Getting the Right Facts at an Accident.
Being involved in an automobile accident can be very stressful, making it difficult to discern what you need to do. Especially what information you need to gather before you make a claim.Ensuring you have all the important information is key so that your claim proceeds and progresses as smoothly as possible.
If you have been involved in an accident with another vehicle, take down the following information:Information from the other driver:
- Name
- Address
- Phone number
- Driver’s Licence Number
- Year make model of the vehicle they were driving
- Licence plate number
- Insurance company name (not brokerage) and Policy number
Witnesses: Name, address, phone numberAlso: Note the time, place, and what happened. If possible, take pictures and/or make a diagram of the accident.Calling the police:The Insurance Bureau of Canada states on their website “By law, all collisions must be reported to the police if there are any personal injuries or deaths, and where the damage to all vehicles is more than $1,000.”If they will not attend the scene of the accident, get all the details you can and report the accident to the nearest police station. In some areas of Ontario, you will need to go the nearest Collision reporting Centre.Remember, this is your opportunity to speak to an officer about the details of the accident so that you can protect yourself.When reporting to the police note the name and badge number of the officer and obtain the police report number.Am I at fault? How is this going to affect my insurance?Remember, only your claims adjuster can tell you if you are at fault or not. And only your broker can tell you the impact of the accident on your insurance.Another little tip: If your vehicle has been damaged as a result of a hit and run ie discover damage to your parked vehicle, you are required to report the incident to the police in order to make a claim with your insurance company as a hit and run.It’s very difficult to remember everything you need to take down when you have just had an accident. To simplify things you can have an accident form ready in your vehicle that lists all the information you need.Here is a link to the IBC for one that you can print off or stop by our office at W.C. Burgess to pick up one of our forms.Accident Form