured, you can elect to take the
transportation provided, you can go to the hospital or nearest emergency center
as soon as you can.
If the police are involved.
Dealing with police officers on the scene can be
tricky. The main purpose of their
involvement is to assess the situation and collect information from witnesses
and the parties involved in the accident.
They can be extremely helpful in organizing information for you and
helping to assess whether or not you need emergency medical attention.
The down side to having officers present is that they often
have not witnessed the accident and will make a quick judgment call of fault
based upon witnesses or perceived circumstances. This does not mean that you are necessarily
guilty, and you should be cautious what you say. Most insurance companies will advise you not
to admit fault to anyone – including the police, even if you believe the
accident may have been your fault. State the facts of the case and leave it at
that. If you receive a ticket or
citation at the scene of the accident, keep a copy of it for your record. Be sure to collect the information of all
officers and witnesses present.
Filing the Claim
Once you have obtained the information, you should contact
your insurance company immediately. Most
insurance companies have a 24 hour accident hotline or the ability to file a
claim online. The insurance company
will ask you for all the information about the other party, take a brief
statement of how the accident happened, and inquire whether or not you were
wearing your seatbelt. They may ask a
lot of initial questions and you should do your best to answer openly and
honestly. Remember your insurance
company is on your side, and they want to make sure you are taken care of.
After the claim is filed, you will receive a call from your
insurance company asking you to prepare a recorded statement for their
records. This is your opportunity to
recall the events and share with them any detail that you may have missed or
neglected to include. They will likely
have already contacted the other party and should have more information on
whether or not they believe the accident to be your fault. You may also receive a call from the other
party’s insurance adjuster. It is
important to be truthful and clear in what you say so that an evaluation can be
fairly made. The process can take
several weeks, so if you need immediate transportation, be sure to ask the
other party’s insurance company if they can provide a rental vehicle for you
during the transition.
The Assessment
If the accident is deemed your fault, you will likely not
have to deal with the insurance company any more. Unless the cost of the accident exceeds your
liability or medical coverage, that should be the end of your required involvement.
If the accident is not assessed to be your fault, then you
will be assigned an adjuster who will come and evaluate the state of your
vehicle and determine whether or not it can be fixed. A vehicle that cannot be fixed will be
totaled out and a check will be issued to you based on the fair market value of
your vehicle.
Keyword: None
Tone: Professional
Descriptive: Blog, Instructional
Size: 700+
Tone: Professional
Descriptive: Blog, Instructional
Size: 700+
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