Several weeks ago I was involved in an automobile accident. Neither party was hurt but our cars were pretty heavily damaged. We did not turn our car’s damage into the insurance company because we were afraid that they would want to total it out simply because it is an older car (it’s a 1998 Lexus). The rest of the car is in good condition and has only about 150,000 miles on it and given the brand it should run for another 100,000 miles. We also have a $1,000 deductible and we don’t think that it will cost much over a $1,000 to fix it, but we have to save up the money for it or make arrangements with the body shop to pay it.
Below is a picture of how my hubby has very temporarily fixed the headlight while we are getting estimates of how much it will cost to fix it.
This was my first wreck in my 29 years of driving and I must say that I was relatively calm at the scene of the wreck but when I got home I fell apart. I began thinking about how I didn’t really know what to do at the accident scene or how to talk to our insurance adjuster and wondering if I had done everything right at the scene. So I started researching and from various places came up with the following list.
Do you know what to do if you are involved in an accident?
1. Stop the vehicle and move it to the side of the road, if possible. We pulled over into a Walgreen’s parking lot.
2. Check to see if any one is hurt and call 911 for medical help and the police. No one was hurt. I called 911 and reported the accident and that we didn’t need an ambulance.
3. Do not leave the scene of the accident. No one left the scene.
4. Exchange contact information with everyone that was involved in the accident — name, telephone, address, insurance info. We exchanged information.
5. Get the names and telephone numbers of any witnesses. There was a guy who came to help but said he did not see the accident.
6. Take pictures of any damage to your car, the other car(s), the accident scene, and any people that were involved in the accident. I took pictures of his car and tags. He left the scene as soon as he was finished talking to the policeman.
7. Don’t panic. Remain calm and polite with the other driver. Both parties were very polite.
8. Don’t admit fault. All I could say was our cars hit each other. I looked straight ahead and to my right because it was a one way street and then did a double check and proceeded to make my left turn. It was probably deemed my fault as the other car was nearly across the intersection when I went to make the turn. I’m not sure where he came from but he was not there when I looked, The cop did not issue either of us a ticket.
9. Cooperate with the police and be polite. Have your driver’s license and insurance card ready to give to the policeman. This is very important — Don’t yell at the policeman.
10. Get a copy of the police report when it is ready. I still need to do this.
11. Contact your insurance company immediately and report the accident. I did this and my insurance company has already settled with the other driver. They were quick about it and it only took 11 days.
These are just some of the things that I’ve learned about dealing with an accident and insurance. One more thing — make sure that you have your most current insurance card in the car. My hubby had to bring me mine, I had the old one in the car. The cop was nice and took the current one when my hubby got there.
Do you have any tips for dealing with insurance companies have a wreck? Leave us a comment. We’d love to share them with our other readers.
Till next time,
JT Locke
The Frugal Housewife
About The Frugal Housewife
Glad that none was hurt in the process; that is most important. I would say you did very well; there would always be a first time I guess and we learned from our experience. I just had an accident last week with my friend driving. We were clearly at fault but the most fortunately thing was no one was hurt also and my friend paid the other driver $150 for his car damages.
I’m sorry you were in an accident, but I’m glad no one was hurt!