What to do if involved in a driving car accident
After speaking to someone yesterday who asked me for some advise after being involved in a car accident, here is some advice for if you ever find yourself in such a situation.
Remain calm, stop and make sure you get details of the car and the driver involved.
You need the Make, Model, Colour and Registration of the car, name, address of driver and insurance company details (if known at scene), otherwise collect a telephone number so this can be collected later. It is an offence to fail to stop or provide your name and address if involved in an accident. You will of course be required to provide the same details if asked by the other car driver for insurance purposes.
Make a few notes at the scene of the accident, as you will need these for your insurance claim, particularly if you are in an unfamiliar area you will need the name of the road(s) where the incident occurred. If there are any witnesses, get their details, as they might be able to help back your story. Finally, take pictures of the scene (do be safe when doing this). With camera mobile phones common, and digital cameras cheap there is no reason why you shouldn't always carry one with you, it could save you and your insurance at lot of time, and help resolve the accident insurance claim promptly.
You don't need to inform the police of your car accident, unless there is someone injured, or damage to property and the owner is not around.
Being prepared for incidents like this means that if you ever find yourself there, you don't panic.
NEVER admit liability for any accident while at the scene, and advise the other party that the insurance companies will determine that.
Whilst it follows the advice given by the insurance companies to never admit to being the cause of an incident what is wrong with admitting so if the case is clear cut. Surely not doing so just adds to the cost of settling the claim as time is spent determining the guilty party?
ReplyDeleteAn example. I was waiting to turn left at a junction. There was traffic to my right waiting to turn right. This obscured the view of traffic on the road opposite turning left. A gap appeared in the traffic which would have allowed me to progress were it not for the car turning right opposite and coming across in front of me. The car behind couldn't see this and set off straight into the rear of my car. By the advice they should not admit liability. This is plainly ludicrous (sp).
Admiting liability at an accident could potentially leave your insurance company open to huge payout bill, an increase in premiums not only for you, but other drivers as well.
ReplyDeleteIt is best to leave the insurance companies to sort it out. The best you can do is to get the other party's insurance details, and if the case is clear cut, then you should not have any problems getting your car sorted and your excess sorted out if you have comprehensive insurance.
Insurance is a business remember, so they will only payout if they have to, which is why they give that advise.
I had a case where my car was hit while parked outside my house, by a transport lorry, in fact I wasn't at home, but a neigbour got the driver's details, including the insurance policy number, he never admitted liabilty, but I didn't even have to pay an excess to get my car fixed.
car accident compensation
ReplyDeletei have a query...even after how much time, can the compensation be claimed??