A car accident can be a traumatic and stressful experience, but it’s crucial to remain level-headed and follow the proper procedures to ensure a successful car insurance claim. In this guide, we’ll walk you through the steps to take if you find yourself in an unfortunate situation like this.
Step 1: Checking for Injuries and Seeking Help
It’s a criminal offense to leave the scene of an accident, especially if anyone has been injured or property has been damaged. Instead, stop your vehicle in a safe area, turn on your hazard lights, and call for medical assistance if needed. Failure to stop can result in prosecution, and you can get fined a hefty amount of money and worse, even get arrested. It’s recommended to wait for professional help to arrive at the scene of the accident to assist you.
Step 2: Assessing the Damage to Vehicles
After attending to any injured parties and making sure that everyone involved is okay, car insurers advise that you assess the damage to your own vehicle as well as any other cars or property involved in the incident. Take multiple detailed photos of the damaged areas and objects from various angles, and if possible, use your smartphone to capture them.
Step 3: Collecting Important Information after an Accident
It’s natural to feel stressed in such situations, but it’s important to stay calm and collected, as that can determine and affect the actions that you take. Refrain from getting into a confrontation with other drivers and avoid discussing who’s at fault, as it may lead to further harm. Instead, focus on exchanging the following information with the other driver(s) according to Cars.co.za:
* Full name and surname as it appear on their South African identity card
* ID numbers
* Contact details (cell phone number, email address, business details, postal and/or physical address)
* Vehicle registration
* Description of the vehicle (model, make, and colour)
* Location of the car accident (street number and suburb)
* Time of the incident
* Road conditions and any other noteworthy points to consider
* Name and description of any attending authorities, like paramedics, police officers, or tow-truck drivers
Car insurers advise taking detailed notes about the accident, including what happened before, during, and after. This information is crucial if you plan to file an insurance claim with your insurer or the Road Accident Fund.
Step 4: Reporting a Car Accident to the Police
It is mandatory to report any car accident to the police within 24 hours, and failing to do so is an offence, which will even lead to your insurance company not wanting to pay for the car damages/claim. If you’re injured in the accident and have to seek medical help or be hospitalized, you must still report the accident as soon as possible and provide an explanation why you couldn’t report it within 24 hours.
Step 5: Contacting your Car Insurer after a Car Accident
Your car insurance company will also need the accident reported to them, so you can submit a claim. The steps above are crucial that you follow them completely, as that is what your insurance company will need to assist in processing your claim. Send them all the documentation that you have regarding the accident, with your claim.
Conclusion
In conclusion, being in a car accident can be a very stressful and overwhelming experience, but it’s important to remain calm and follow the necessary procedures to ensure the safety of all parties involved, as well as to file a successful insurance claim. Remember to check for injuries and call for help, exchange important information with the other driver(s), take notes and photos of the scene and damage, report the accident to the police within 24 hours, and finally, report the accident to your car insurer. By following these steps, you can protect yourself and your vehicle, and ensure that the claims process runs as smoothly as possible.