What should you do in case of a car accident?

It is important that you follow the traffic rules and take precautions from your end to ensure that you not only keep yourself safe but also the people around you. However, sometimes due to even slight negligence either from your end or due to some other individual, you may meet with an accident and your car may get damaged. In that case, there are certain things that you need to keep in mind. We will have a look at the dos and don’ts that you must follow when you meet with an accident and the procedure that you will have to follow in order to make a claim. 

Things to do after you have met with a road accident 

There are certain things that you will have to keep in mind when you meet with an accident: 

• Call the police: You must immediately call the police and inform them about the accident. You will be asked to file an FIR, the proof of which you will have to furnish while making a claim. If you are the victim, you are liable to get compensation. Hence, if you are involved in an accident, immediately inform the police. 

• Inform the insurance company: You must ensure that you inform your insurance company immediately after you have met with an accident. You must inform the insurance company regarding the accident within 7 days of the date of the accident, failing to do which your claim can get rejected. Informing your insurer about the accident also allows the insurer to activate some of the benefits that you can enjoy and help you take care of the cost of repair of your vehicle. 
• Furnish the documents on time: The claim process cannot be initiated until and unless you furnish the relevant documents to the insurer. Hence, in order to file for the claim, you must ensure that you furnish all the required documents including your policy documents which contains all the correct information so that the claim process can be initiated at the earliest. 

Things you should not do while filing your claim  

There are certain things that you must refrain from doing so that the insurance company does not reject your claim. Some of the things that you must not do while filing your claim are: 

• Do not run away from the accident scene: Do not run away from the accident scene or try to move your vehicle. Doing this may either result in a delay of settling of the claim or the insurance company simply rejecting your claim. Furthermore, an attempt to move an already damaged vehicle may cause further damage to the vehicle, which your insurance policy may not cover. Hence, never ever leave the accident scene, and inform the police and the insurance company who will send an inspector to inspect the damage. 

• Do not hide information: Do not hide any information or exaggerate any fact. You must be extremely clear about what happened. Any attempt to hide any information may result in either the insurance company rendering your policy invalid in nature or simply rejecting your claim. 
• Do not forget to document the accident scene: Make sure that you have documented everything possible related to the accident. This includes taking pictures of the accident scene and writing down the information of the person who caused the accident. You must write down his/her name, policy number, address, contact details, the insurer, etc. If you are the victim, you are eligible to get compensation as the third party for which you must have all the information of the perpetrator for future reference. 
• Do not settle with the perpetrator: The person who has caused the accident to you may attempt to settle the issue with you so that there are no legal liabilities involved by offering you money. Never ever accept any money from the third party as it is not only illegal in nature but also you won’t able to file an FIR and not receive the claim amount as a result. 

The process to claim insurance: 

Below is the process that you will have to follow in order to claim the car insurance: 

• Inform the police and file an FIR. 
• Inform the insurance company. The insurer will send an inspector who will inspect the scene of the accident and based on the survey provided the insurer will decide whether it must initiate the claim process or not. 
• Make sure that you furnish all the relevant documents including the policy document as asked by the insurance company. 
• Once all the above-mentioned processes have been completed, the insurance company will verify the documents and the events, and if they are satisfied that all the information provided by you are correct, the claim amount will be paid to you. 

Hence, these are some of the things that you must keep in mind in case you meet with an accident and are looking to make a claim. 

bbindhusingh

Financial Analyst at Farmer’s Insurance with over 25 years of experience in the Financial Industry