In Case of Accident: Tips for Your Car Insurance Claim

The most dangerous thing most of us do is drive a car. With more than 6 million accidents last year in the U.S. alone, a new accident is happening somewhere while you read each sentence in this post. Thus your chances of being involved in a vehicular accident and having to file an insurance claim at some point are pretty high.

As your Middletown NY insurance agents can tell you, it is important to know what to do in case it happens to you—and to be prepared.

Before an Accident Occurs

The best preparation of course is safe driving and a great car insurance policy from a dependable company. While you may be tempted to go with the cheapest insurance quote, what you should do is go for value. The last thing you want after an accident is additional frustration due to poor service, delays, and billing problems to add to your challenges. 

Pay attention to customer service beginning with your very first contact with the Middletown NY insurance company you contact. Then get the appropriate level of liability coverage and a deductible that you know you can handle. As Money magazine advises, read your policy before you actually need it, and make sure you understand it.

If an Accident Should Happen

Should you have the misfortune to be in an accident, your Port Jervis NY insurance professionals advise you to do the following:

1. Check for injuries. First determine if there are any serious injuries and call 911 (in most places) for any necessary medical or police assistance. If there are no serious injuries and any involved cars are in drivable condition, police generally do not respond.
2. Note any damages and accident details. If another vehicle is involved, note its model, make, and plate number. Take various photo of all damages (and any prior damages to other vehicles) and of the overall scene. Note the time of day, weather and road conditions, vehicle speeds, and any other pertinent details.
3.  Record names and relevant data. Also get any other driver’s name, address, driver license number, and insurance company. If the driver is not the owner, get the vehicle owner name and contact information as well.   Also record the names of all passengers and any witnesses, with phone numbers as possible.
4. Note any police intervention. If the police intervene, be sure to note the officer’s name and badge number. Inquire about how to obtain a copy of the police report for your insurance claim.
5.  Protect your rights. As you insurance company would always advice, on the scene you should never admit to guilt. Nor should you accept money from the other driver or agree to “forget about it” if it is minor. You may discover more factors and problems afterward.
6. Contact your insurer. As soon as possible afterward, contact your auto insurance company. If yours has a 24-hour claims service, as do many, you can call your insurer on the number on your insurance card before leaving the scene.

You may wish to print these steps out and leave a copy in your glove box with your insurance card. Make sure that all who drive your car know these basic steps to protect them, you, and your property. For greater peace of mind, make sure you are protected by the best insurance possible from your Middletown NY insurance

professionals.