Have you been involved in a vehicle accident? It’s always an anxious time – when it happens, and the time afterwards. The other party may be rude, may be blaming you, or may be intimidating. Don’t let the other party get to you. Call the police, if need, or exchange information and try to get a signed confession (if other person is at fault), but it’s not something you should expect – as you probably wouldn’t want to sign such a confession yourself. If conditions are bad, police would rather have you exchange information and off the road.
Make sure you carry a current auto insurance card in your car. Make sure you are current with your payments, so the insurance is never lapsed. Keep a good relationship with your insurance agent, as well, because he can guide you if something happens.
Hopefully, you will not be in a position where you are injured badly – make sure you have an emergency phone number accessible on your phone, so that anyone who comes to help can let your loved one(s) know your status, and where you might be taken (if to a hospital, for example).
Once, I had an issue in winter where the bumper collided with another, at slow speed. I couldn’t find the insurance card – I realized it was probably in a different purse than the one I had with me (I should have placed it in the car, not carry in the purse). I called the national insurance number because it was on a weekend. They agreed to email the card to me and I could retrieve it on my phone. We exchanged our information, and all turned out fine.
Take photos of the damage on both vehicles. If the other party doesn’t have insurance, that’s not good – make sure to have the car license plate number, the person’s driver license information and contact information. You might want to call your insurance agent to discuss what to do next.
It’s always somewhat traumatic to deal with an accident. You don’t need to add to your anxiety by fretting over what to do while waiting for your insurance settlement, if you need money to get by – fix the car, rent a car, pay bills, or some other need. Take a deep breathe and regroup.
If you are not at fault, and are waiting for an insurance payment, you may have to wait longer than you want to. Some insurance companies are better than others in paying promptly.
If you are waiting for an insurance settlement, and are needing cash now for bills, you may be able to get an advance on the insurance payment, while you are waiting for your settlement to pay you. That way, you can go forward with your life, and get repairs done, or whatever you need, while waiting.
