It goes without saying that getting in an accident is a stressful experience for anyone. Whether you’ve been involved in a serious crash or a minor car accident—or just want to be prepared—GEICO is here to help. Follow these steps to make the experience less stressful and the claim process easier.
1) Stay Calm
If you’ve just been in a fender bender accident, stop the car immediately, turn off your engine, and turn on your hazard flashers. Keep your cool and don’t admit fault or assign blame. Your priorities are staying safe and gathering information.
2) Check For Injuries And Call 911 If Necessary
Ask your passengers if they’re OK, then check on the people in the other car. Call 911 if anyone needs medical attention. You should never move an injured person unless he or she is in immediate danger.
3) Assess The Situation
If everyone is all right and help is on the way, start documenting the accident scene. If it’s safe to do so, take pictures of all vehicle damage and the surroundings, or other road scenes that might have contributed to the accident.
4) Alert The Police
Even if it’s a minor car accident or the other driver says it’s not important, call the police. They will let you know if an officer needs to be present. Ask them to file a report so everything is accurately and legally documented, which is required for a car insurance claim.
5) Exchange Info And Record The Details
Do not discuss whose fault it was (even saying “I’m sorry” may be considered an admission). Get the following information from the other driver as soon as you can:
- Names, phone numbers, mailing addresses and email addresses of all vehicle occupants and any witnesses
- License plate number
- Insurance info (company name, last name on the policy and policy number)
- Date, time and location (If you’re on a highway, record the nearest exit or mile marker)
- Police report number, phone number, and officer’s name and badge number
6) Get Your Vehicle Off The Road
If your vehicle isn’t safe to drive, the responding officer may ask you where you want your car towed in an effort to help clear the crash site quickly, but using a service that’s not covered by your insurance can cost you. Remember that you always have the right to choose your own towing service. GEICO Mobile makes it a cinch to request emergency roadside assistance through a certified network of towing and roadside responders.
7) Contact Your Insurance Company
Accidents of any magnitude can be scary. That’s why professional, friendly insurance agents are available to help guide you through the claim process. Report a claim via the GEICO Mobile app, on geico.com, or by calling 1-800-861-8380. Throughout the process, you’ll receive regular status updates so you can stay informed and connected—and put your mind at ease.
Make sure you’re prepared for anything with a vehicle safety kit in your car, your vehicle registration, and a list of emergency contacts downloaded on your phone.
By Nicole Cherie Jones
Iris Walker says,
Thanks very much
Gerald Woodruf says,
All articles are very informative – very good!!
Thanks!
Gerald
Carlos Columbie says,
Thank you for sharing this great information about my car ?. It’s very useful and guide me.
JoAnn Brown says,
Thank you for all the good information. I wrote down everything to put in my glove compartment.
I’m 84 & never been in an accident but we never know. Good to take precaution.
Barbeque Jaxon says,
Car accident is very rare now a days. Some of the people drive very roughly so that they face accident. After a car accident we must inform the police and stay at that same place. If severe accident occurred we must call 911 for help. We must contact the insurance company for any help so that if any damages occur so that get some discount in repairing. Few days before my friend met with an accident and he got injured badly. His Mercedes car got damaged fully. Now it is given to the Mercedes Repair in Reseda for repairing. Its servicing is good and price is
Jason Taylor says,
If your car breaks down and you press the radio button and see that nothing is happening, then the symptoms point towards your car battery dying for some reason. You might try and turn the ignition, again and again, to verify whether the battery is dead. If nothing happens, then the answer is yes. If you want further evidence, there are two things that you must do to diagnose the problem:
1)Open the hood of the car
2)Take a look at the battery and try to find out if there is any corrosion at the points of connection and whether the connections are tight enough. If you find any corrosion, make sure to clean it properly and tighten the cable connector a bit more that its previous state. If, after all this, the car does not start, then your battery has died.