No matter how confident you are at driving, accidents cannot be averted at times. If you hit the roads with your vehicle, you must realize that you are susceptible to such mishaps because not all drivers out there are experienced enough. What do you do when your car meets with an accident?
Look out for the police
A police report is a must if you are involved in an accident. While it serves as a vital document when you are interacting with insurance companies to make claims against your policy, it also shields you from getting harassed by the other driver since all details are noted at the spot leaving no scope for unbiased allegations.
Claim or no claim
Those involved in serious accidents never give any second thought about filing a claim; it actually seems like the next obvious step. If you have been lucky enough to get away with some minor dents, you may want to rethink if it is worth making a claim. Once made, the claim will impact the insurance rates. As a result, you will have to pay more henceforth. So decide if you want to file a claim.
Sort out the papers
Do not think of getting away form the scene until you have noted details like the other driver’s license number, vehicle number etc. Get his contact details too as all these are needed when you are making a claim.
Work out a rough estimate
For this step, you will need to find a service station to get your vehicle examined. Many insurance companies will ask you for a rough estimate for the damages, but this does not mean they will always accept it as right. They may want to assess the damages themselves and give their estimate of the costs. In case of a huge difference in amount, you can try to get an amount close enough to help you with the repair work.
Document the details
You think you can remember well, but in such cases, it is better to document the communication that you have about the damages. If possible find out the person to whom you have interacted when you tried to contact the insurance company. Note the date and time of accident, your first interaction with the insurance company and their assurance regarding the claim. All these will be important if ever you have to fight a legal battle at a later stage.
