Do you know India witnesses a road accident every minute? Rash driving, potholes, and poor road infrastructure can be the reason behind car accidents? Just imagine an accident and your hair will stand at the end. It’s a scary and grave situation. Keep in mind that when you drive, you keep your life at stake regardless of how carefully you are driving. Complete knowledge about what to do after an immediate car accident can help you a lot in this pathetic situation. You will be able to calm down and execute the necessary steps.
Here is what to do in case of a car accident.
Check your injuries
Calm down and relax. The first thing you should do is to make sure that no one is seriously injured in the accident. Check the injury of all the members who were travelling in the car. Also, check other those who may have been involved in the accident. Look for others as much as yourself. Your car comes with a basic first aid kit. Give first aid to all those injured. In case of any severe injury, call an ambulance immediately
Collect information
If you’re responsible for the accident, it is important to give your contact details and insurance information to the third party that has received an injury. If the cause of the accident was due to another vehicle, then note down the registration details of the car, driver’s license number and information on the vehicle’s insurance.
Call Police
The next step is to contact the police control room and let them know the situation – in fact, the details of the accident. Based on the permission of the senior police officer, an FIR can be filed. Take a copy of the FIR paper. Once the police receive your call, they will visit the site and coordinate with other emergency services and also take care of crowd control. Share with them all the details you have collected about
Click pictures
Taking pictures of the accident site immediately after the accident is important. This will serve the purpose of evidence. However, while clicking photos, it is important to focus on the damage caused by the accident and injuries received by you and other travellers.
Notify Your Insurer
Notify your insurance company about the accident by calling the customer care number of the insurance company or their roadside assistance number. Inform them at the earliest and let them know about the accident and the damages caused by it. The insurer will provide you with a Claim Intimation Number that can be used for future reference. The contact number of every insurer is available on their insurance policy paper. So, you need to take a snapshot of it and save it on your phone.
Things to Remember
Avoid Fleeing the Scene: Don’t feel from the accident site. It is not just important because you can stay and offer aid to anyone injured, but also you will be available when the police and first responders arrive at the accident spot. If you flee, you can get trapped in criminal activity. So, stay at the scene and wait for the police to arrive.
Have Patience: When a car accident happens, you should not lose your temper, but have patience. Since an accident brings severe stress, and senses start running high, you need to stay calm and make sure of the safety of everyone present at the scene. Coordinate with the authorities to make sure that every person gets the best care possible.
Repair and claim process for car insurance
Towing the car: It is recommended not to drive a car that has been involved in a collision. If you drive, the motion may result in more aggressive damage that will not be covered by your insurance company. It is therefore important to take the help of professional towing service to move your vehicle to the nearest workshop for repairs. It’s better if your vehicle is protected by Roadside Assistance cover. Use this service now.
Contact insurance provider: Call your insurance company for an inspection. The authorized surveyors will come to inspect the car. He may observe the information, i.e., the damage to the car, the police report and statements by witnesses, followed by providing an estimate for the costs. The insurance provider will now tell you how much they will cover.
Assessment approval: Approve the coverage amount and ask the repairer to proceed. After the workshop gives you the bill, asking you to pay your share (deductibles and overheads if any), pay the bill and take delivery of your vehicle. The workshop will be in touch with your insurer for the remaining amount.
Non-network repair shop: If your car is repaired by a non-network workshop, then you will have to pay the bill from your pocket and then submit the bills along with the claim form and other documents required by the insurance provider. The insurer will approve your request and reimburse the claim amount to your bank account.
Bottom Line
A car accident is a stressful situation. Many people who are travelling may receive injuries. So, it is important to take care of those people first. What else? You will only get the insurance benefits if you have chosen a comprehensive car insurance plan for your vehicle because a basic third-party car insurance policy does not cover your own damage. So, when you buy or renew your car insurance, choose a comprehensive insurance plan with the right add-ons to stay covered.