Call us now
Most people know which steps to take after a big scale car accident that involves broken glass, smashed in doors, smoke and bleeding drivers, but when it comes to far less serious accidents, many people wander in the dark. However, staying that uninformed can prove dangerous since you may end up facing serious consequences because you failed to report something that should have been reported. Following this comes a small guide that will help you figure out when and what to report:
Always Tell the Police
If you have been involved in any kind of accident, you contact the police. Especially in regions where you will be charged a set fee if you neglect to do so. You can look up the exact amount online and find out whether you will need to report the accident to the police or a specific collision reporting center.
What many people also don’t know is that, if you leave the scene, you may be committing a felony. To be precise, they may charge you for leaving the scene of the accident. Which is a big deal and may up your insurance payments, or even cost you a fine, if not actual jail time. Thus, what does that tell you? Better be safe than sorry. You get in an accident, you report it, if only to make sure you are obeying the law.
Always Tell Your Insurance Company
Yes, you read that right. You have to always notify your insurance company, no matter how minor the accident. You may think you can just pay the damages yourself, but no, that isn’t a good enough reason not to contact them. If the other driver involved heads out to tell their insurance company, they will then notify yours to settle the claim, which will end up bad for you. Because then, your insurance company will know that you failed to inform them of the accident. Additionally, worth mentioning is that your insurance payments may go up if you are found partially, if not fully responsible for the accident.
A good way to get your claims paid by your insurer, is to set up dash-cam. Video footage is a solid way of documenting the series of events leading up to and through the accident, and thus proving your innocence.
And in Case of Private Property Collisions
Report collisions on private property the same way you would any other accident. In case of injury, you will have to notify both the police and your insurer. Having a personal injury lawyer in North Bay to assist you with the claim requirements.