What To Do When You Get Involved in an Accident

Getting in an auto collision happens to us all, when we least expect it. Hopefully isn’t a major accident but often times even small fender benders gets the adrenaline flowing and shakes us up. Being prepared from making mistakes and allowing the person at fault to get away.

Here are 5 tips to do when you get involved in an accident.

#1 Record Everything

Right when it happens or at worst case right after you finish talking to the people involved in the accident, its highly recommended to record anything and everything you can remember. Starting with the license plate and color of car, incase they try to pull a hit and run. Take notes of time, date and location, the more specific the better. You can also audio record everything yourself or even ask to record the person saying you want it on record what happened. Get copy of ID, VIN number (Vehicle Identification Number) and license plate and swap insurance information. If you can get any witness’ that’s always a plus. The idea here is to remember as many details as possible when your mind is fresh to the incident; often times people forget and have blurred memories the more time passes. Even weather conditions, if his car had balled tires, any information will help.

#2 Police Report

Reporting it to get a police report is tough when it’s just a fender bender, but if there’s any slight chance of the person involved the accident with you, would suggest that he would try to get away or pull something sneaky, definitely push to get a police report. Which would also make tip #1 even more important. The downside of getting a police report is even on the most minor accidents; it will show on your vehicle history report that it was involved in an accident. So this is a tip only if you think is necessary and understanding that. You might ask yourself, why do I care? Well you should care because that will affect the value of your car. You might say, I don’t care, I’m keeping the car forever. We say, that’s what everyone says, until they payoff their car and see that new car they want to buy. Its just good to consider that whether you actually do keep it forever or not.

#3 Only talk to your Insurance

Do not ever say it was your fault, or even give the idea that it might have been your fault. What happens to many people that were involved in accidents where the person at fault is questionable, they will get a phone call or questioned by the opposing insurance company trying to get you to say you did something wrong on record and get you to be at fault. Do not speak with the opposing company, only talk to your insurance so they can go to work for you and look at your best interest. The reality is your insurance cares a heck of a lot more than you do to try to not get you at fault because you would just need to pay the deductible, and your insurance would have to cover the cost (that’s assuming you have full coverage).

#4 Keep receipts of car expenses

Keep receipts of any recent expenses you had on your car. Examples could be stereo system, tires or wheels. These expenses get reimbursed to you if you car gets totaled out and you get paid out on your car. This could be a few extra hundred dollars to sometimes over a thousand. Anyone can use the extra money to get back.

#5 Be nice, be kind

If you are at fault, be as kind and considerate as possible (this should be the case for any situation, to just be a nice person) but it should be extra when you know you’re at fault. This is just in case the person doesn’t go the full extent to get the absolute most they can get out of the situation. This could mean they can get a lawyer to look into the whole situation and go after your insurance or possibly you if they think they can. So it’s always good to be nice and respectful to the person you hit.

Accidents unfortunately are inevitable. We get shaken up, and forget to get information or document everything. It’s good to be prepared.

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