road accident claims 2

Road Accident Claims

Being involve in an automobile accident in which you believe that you carry the majority of fault is a stressful situation.

Not only do you have to deal with the damages and injuries you sustained but you also may be responsible for caring for the losses of the other parties have incurred. No doubt, there are dozens of questions swarming around in your head.

What should I do?

How will my auto insurance be affected?

Should I file a road accident claim?

In situations like this, it’s important to take a deep breath to avoid making any rash decisions that could worsen your situation.

Keep Conversation Limited with the other Party

Even if you believe that you were the cause of the accident, you should never admit this the other party involved. Avoid asking questions such as:

Didn’t you see me coming?

How fast were you driving?

These questions can lead to an argument of who was at fault and who wasn’t.

You do want to find out if the other driver and their passengers if there are any were injured. Be polite and keep conversation to a minimal.

File A Police Report  

In most automobile accidents, you have to contact local law enforcement, and they have to come out to the scene of the accident. Never not contact authorities or leave before they show up.

In the UK, authorities must be called if someone is injured or if the accident is blocking the roads affecting the flow of traffic.

You should also fill out an accident report with the Department of Transport.

Exchange Information With the Other Driver

You should exchange license and registration information with the opposing party.

Even if the accident is more than fifty percent your fault you should still have the other driver’s insurance information. Road accident claims should be filed by both parties.

Notify Your Insurance Company

If possible, you should contact your insurance company the same day that the accident occurred or the following day. Failing to cooperate with your insurer can cause them not to cover the present accident and deny you coverage thereafter. You do not want to take this risk.

Some may try to avoid going through their insurance company because if the accident is deemed to be their fault this will likely cause an increase in insurance premiums. This is never a good idea.

How Your Car Insurance Will Be Affected

As drivers, we fear expensive insurance premiums.

Unfortunately, with most insurance policies if you are 50% or more at fault, when your policy is renewed your insurance rates will increase.  Your insurers could also force you to pay a surcharge if you received a traffic violation because of the accident.

Road accident claims can stay on your driving record for several years.

Covering the Damage

If you only have liability automobile insurance, your insurer will only pay for the damages incurred by the other party.

Some liability policies only cover up to a certain amount and the driver may be required to fund the rest of the expenses.

Full coverage auto policies can cover the damage done to your vehicle and the damages incurred by the other driver.