Steps to Take When You Are Involved In An Auto Accident Occurs
by A. Montalbano on 01/07/16
The weather in Texas can change drastically and can pose problematic conditions especially while commuting. But on any given day, particularly a clear visible day, accidents still occur. Obvious factors such as weather, traffic, aggressive driving, texting, animal collision, and car-manufactured issues continue to be great concerns for the insurance industry. Whatever the cause of an auto accident, will you be prepared and ready to take action? AG Insurance Solutions is proactive and wants you to follow simple steps to take when an auto accident should happen to you.
1. Your first reaction on impact is usually immediate startled. But stay calm; don't panic. You need to be able to process and move quickly, not freeze and endanger yourself and/or others.*
2. Turn on your hazard lights if allowable and remove yourself and others from the vehicle. Check others involved.
3. Call 911 if others are injured. If you cannot decide emergency vs non-emergency, call 911 anyway and they can direct you to a non emergency local #.
4. Obtain the insurance info from the other party. Most cell phones include cameras, use it to take picture of the insurance card. If obvious the other party is at fault, you want to contact their insurance immediately, right there on the spot; verify coverage and start a claim. If not sure who is at fault, contact your insurance agent and start a claim.
Just another reason why an INSURANCE AGENTS, not parents in this case, are beneficial to have on your side if you do not know what to do. Don't forget to CLOSE your claim if the other party is found at-fault. If it stays open, it shows up on the CLUE Report when you start shopping for new quotes. You can say, it's a ding to your CLUE Report.)
5. Make sure if the accident is "on private property", and the police do not dispatch a car to the scene, take pictures, take down the other party's license plate #, drivers license number, write down intersections, the time, and witness info if available. (What constitutes private property? A parking lot of a shopping center, a gas station, a restaurant, get it?)
*NEVER move your car to an isolated area. Or if it appears the other party collided with you in a remote area, take action. Alert yourself to your surroundings and if you feel uncomfortable with the other party, and its safe to stay in your car, don't get out; DIAL 911. Your SAFETY needs to come first.
6. If your car is not mobile, call your insurance tow service. Get to know your neighborhood and keep a log of garages you trust to call for repair. Have the tow service deliver to the garage or to your home. Usually adjusters will travel to where the car is sitting whether it be a garage or your home.
Although you may see it unnecessary to have an insurance agent when you buy insurance direct, an agent serves as your representative for your insurance needs. When an accident occurs, a professional agent will see you from the start to the end of the claims process. We at AGIS, usually give extra care to our customers. By providing them with additional guidance, so they won't get lost in the shuffle, should an issue come up, we research it for you.
