What to Do After a Car Accident

Whether your Cadillac vehicle has been involved in a minor fender-bender on Santa Monica-area streets or if your vehicle has sustained major collision damage, you’ll need to know what to do after a car accident and how to file a car insurance claim. Any accident, no matter how small, can be stressful to say the least. This guide from the finance team at Cadillac of Beverly Hills will walk you through the steps on who you should call and how to complete and file a car accident insurance claim.

Minor Accidents

Here are the steps you should take in the event you are involved in an accident where there is only a small amount of damage to the vehicles involved:

1. First of all, check to see if you are injured or need medical attention. Next, you should check the condition of any other passengers. If anyone is injured, you should call an ambulance immediately.
2. If you are able and it is safe to do so, pull your vehicle off to the sideof the road so you’re not blocking traffic.
3. Once your car is in a safe spot, you should call the police, even if the other driver or drivers involved tell you not to. Most insurance companies will require a police report of the accident.
4. After notifying the police, you should exchange information with the other driver. This includes phone numbers, email addresses, insurance cards, license plate numbers, and, if possible, a photo of everyone’s driver’s licenses.
5. After exchanging information, you should assess the damage to your vehicle, as well as the damage to the other vehicle. If possible, take photos of both vehicles and the area where the accident occurred.
6. Finally, you should call your insurance provider. Even though they will receive a police report of the accident, it’s important you get the details to them as soon as possible.

Major Accidents

A major accident is one in which there has been considerable damage to the vehicles involved and/or serious injuries.Here’s what you should do after a major accident:

1. Call 911 for an ambulance right away. You shouldn’t bother to document the accident scene if you or another person require immediate medical attention. 911 will send an ambulance and the police who will document the scene and gather information.
2. Contact your insurance provider and describe all the details regarding the accident.
3. Even if you feel as though you came out of the accident unscathed, you should follow up with your physician.as there could be injuries that are not readily apparent.

How to File a Car Accident Insurance Claim

It will be important to know how to file a car insurance claim after the accident. As long as you have all the correct paperwork for your insurance provider, it should be relatively easy and straightforward. Just make sure that you have the following information:

• Your insurance policy number
• All the contact and insurance information from other involved parties
• Date, time, and location of the accident
• A detailed description of how the accident occurred
• Name of the police department involved, as well as the police report number if available

After you file an insurance claim, your vehicle will be inspected by an adjuster for repair costs, compensation, and more. You may need to physically bring your vehicle in to be inspected if the details you are able to provide are not viewed as sufficient enough to properly assess. After your vehicle has been inspected, you’ll receive an estimate on the cost of repairs and the amount that your insurance company will cover.

You Can Rely on Cadillac of Beverly Hills to Help

If you have any further questions on how to file a car insurance claim or what to do after a car accident, feel free to reach out to the team at Cadillac of Beverly Hills. We’re here to help you enjoy a safe ride wherever you drive in and around Sherman Oaks and Woodland Hills, as well as fill you in on your liability and other insurance options. Check out our car buying and insurance tips for more information.