Discuss Insurance After A Car Accident With Your General Agent

What should you do when you get into a car accident? How can you contact your insurance company? If you need to know what to do with insurance after car accident, we’ve got you covered. Keep reading to get the information that you need.

1. Take a deep breath

Right after an accident, you may be quite shaken up. Taking a deep breath can help you center yourself and give you the ability to think with more common sense once you are able to evaluate what has happened. It will make sure that you keep a clear head and follow the subsequent steps to making sure that you get everything you need for your insurance coverage.

2. Scan Your Body

Before you move, check yourself for injuries. If you think you may have a back or neck injury do not move until emergency help arrives. If you feel OK, then you can move on to the other steps. If you are injured and you can reach your cell phone, call 911 and wait for first responders to arrive.

3. Check Your Passengers

Once you have determined that you are not injured, you need to check on the other passengers in your car. Ask them verbally if they are OK and then if you are able to move check on them physically, especially if they are children. Kids might not be able to accurately tell you how they are doing. If someone else is injured, call 911 immediately and help them as best you can. Again, if you suspect a neck or back injury do not attempt to move the victim.

4. Check on the Other Car

If there was another car involved in your accident, check on them once you have determined that you are OK and the other people in your car are as well. Again if there is an injury, you will have to call 911 and get them some assistance. Tempers can be heated after an accident. The most important thing is to remain calm if you can.

5. Move to Safety

If you need to move your car to the side of the road, do it if possible. Otherwise get out of the car and wait with any passengers by the side of the road in a safe location if possible.

6. Call 911

Unless you’ve already determined that someone is injured and needs medical attention, thus you’ve already called 911, now is the time to call the police. You need to have the accident well documented and some states actually legally require you to do so. You may need to go to the police station to file a report at a later time depending on the availability of your local police.

7. Exchange Information

You need to get certain information from the other person involved in the accident. Get their name and contact information including phone number and e-mail. Get their insurance information including policy number. Get their driver’s license and license plate number, vehicle information including year, make and model. Take a note of where the accident took place and write down a note for yourself about your version of events.

8. Document Everything

Take pictures of any damage to your car or injuries. Write down the police officer’s names and badge numbers and get a copy of the incident report. Get the names of witnesses and other passengers. You need to have the full picture of what went down in order to make sure you get the insurance payout you will need to fix any damage.

9. Submit Your Claim

Now that you are safe and have all the information you will need, you can submit your claim to your insurance company. Most companies have an easy way to submit, like online or even through an app. Other companies prefer that you go through an agent to submit your claim which some people find nice in a time of crisis.

Now you know what to do for insurance after car accident and if the unthinkable should happen, you will be well prepared to submit everything you need for a claim.