In Case of an Accident
Print out this handy Accident Checklist, and keep it in your glove box along with your vehicle registration papers. Do this right now!
Safety First
When you’re involved in an accident, the most important thing is to remain at the scene. Send others for help, or call 911 if anyone is injured.
Concern yourself first with passengers in the vehicles and their immediate safety. Turn off ignition switches on all involved vehicles to avoid the risk of fire. Do not attempt to move seriously injured persons, unless their vehicle is on fire.
Wait for police and ambulances to arrive. If you are in a remote area and there are significant injuries, attempt to minimize bleeding or administer CPR, if necessary.
What to Do Next
1. Get important information at the scene.
In addition to getting information from other drivers, be sure to get at least the names and phone numbers of any witnesses or people who stopped to help.
Use the Accident Checklist, as a helpful "fill-in-the-blanks" record of information you need to obtain.
2. Share only pertinent information at the scene.
Provide your driver's license, registration and contact information only to the other drivers, injured persons and police officers. Do NOT discuss the circumstances of the accident with anyone except the police. Do NOT discuss responsibility with anyone except a positively identified representative of your insurance company.
3. Complete an accident record.
Write down everything you can remember about the accident. Include as many details as possible. Revisit the scene at a later time to take pictures, if necessary.
4. Notify your insurance agent immediately.
Date & Time Called:
Write your claim number here:
Towing the Vehicle
City, county and state police have a call list of towing operators that are approved by the state to tow from limited-access highways and county streets. These operators are licensed and bonded and experienced in towing late-model vehicles to preclude further damage to your car.
Most automobile insurance policies include a nominal "towing" coverage, but you should be advised that the allowances provided in coverage do not always pay the towing bill in full. If your car is being towed long distances off the interstate, at odd hours, or in extreme weather conditions, there may be legitimate additional charges from the towing operator that are not covered by the towing allowance.
If you are towing your vehicle to Triangle Collision, don’t worry about the tow bill. Tell the tow truck operator to tow the vehicle to our location, and we’ll pay the tow bill and add it to your repair bill.
Resolving liability and insurance coverage can take several days or longer, depending on the seriousness of the accident. Some towing operators and repair facilities charge a daily storage fee on your car while it’s waiting to be repaired, and these charges can add up quickly. It's important to note that Triangle Collision does NOT charge storage fees for vehicles on our property while you’re waiting for a determination on who is responsible for repairing your car.
Contacting Insurance Providers
As soon as possible after any accident, contact your insurance company or agent. You should be aware that your insurance company may record your telephone call or verbal report of what happened, and you should always request a written transcript of your statement for your personal records. Your insurance company must provide this transcript to you at no charge.
It may take your insurance company or agent several days to get back to you with a claim number. The claim number is very important: be sure to write it down, and repeat it back to the agent to verify that you copied it correctly. If your insurance company takes longer than a week to assign a claim number or is not forthcoming on the reasons for the delay, you may wish to consult an attorney to further protect your rights.
Reputable collision repair facilities will require a claim number to begin repair of your vehicle. Be wary of companies offering to initiate repairs without the proper paperwork.
It is not advisable to accept a settlement check from your insurance company or the insurance company of another driver involved the accident until you are certain that it covers all the necessary repairs to your vehicle. If you are being pressured by an insurance company to settle prior to receipt of detailed repair estimates, you may wish to consult an attorney.
Uninsured Motorists
Although North Carolina state laws and the laws of many other states prohibit driving a vehicle without auto insurance, people do drive without insurance every day. If you are involved in an accident with an uninsured motorist and they are at fault, your only recourse for liability and payment is legal action, a costly and time-consuming alternative. In the meantime, you will be required to pay for repairs to your vehicle, rental car charges and other related expenses.
The best advice is to make sure you carry Uninsured Motorist coverage for every vehicle listed on your automobile insurance policy. Uninsured Motorist coverage provides policy coverage for both personal injuries and property damage. The cost of this coverage is minimal, and the peace of mind it provides is invaluable.
