Since I had the joy of being in an accident this weekend and had no idea what action to take, I thought I would help everyone with what I've learned. Here are the steps to take anytime you're in a car accident, whether big or small.
- File a police report. Without one, it is going to be word against word when it comes to blame. It may take a little longer to get the police involved, but it's worth it. My brother's car got smashed in a parking lot, and the other guy was completely to blame. Because they didn't file a police report, the guy said they were both backing out at the same time and wouldn't pay a dime.
- Exchange all insurance information: company, policy holder name, policy, company phone number.
- Exchange contact information between all parties involved (including any witnesses): names, addresses, phone numbers, and driver license numbers.
- Write down all of car information: state and license plate number, make, model, year, and color of the car.
- Call your insurance company immediately to report the accident and file a claim.
I'm not going to go into the details of how to get your car fixed like getting an estimate and having the other insurance company pay for it, but that all happens after you file a claim as well. I'm so not excited to start that process. Anyways, hope these tips help someone. For more tips, check out Rocks in my Dryer's Works for me Wednesday.
P.S. If you have insurance, steps to take in an accident are listed on the back of the card just in case you forget to bring this list with you.
And for your viewing pleasure I've posted pictures of the dents and scratches that have been put on my car since I bought it in 2003. By the way, none of these had anything to do with me other than the fact that I own the car.
My Front Fender
The right and left side had to match.
Someone wanted to leave their mark but not their name.
And of course, the latest. Courtesy of Saturday's Mercedes.
9 comments:
Yea, I hear ya. This is a great post. A few years ago, my ex crashed my car with me and a friend in it. It turned into an insurance nightmare. Basically get as much documentation as possible, and get the contact information of WITNESSES. It's so important.
Nice! Peter was in an accident last year with a dump truck, driven by a non-English speaking immigrant and it took an entire month to fix all the damage. Luckily it was the other driver's fault.
to keep going is alwasys the hardest part!
That's so annoying! I have a small scratch on my bummer (caused by someone else) and a little dent in the top of my bumper near the trunk. I at least know what caused the last one - pulling a suitcase in the car, and it might have been me who did it. I'm now extra careful and don't let anyone else put their suitcase in or out my trunk.
That is terrible - especially since none of it's because of your driving! My brother and sister are awful drivers and constantly have dings, marks, etc., but at least it's because of their own driving. Hopefully you won't have any accidents for a while!
I'm sorry you got in an accident. I don't think I have ever reported an accident, though I should have because when a guy rearended me he was a total asshole about it, and when a girl backed into me, she just drove off. So yeah. I just figured karma would take those bitches out. ;o)
ahhh no fun!! good advice though. I got into 2 "fender benders" in highschool, followed closely by a a huge Van T-boning my little sedan. Probably one of the scariest things I've gone through...and no car-wrecks since then. *whew* hope your car pulls through!
YIKES That does not look happy
That sucks!!!
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