What Should I do After a Car Crash?

Anyone who has been involved in an accident knows how scary things can be. We hope and pray that all of you remain safe on the road. However, if you ever are involved in an accident, there are certain things you must do immediately after a car crash. These things are important not only for your safety but also in the context of making a successful insurance claim after the accident.

Secure the area: Immediately after the accident, find out if you or any other person requires medical assistance. If there is any injury to anyone, call 911 without any delay. In case of suspected head or spinal injuries, do not move the injured person. Wait for the arrival of the ambulance.

Make the area safe so that the possibility of other accidents in the same areas is minimized. You should also make sure that the engines are switched off, and there is no debris or leaking fuel on the road. If possible, move your vehicle to the side of the road and switch on the hazard lights.

If you have a mobile phone, use its camera to capture pictures of the accident scene, including damage to other vehicles, damage to your car, third-party property damage, and any injuries you may have sustained.

Information Collection: The next important task for you is to exchange information with other parties involved in the accident. The most important details to be collected are:

• Full name, residential address, and cell phone number of the driver/drivers involved in the crash.
• The drivers’ license number and the registration number of the involved vehicle.
• Complete insurance details including the policy number and name of the insurer.

If you have a mobile phone, use its camera to capture pictures of the accident scene, including damage to other vehicles, damage to your car, third-party property damage, and any injuries you may have sustained.

Call your Insurance Company: If you can, call your insurer from the accident site. They will advise you about the following steps, and take you through the entire process. It is quite natural for you to be in a state of shock in these circumstances. The insurance companies are well acquainted with these processes and can help you a great deal. Please remember that you should not lie to your insurance provider under any circumstances. Also, don’t ever assume blame for the accident, because fault-finding is the job of the police and the insurance companies.

Take Care of the Vehicle: Check your vehicle thoroughly to determine whether it is roadworthy. If it is not, arrange the vehicle to be towed to a mechanic. In this regards, the best approach is to seek help from the police.

Medical Care: Regardless of the extent of your injury, get a thorough check-up done by a reputable medical facility. This is important because oftentimes the symptoms of some injuries related to a car crash are experienced at a later stage. Also, a report from the medical facility will establish the fact that you were injured in the crash.

Whose Insurance Should I Use:  On your behalf, the claim will be handled by your insurer with the insurer of the other driver. Typically, the costs will be covered up front by your provider, and then they will seek reimbursement of the same from the other provider. However, even if you are not at fault, you will probably have to pay your deductible. Otherwise, you may have to wait much longer, if you decide to go through the other driver’s insurance. This is because before releasing any claims, the insurer will investigate who is at fault.

Making a Claim: The last step after an accident is making a claim with your insurer. If the auto mechanic that repaired your vehicle is approved by the insurer, your claim will be authorized without much delay. In case of minor repairs, some insurers may require at least two quotes from different repair shops, out of which the lowest quote is accepted.