Car Accident Insurance

Car Accident Insurance Precautions

If you’ve just been involved in an accident, providing there have been no injuries and depending on who seems to be at fault, your first emotions could include panic, fear, anger or shock. It’s important to remain calm after an accident, to ensure those with you are not hurt, to accept you have responsibilities and to gather or give information relevant to your and the other driver’s car insurance policy.

When an accident occurs the shocked reaction, after being sure no one is hurt, is to start blurting out apologies or accusations. Even if you believe it is your error, it's best at the time of the accident to refrain from admitting fault.

Accidents usually occur so fast, it is almost impossible to have a clear picture of exactly what happened. It’s a common situation to have eye-witnesses give accounts that vary and often even more difficult for those who were involved in the accident to have a true recollection of events.

Whenever an accident occurs, the police must be called. The police are skilled in gathering information from all parties including witnesses and assessing the scene of the accident. It is vital after an accident that you do not speak to anyone about the incident until the police attend, as you will only be giving ‘your’ view of what happened, which may be wrong. Your words can be held against you if the accident goes to court or it may be deemed your fault in a car accident insurance claim, possibly affecting any no-claim bonus and car insurance premiums.

While you’re waiting for the police to arrive it’s a good time to exchange relevant details with the other driver without discussing the actual incident. Information can be written down such as name and address of the other driver, car registration number, make and model of the other car, the other driver’s car insurance company and the name and contact details of any witnesses. Jot down details such as time the accident occurred and the location, also the names of the police officers.

As soon as possible after the accident, whether it was your fault or not, phone your auto insurance company. They will advise you what you need to do and will liaise with the other car insurance company and police regarding fault and payment for repairs.

Be aware, if you haven’t got car accident insurance and it’s deemed to be your fault, then you’re in for a rocky and expensive time.