Steps to Take After a Car Accident and Filing a Claim Against the Other Party's Insurance
At one time or another most people will be involved in some type of car accident. If you are in an accident that was caused by someone else, you will still need to report the accident to your own insurance company so it can settle the claim with the other person's insurance company. If the accident was not your fault, your insurance rates should not be affected by the claim.
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Accident Reporting
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Immediately after a car accident, call 9-1-1 to report the accident. The emergency operator will alert the local police and other required emergency services such as the fire department or an ambulance service if needed. If you are uninjured and your car is still drivable, move your vehicle out of traffic and wait for the police to arrive. When the police arrive, show your driver's license and insurance card. Explain to the police officer exactly what occurred immediately before and during the accident. Keep your descriptions objective and avoid taking total responsibility for the accident. Do not leave the scene of the accident until the police officer has assured you that his report of the accident is complete.
Identification
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Exchange names, addresses, phone numbers and insurance policy information with all other involved drivers. If the person driving the other vehicle is not the person who is identified on the insurance card, find out how the driver is related to the insured person. Also, write down the make, model, year and license plate number for all other cars involved.
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Claims
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After you get home, call your insurance company and report the accident. Once you report an accident to your insurance company, it will handle contacting the other driver's insurance company. Together the two companies will analyze the accident report information and determine whether one or both of the insurance companies involved should cover the claim.
Documentation
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Compile all documentation related to the car accident. The police accident report will typically be ready for review within a few days. Contact your local police department to determine the procedure for getting a copy of the accident report. Keep all documentation pertaining to any medical treatments received after the accident and pertaining to any property damage estimates.
Considerations
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If you have a camera function on your cell phone, consider taking pictures of the all vehicles involved before the vehicles are moved. Also, take close-up pictures of damages on both vehicles. Photos can be forwarded to your insurance carrier.
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References
- Photo Credit before accident on a road image by Ivan Hafizov from Fotolia.com
