Auto Insurance – What to Do If You Have an Accident

Being involved in a car accident is a stressful time. Find out what your responsibilities are from stopping at the scene to contacting your auto insurance firm. The quality of the car or auto insurance you’ve taken out may only be put to the test when you’re involved in an accident. You never know when you might be involved in a vehicle collision or accident so it’s worthwhile printing off this information or a checklist and keeping it in your glove box just in case you ever need it. Handy things to have in your car Having a pen, piece of paper and a camera or camera phone in your car at all times is a good idea in case of an accident. You should also write down the name of your auto insurance company as it can be easy to forget or get mixed up in the aftermath of an accident. Having a note of the main contact number for your car insurance company is also wise as you need to notify them of what’s happened as soon as possible. Finally, making sure you have a warning triangle and blankets in your boot can come in handy if you have an accident on a remote road. At the accident scene If you’re involved in any type of accident regardless of who’s to blame, you need to stop at the scene. You should get auto insurance details as well as vehicle registrations, street names, witness names and addresses as well as a landline and mobile number and address for anyone else involved. You should also have your own car insurance and other details ready to pass on to any other parties. They may not ask for these due to the shock of being in a collision but you are obliged to provide them either directly or to the police if they attend the scene. Even if you think the accident was your fault, you should not admit any liability at the scene. Your car or auto insurance company and any other car insurance companies involved will examine all the facts and make a decision taking everything into account. Reporting the accident to your auto insurance company While it may not be practical to do this at the scene, any accident you’re involved in should be reported to your auto insurance company as soon as possible. The quicker you provide all the details, the quicker your claim will be dealt with by your car insurance company so you can get your vehicle repaired if it’s been damaged. Being involved in any type of road accident is never pleasant. It’s important you keep your head, remain calm and provide your own and collect the car insurance details of anyone else involved. Car Insurance – If You Don’t Have It, Don’t Drive Running the risk of driving with no car insurance isn’t worth it. It can cost you financially as well as landing you in court. Find out more... Like it or not, car insurance is a necessity if you want to protect yourself, your passengers and your vehicle on the road. Unfortunately there are many car owners in the UK today who either choose not to take out any car insurance or haven’t realised their cover has expired or become invalid. Here are four important things you need to think about when it comes to taking out car insurance. Legal implications If you’re the registered keeper of a vehicle without insurance you could face prosecution in the courts. Every day in the UK there are police patrols carrying out checks to see if vehicles have up to date car insurance in place. Financial penalties As well as the threat of prosecution, not having car insurance could cost you financially too. The courts have the power to impose a maximum £1000 fine. If you’re caught without car insurance at the roadside, you may be given a fixed penalty notice of £100. On top of this fine, you’ll then have to pay for a car insurance policy too. Other options available to the authorities are the clamping, impounding or destruction of your vehicle; a very high price to pay for not having any car insurance. Future cost of insurance If you’re caught driving without any car insurance, this will affect your future premiums too. As someone who’s broken the law on the roads, you will be viewed as more of a risk by car insurance companies when you do come to arrange a policy. Also, while you don’t have any car insurance you obviously can’t build up any no claims discount either. Lifestyle implications If you have your vehicle impounded, clamped or destroyed as a result of having no car insurance your day to day life will suffer as a result. Having to take public transport to work instead of the car, relying on taxis to bring shopping home from the supermarket and lengthier journeys taking your children to school are all possible consequences of not having valid car insurance. The disadvantages of not having car insurance are considerable and not worth the risk. They can hit you hard in the pocket, affect your lifestyle as well as landing you in court. If you have a car but no insurance, think twice before you decide to break the law.





Contact the Co-op for car insurance. Get a car insurance quote online today from Co-operative insurance.