Keeping Your Auto Insurance Coverage After An Accident
No matter how careful one is when driving on the road, there are always plenty of bad drivers that can cause an accident. Even the most careful of drivers that check their rear view mirror constantly and always do a head check to secure their blind spot can get into an accident. The fact is that accidents are inevitable and are bound to happen. Having auto insurance coverage when an accident occurs, regardless of whose fault it is, can have a huge impact on the outcome of that accident. But having auto insurance coverage is not enough; after getting into an accident, there are certain steps that must be followed in order to ensure that the driver retains that coverage. Assessing vehicle damage happens to be part of that process, as well as notifying the insurance company about all the details of the accident.
Immediately following an accident, as long as it is not severe enough to send anyone in an accident, contacting the insurance should be done. Police officers will likely show up to the scene in order to assess the situation, take notes, interview all parties involved and file a report. It is important to take down the police officer's information as well as the information of any party involved in the accident, regardless of fault. Ensuring the other driver has insurance is another step to take in order to make a proper claim.
As long as no one has gone to the hospital and all parties are able to walk away, even if the damage is severe enough to any of the involved vehicles that they can't be driven, the next step to take is to contact the insurance company. Let them know that an accident has occurred, provide them with the other drivers' information, and give them the report number or police officer's information as well. The policyholder may have to go get the report themselves and send it to the insurance company, but the insurance company can handle the rest.
One of the first actions the insurance company will take is in assessing vehicle damage. Although the policyholder has provided a detailed account of the accident and all the information about the accident is recorded in the police report, the insurance company must still assess the damage to the policyholder's car. This step is taken to verify whose fault the accident was and what, if any, funds need to be distributed.
If all of these steps are taken and the insurance company has all available information, then keeping one's auto insurance coverage is almost guaranteed. Most insurance companies will not drop a driver if they've been in an accident.
