It can happen. Much as we try to always drive safely and exercise the appropriate amount of caution whenever we are behind the wheel of a car, accidents can happen.
Let’s start with the MOST IMPORTANT thing to remember.
If no one is hurt, everything will be OK.
Your car is insured, and while it might be a hassle, keep in mind that everyone is safe, and the car will be fixed.
So, the first thing is to take a deep breathe, and count your blessings that everyone is ok.
From there on, it’s straightforward.
Make certain you pull over to a safe place. This might take a bit of maneuvering but know that what happens next might take a little bit of time and you don’t want to put yourself in harm’s way.
Assuming you have your phone with you, take as many pictures as possible and from all angles. You can’t have too many photos, so snap away.
While you’re taking pictures, don’t forget to take a picture of the other person’s driver’s license and insurance card. Make certain that both are legible because you’re going to need their name and numbers.
Call the police. You want to file a police report, regardless of how minor the incident.
Contact your insurance carrier and report the accident. Depending on the situation you may need to have your car inspected before it is repaired because even a minor accident can compromise the integrity of the car.
Your insurance carrier will explain everything to you and at the Shaw Agency, we endeavor to make everything as seamless and stress-free as possible.
Of course, the best thing is to not have an accident but if and when it happens, make certain to follow these simple suggestions and soon you can put the incident behind you.