What to Do if You Are Involved in an Accident

Sometimes accidents happen - but make sure you drive safely to minimize the risks!

While you probably always try to drive responsibly and safely, there is still the chance that you may be involved in an accident at some point. This is one reason why it is mandatory for all people in the UK to have some form of car insurance. It may be unlikely, but you could be involved in an accident that costs anywhere from a couple thousand dollars to a million dollars.

Contact the Police

If you are involved in an accident, the first thing that you should do is contact the police so that they can assist you. While you are waiting or while the officer is present, you should record as much information as possible so that you can give an accurate description of the accident. While you may be unable to gather all of the information that you need in the moment, you can often return to the scene to collect information that you may have missed.

Always take down details after a crash as you may not remember everything fully after the incident.

Gather Information and Pay Attention to Detail

When you are filing a claim with your insurance company, they will ask you to provide as many details as you possibly can. This will help them determine what your responsibility in the accident was and how much they will be liable to pay. You will need to first ensure that you provide the time and date of the accident. The location will probably be important to the insurance company, and you will need to provide an in-depth account of the accident to the claims department when you file your claim.

Note Personal Information of Others involved in the Accident

Anyone involved in the accident will also need to give his or her name, address, and contact information. If any passengers or pedestrians were involved in the accident, you should also note any information that you can retrieve from them as well.

You should also probably take note of the physical appearance of the other people involved in the accident, so that you can give the description to your insurance company.

Information on Vehicles, Weather, Lighting and Other Factors to Consider

In addition to personal information about the drivers, passengers, and anyone else involved in the accident, you should also include information on both vehicles involved in the accident. If more than one vehicle was involved, keep track of each vehicle so that you can accurately recount the story to your insurance company. If you have a camera on hand, you can also help with the claims process by taking pictures of the scene of the accident.

Try to keep track of all the information and make sure it is all correct

Other things that you should take note of that may not automatically come to mind are the weather and lighting conditions as well as the police officer that was called to the scene.  You should also take note of any and all damages to all vehicles involved in the accident.

After you have compiled all of these facts, you should write an accurate account of what happened to cause the accident. You can also draw sketches to depict where each car was, but indicate the approximate speed of each vehicle and any distinguishing characteristics of the road. Your policy may have a specific amount of time by which your insurance company must be notified, so make sure that you take action with your insurance company as quickly as possible. You should also make sure that all of the information that you have provided your insurance company with is up to date, as this could also allow them to deny you cover. You should communicate with the other party in the accident as frequently as possible before you file a claim so that you can discern whom you feel was at fault in the collision and whose responsibility it will be to take care of the damages.