Whose Insurance Do I Call After an Accident?

Do you know what to do after a car accident? Or would you be flooded with questions like:

• Whose insurance do I call after an accident?
• If someone rear-ends you, whose insurance should you call?
• Do I call my insurance if someone hits me?

A car accident is scary and highly stressful. Good thing you’ve got auto insurance, right? But perhaps you’re unclear about the process. You might think that calling the other driver’s insurance first makes sense since they hit you. Actually, you’ll be better off contacting your insurance company first instead of depending on the other driver. Let’s find out why.

Why Do I Call My Insurance If Someone Hits Me?

When you’re in an accident, there’s usually a lot of confusion. You may not even be sure who was at fault for causing the accident. That’s understandable. Remain calm and let the professionals investigate to determine fault. Even if you think you may be to blame, you should never admit fault after an accident. And even when the other driver is clearly at fault, it’s best to call your insurance company first.

Here’s why calling your insurer first is usually the best approach.

You Don’t Know If the Other Driver Will Call Their Insurance

If you’re in an accident and the other driver is at fault, they have an obligation to contact their insurance and put in a claim for your car repairs. Paying for damage caused in an accident is covered under basic liability insurance, which every driver is legally required to possess.

However, although the other driver is required to contact their insurance, you can’t know for sure that they will. They may refuse to report the accident, dispute their fault, or even try to impede the accident investigation. This can cause additional hassles, which your insurance company can help you with.

Your Insurance Provider Can Provide Extra Help

Contacting your insurance company first following an accident can fast-track your claims process. You’re not waiting for the other driver to start the process and you may be able to get your car repaired faster.

If you have collision coverage and file a claim, your insurance company will send you a check to cover the repairs, less your deductible, without waiting for fault to be determined. In addition, if you have rental expense coverage with your comprehensive or collision insurance, you’ll have help paying for a rental car while your car is in the shop.

If the other driver is at fault and you have their insurance information, your insurer should work with the other driver’s insurance company to refund your deductible.

Your insurance company will also support you throughout the claims process and accident investigation. If there is a dispute over fault, your insurer will advocate for you. And if the other driver refuses to cooperate with the investigation or denies the accident, your insurance company can provide legal resources to help you navigate the process.

You Might Have to File a Claim Anyway

When the other driver is at fault for the accident and doesn’t carry insurance, you may have to call your insurance company and file a claim even though the other driver is at fault. Although state laws across the country require insurance, some drivers still choose to drive without it. Oftentimes, the drivers who take this risk are less likely to be willing or able to pay for your damages out of pocket.

The other driver may have only the minimum required liability coverage for their state. This coverage may not cover all your needed repairs or medical expenses. So, even though their insurance will pay for your repair or medical expenses from the accident, you may have leftover expenses to cover. For example, if your car repair damage is $19,000 and the other driver’s insurance covers up to $15,000, you still have to pay $4,000 in repair bills. In this case, your car insurance company may cover the costs resulting from this underinsured driver.

This is why you should call your insurance if someone hits you. Don’t hesitate when there’s so much at stake.

Reasons to Wait to Call Your Insurance Company

The only reason to call the other insurance company first or to wait to call your insurance company is to avoid paying your deductible. If the other driver is determined to be at fault, your insurance company will try to get the at-fault driver’s insurer to refund your deductible. However, getting the deductible refunded from the other insurance company can take months. There is no guarantee that you’ll get it refunded at all.

However, paying your deductible for repairs that are not your fault is a small price compared to the delays, hassles, and costs of not calling your insurance company first. Get the support and advocacy of your insurance company so you can get your car repaired without delay.

What To Do After You’ve Been in a Car Accident

After you’re involved in a car accident, you’ll likely feel shaken or in shock. These heightened emotions can lead drivers to say things they shouldn’t or start an argument. Remember to stay calm and never admit fault.

• Remain calm and call 911 if there are injuries.
• Protect any injured from oncoming traffic.
• Get your vehicle out of the flow of traffic.
• Contact the police to report the accident.
• Photograph the license plates and any damage to all involved cars.
• Make notes about the accident, including:
• Time of day
• Location
• Weather conditions, and
• The speed you were going
• Exchange insurance and contact information with the other driver(s), including:
• Full name
• Driver’s license number
• Phone number
• Email address
• Address
• Insurance company and policy number
• Vehicle year, make, and model
• License plate number
• Vehicle Identification Number
• Talk with police when they arrive to tell them about the accident, get their names and badge numbers, and request a copy of the accident report.
• Interview any witnesses and get their contact information, if possible.
• Call your insurance company to report the accident.

The above set of steps to take following a car accident is valuable information, but will you remember it after an accident? Let’s take a page from the Boy Scouts and be prepared!

Be Prepared for an Accident Before It Happens

Now that you know what to do following a car accident, don’t take chances that you’ll remember it when you need it most. Instead, print out our list above as a checklist of What to Do After a Car Accident. In big, bold letters at the top and bottom of your checklist, write and highlight:

• Stay Calm
• Don’t Admit Fault

Stash the checklist in your glovebox so you’re prepared. To be even better prepared in the event of an accident, be sure you understand your insurance policy limits and coverages. That way, you’ll know what is and isn’t covered by your car insurance.

Get in touch with your Wawanesa agent today to go over your policy limitations, exclusions, and covered expenses, so you’re prepared in case of an accident.

Drive safely!