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Useful Tips - After the accident

If you’re involved in an accident, it’s important to get as much information as possible. If you’re injured or in a state of shock you may not be able to get all the information you need at the time. However, there’s still information you can provide by returning to the scene of the accident at a later date – as soon as you can – and taking some notes.

This will assist your claim and help your insurance company in claim settlement.
Most people these days have a phone camera. Use it to help you accurately record the accident details.

While on the scene of the accident:

Collect the following information:

Time and date
Contact details including names, addresses and telephone numbers of drivers, passengers and pedestrians involved. If a party is driving within the course of his employment, take both the driver and the employer's details. It may be worth noting a description of the driver, location and any distinguishing features.
Vehicle details including make, model, registration number, colour, any modifications and the number of passengers in each vehicle
Insurance details for the driver of the other vehicle
Whether the parties were using headlights and/or indicator lights
The weather, visibility and lighting conditions, including street lighting
Name and other details of any police officer attending and other emergency services details if appropriate
Identify the damage to each vehicle involved
Identify any injuries to persons involved
If you have a camera, take some photographs of the accident scene like picturs of damaged vehicles and any injuries sustained

Make the following records as soon as possible while your memory is fresh:

A full description of what happened including pictures of the vehicles’ positioning
Estimated speed of the vehicles involved
The type of road
A description of the scene of the accident, including any relevant road markings, signals and obstructions. For example, “skip outside property at road junction.”
Keep a written account of any conversations and dealings with the insurance officers, agents, and any other people involved in the claims process.

Note: It’s an offence to refuse to give details to the other driver following an accident, if there has been injury or property damage

Reporting a claim

Inform your insurance company of the accident as quickly as possible.
Unless you have some very serious injuries to take care off, your insurance agent is the first person to call in case of an accident or injury.
The company may refuse to insure you if you have not notified them of the accident within the time period set out in the policy.

Take time to read your insurance policy and understand it. This will help you in determining what coverage your policy allows so as to make the necessary claims.
Do save receipts and bills for any and all expenses relating to your insurance claim, bills for any repair work on the damaged vehicle, and also any medical costs incurred on the treatment of any injuries that are covered by your insurance policy.
Be frank and honest with the insurance investigators so that your claim is not denied for fraudulent reasons.
Check if you have more than one insurance policy that provides coverage for the particular accident or injury. Many people have multiple insurance policies under which they may be able to file valid insurance claims. So, do take the time to review all your insurance policies.