If you have ever been in a car accident before you know how annoying the whole situation is. And it only gets worse if your car is off the road, either temporarily or permanently. Even if you’re a good, conscientious driver, not everyone else on the road is, and you being involved in crash can simply be that you were in the wrong place at the wrong time. So, assuming that you are well enough to leave your car and move around, what would your next steps be in a post-crash scenario? There are many people who can go their whole lives without an accident, but with over 18 million registered vehicles, with at least 16 million of them on the road, the likelihood of it happening to you is quite high.
Immediately After
Straight after the event has taken place – again assuming that you are well enough to move out of the vehicle and walk around – make sure that everyone else is okay. You don’t need to know first aid or CPR, but it’s easy to see if someone needs medical help or not. Call an ambulance if someone is hurt, and, if it is safe to do so, help them out of their car. If everyone is fine and moving around then make sure you get the details of the other car and driver.
Insurance
No matter the damage to your car, you should be able to claim compensation from the insurer of whoever cause the crash. However, if you have been crashed into, you might not have the information needed to claim on their insurance. However, you can claim on your own policy to cover any injury, a car accident lawyer, damage and loss of earnings.
Assess Damage
Without a professional having a look, you probably won’t be able to see all the damage that has been done to your vehicle. But you will be advised by the recovery team, and by the mechanic when you take your car in for servicing. If your car needs to be written off, you will be able to see that quite clearly, as half of your car is probably scattered down the highway. Car’s aren’t cheap to repair – if it’s a realignment, mirror replacement, or cosmetic denting, you should be able to have them fixed at a decent price. Anything bigger will be a nice chunk of money.
Replacement
If your car is off the road, you might need a temporary car or a completely new one. If it’s temporary, then think about how long you are going to need another car for. Your insurance might provide you with a courtesy car, or you might need to look to rent a car for a short amount of time. If the repairs are taking longer, you might want to ask friends or family if you can be added to their insurance for a while. If you have comprehensive cover then you should be able to drive their cars without a problem. If you don’t need to buy a new car, then try and avoid it. A rental car might seem a bit pricey, but it will still be cheaper than buying a new car.
