If you’ve been involved in a car accident that wasn’t your fault, it can be a very distressing and overwhelming experience for everyone involved. Whether a minor or more serious collision, it’s important to look after your mental, physical and emotional state during this time and surround yourself with the right people.
To ensure things run smoothly from an insurance perspective, there are several important steps you need to take to protect your safety, rights and ability to make a successful claim – and most importantly, receive the compensation and support you’re entitled to. Let’s take a more in depth look at what you need to do.
1. Remain Calm & Make Sure Everyone is Ok
The most important thing to remember is to try to remain calm and make sure everyone is ok at the scene of the accident. Move to a safe area away from oncoming traffic, turn on your hazard lights, and check for serious injuries.
If a serious injury has occurred, call 000 immediately and seek urgent medical attention. Once your safety and the safety of others have been determined, you can move to the next step and start gathering all the necessary information you need from the other driver at fault.
After all, at Car Rentals Near Me, we want to make sure everyone is ok in a situation like this.
2. Collect All Details from the Other Driver at Fault
Regardless of who was at fault, it’s crucial to exchange details with the other driver. This will make your claims process a lot easier and quicker when it comes to obtaining your car rental hire. Take down their full name, address, phone number, email address, make and model of the car, insurance company, and policy number, driver’s licence number, and vehicle registration details. If you don’t have a pen and paper handy, take a quick photo of the driver’s licence and pop the rest of the details into your phone.
Were there any witnesses to the accident? Very important to get their contact information as well. Their statements may be useful later if there is a dispute as to who was at fault. Everyone has a phone these days, so perhaps remember to take some photos of relevant things such as the accident scene, vehicle damage, any relevant road signs, tyre marks on the road, and anything else that may support your claim. Also, don’t forget to follow up with the ‘at fault’ driver to get a claim number, even if you don’t hear from them after the accident.
3. Report the Accident to Police as a Back Up
Reporting the accident to the police may be a smart move, particularly if there are significant injuries or vehicle damage involved, or if the other party fails to stop or refuses to give their details. Even though it’s not legally required, having a police report on file can give you the extra leverage you need when it comes to processing your insurance claim and determining who was at fault more clearly. If you want to take it one step further, don’t be afraid to ask for the name badge number of the police officers in attendance and get a copy of the report sent to you.
4. Call Your Insurance Company ASAP
After you’ve left the scene and addressed any urgent medical concerns, get in touch with your insurance company as soon as possible. They will ask for all the relevant information, including your version of what happened, the other party’s details, and any evidence gathered at the scene.
If the accident wasn’t your fault, you may be entitled to claim a not at fault car hire through the other driver’s insurance. Depending on your location and which insurance company you’re with, they can help you recover costs from the at-fault party’s insurer, particularly if you have comprehensive coverage. This will work to your advantage.
Let the insurance companies deal with the rest (and if necessary, legal professionals) – they will collaborate and decide who is responsible based on the available information provided.
In the event you have suffered injuries, entered into a dispute over who was at fault, or you don’t feel the insurance payout adequately covers your losses, you can always seek further legal advice.
Get in Touch with Car Rentals Near Me to Arrange Your Replacement Vehicle
So, you now have all the details you need to get the ball rolling.
Head across to our Contact Us page or fill in the Not at Fault Car Hire Claim Form with all your details, and we’ll aim to get you a replacement vehicle sorted while you wait for yours to be repaired.
If you have any further questions, reach out to our support team to discuss your situation. We’re here to help.
