Reporting the Claim
Imagine you’re driving down the road, on your way to an appointment, and you run into some traffic. After a few minutes of stop and go, it looks like it’s been cleared. The car begins to climb speeds until you hit the allotted speed limit. All of a sudden, more traffic is coming up quick. You begin to slow down, when all of a sudden, you hear a loud crash and at the same time, you feel the impact.
The vehicle behind you rear-ended you. If the accident was only minor, all vehicles should be moved to a safe place, out of the way of traffic. If the accident was more serious, or if someone was injured, it is best to stay where you are until the police or other medical personnel arrive. Be sure to turn your hazard lights on. Remember, even when the accident isn’t life threatening, you need to call the local police. If you don’t report the accident to the authorities, you may not know what insurance company covered the other party’s vehicle. This may delay your claim adjustment.
Always remain calm in an accident. Don’t distress yourself by displays of anger at the other party. After kindly talking with them and checking to make sure everyone is okay, offer to exchange insurance information so you can get policy and telephone numbers from the party at fault.
Once the car accident has been cleared and everyone involved is calm, the first step is to call your auto insurance agent. You need to talk with your agent about the circumstances surrounding the accident, such as who was at fault and what the situation was at the time of the auto accident. Your agent will be able to help you make a decision on whether the accident needs to be reported to your insurance carrier or the other person’s insurance carrier. If you don’t have an agent because you use an Internet direct insurance holder, then you need to call the 800 number and ask a claims adjuster for advice.
Please note, the accident may not need to be reported at all, depending on the circumstances. If no one was at fault, then not reporting it could save you money on your overall insurance costs. This general discussion with your agent will not affect your future insurance rates. Since most standard deductibles are $500 and $1000, if the loss is less than that, it’s usually not worth reporting to your insurance company.