What to do in an accident - 21 Sep 2009 07:58
Above and beyond staying calm, there are certain things you can do after having an accident to protect your belongings and insurance claim. Often the blame as to who caused the accident is evident at first but quickly forgotten when it comes time to paying out. Keeping your head will help you save money, while only subtly pointing the finger at the other driver.
Don’t admit liabiltiy
The first thing you should remember is never admit liability. This means not apologizing. It might be difficult, especially if it was your fault and you’re prone to being nice. Admitting that the accident was your fault will not only mean that your insurer pays for your damaged vehicle (if you are comprehensively insured) and the third parties which will up your premiums, cancel your bonus and increase your risk in the eyes of the insurer.
Move the car
You can move the car if the accident was not serious. If damage to the car was minimal it’s best to get off the road to prevent congestion of traffic. Much like people, if the car is seriously damaged, don’t move it. This is for the same reason that you would not move an injured person. Causing more damage to the vehicle will upset your insurer who now has to write off the car or cough up a larger claim.
Driver’s information
You will need to get information from the other driver to make a claim. These details are more important than anything else at this stage, so make sure they’re accurate. How? Ask for his or her driver’s license and copy it directly off of that. Having the police to supervise the ordeal will help motivate honesty. The information you need: ID number, driver’s license number, name, surname, contact details, model of the car (including make and colour) and registration number (number plate).
Witnesses
If you see any passersby gawking it might be a good idea to find out if anyone is willing to be witness to the event. If they agree, take their details (don’t however ask for their driver’s license).
Towing the car
You might need to get the car towed. Make sure whoever does the towing, is approved by your insurance company. You will have to foot the ridiculous bill if they’re not. Remove all valuables from the vehicle before the tow truck takes your car and for those things you can’t take with you, make sure the towing company marks it down on the accessories towing sheet. Your radio and amp should be in the car when you collect it.
Photos
It’s also a good idea to take pictures of the scene, road markers, skid marks, the cars etc. with your cellphone. This will help resolve disputes later on. But these are not a fail safe and can be contested. But they do help.
Above and beyond staying calm, there are certain things you can do after having an accident to protect your belongings and insurance claim. Often the blame as to who caused the accident is evident at first but quickly forgotten when it comes time to paying out. Keeping your head will help you save money, while only subtly pointing the finger at the other driver.
Don’t admit liabiltiy
The first thing you should remember is never admit liability. This means not apologizing. It might be difficult, especially if it was your fault and you’re prone to being nice. Admitting that the accident was your fault will not only mean that your insurer pays for your damaged vehicle (if you are comprehensively insured) and the third parties which will up your premiums, cancel your bonus and increase your risk in the eyes of the insurer.
Move the car
You can move the car if the accident was not serious. If damage to the car was minimal it’s best to get off the road to prevent congestion of traffic. Much like people, if the car is seriously damaged, don’t move it. This is for the same reason that you would not move an injured person. Causing more damage to the vehicle will upset your insurer who now has to write off the car or cough up a larger claim.
Driver’s information
You will need to get information from the other driver to make a claim. These details are more important than anything else at this stage, so make sure they’re accurate. How? Ask for his or her driver’s license and copy it directly off of that. Having the police to supervise the ordeal will help motivate honesty. The information you need: ID number, driver’s license number, name, surname, contact details, model of the car (including make and colour) and registration number (number plate).
Witnesses
If you see any passersby gawking it might be a good idea to find out if anyone is willing to be witness to the event. If they agree, take their details (don’t however ask for their driver’s license).
Towing the car
You might need to get the car towed. Make sure whoever does the towing, is approved by your insurance company. You will have to foot the ridiculous bill if they’re not. Remove all valuables from the vehicle before the tow truck takes your car and for those things you can’t take with you, make sure the towing company marks it down on the accessories towing sheet. Your radio and amp should be in the car when you collect it.
Photos
It’s also a good idea to take pictures of the scene, road markers, skid marks, the cars etc. with your cellphone. This will help resolve disputes later on. But these are not a fail safe and can be contested. But they do help.