Things You Should Know If You Get Into A Car Accident
June 9, 2010 by Morgan Birch
Filed under Car Insurance
Chances are if you drive long enough, eventually you’ll have a minor accident. A fender bender isn’t such a big deal if you have car insurance.
When you experience your first minor accident it can be very stressful. You need to be careful not to say or do the wrong thing, because this can screw up your case for auto insurance. You also need to be careful to get all of the information you will need to file a claim. It’s best to learn what to do before an accident happens.
First, so long as no one is hurt, move the cars out of the road. This is very important especially if the accident happened in an intersection.
You don’t want to cause more accidents by blocking the roadway. Leaving your car in the middle of an intersection can cause more accidents and injuries. Before you start to move the cars, though, be sure to turn on hazard lights.
The second thing to remember is that you need to call the police. In some areas, police will show at even minor accidents and write up an accident report, while in other areas there must be injuries for police to come to the scene. Regardless, call the police and see if they will send someone. Having an accident report can make filing a claim with your auto insurance much easier.
The most important thing to remember is that you have to exchange information with the other driver. You need the basics, like their name and phone number, insurance company, policy number, drivers license number, and the license plate number of their car. You also want to get a general description of the car, such as make, model, and color.
While you are exchanging information don’t make small talk. It’s too easy to say the wrong thing. Don’t apologize for anything or admit fault in any way. Let the police determine who is at fault.
If you have a camera or camera phone, get out and take some pictures of the vehicles. Try to get shots of both, including the damage done, and get a few shots of the cars’ position in relation to each other. Then when you leave the scene of the accident, call your insurance company and report the accident and provide all of the relevant details they request.
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