In the moments following a car accident, you’ll have many things running through your mind. Adrenaline will be pumping and you may be in shock, so it can be hard to know what you should do next.
- There’s the immediate concern for the people involved and whether you should call the emergency services.
- You might worry about the cost of repairing your car.
- You could stress about how you’re going to get around while your car's off the road.
- Or you might worry what your employer, partner, or parents will say when you tell them.
Take a minute
Keeping a cool head can help minimise costs and get things resolved quicker. Information is key here – you need to collect as much as possible, no matter who is at fault.
Our memories can play tricks on us so it’s sensible to make notes on your smartphone and remember to use its camera.
Know the law
By law, you must stop if any people have been harmed, or there’s any damage to property. You must also stop if an animal other than your own (such as a dog, horse, sheep, cow or deer) has been injured or killed.
If you can, pull over to a safe place where you’re not obstructing the traffic. Then check whether anybody needs medical attention or you need to call the emergency services.
Things you need to tell your insurer
However big or small the incident was, or whoever was at fault, it’s vital that you contact your insurer as soon as possible after a collision.
Even if you don’t need or want to make a claim, it’s important that we understand what’s happened from you, as the other party may decide to make a claim against you.
Damage caused to your car in the accident – even if you get repaired yourself – can affect its value and in turn impact your premium. Likewise, it could affect the terms of your policy and, in some cases, whether we can continue to insure your car.
Here’s what you should do straight away:
1. Never admit blame or liability
Even if the accident was your fault, never admit blame or offer to pay for any damage. The insurers will decide who was at fault, what needs to be paid for and by whom.
However, you should tell us if any other person admits blame.
If it was your fault, we’ll cover you for claims made by other people for bodily injury or damage to their property as the result of an accident.
Even if you don’t plan to make a claim, let us know what happened as soon as you can. And don’t do anything that could increase the amount of a claim without our written permission.
2. Swap contact details
The people at the scene fall into two categories: those involved and those who are witnesses. You want to take down the name, address and telephone number of all of them. Write them in two columns to avoid mixing them up.
Note down which car they were in and get the insurance details of the relevant drivers. If any of the vehicles are being used for work (e.g. delivery van), get their employer’s details, too. If there are any police officers present, get their name, rank, and the number on their collar.
If a driver leaves the scene without giving you their details, call the police.
3. Record the details of all vehicles
Note precisely the make, model, registration number and colour of every car involved in the accident. Then add the direction the car was travelling, its condition and how many passengers it was carrying. Write down whether it was indicating or braking and what role it had in the accident.
While it’s still fresh in your mind, make a note of the sequence of events as you remember them. If it’s easier, sketch out what happened. Be sure to include anything that might be relevant, such as parked vehicles obscuring your view.
It’s important to do this as early as you can. You may find that talking to other people changes your view of what actually happened.
Make sure you record damage to vehicles or property that was specifically a result of this accident. It’s not unheard of for people to claim for damage caused in a previous accident. If you spot older damage, make a note of it for future reference.
4. Take photographs
Take as many photographs of the scene as you can. Include all vehicles involved, any damage caused, skid marks on the road, damage to buildings or fences. The clearer the information is, the easier it will be to process a claim (or prove that you’re not at fault).
Throughout the whole process, it’s wise to take photographs or video footage of the scene, the cars, the damage and the people.
Need to make a claim?
The more comprehensive your notes are, the easier it will be to log a claim.
If you’re with Direct Line, you can start a claim online or in the app any time of the day or night. So, if you want to get all the details down while they’re still fresh, you can work through the process at your own pace, adding supporting evidence as you go.
In the aftermath
Once you’ve had time to process what happened, you may remember further details that could prove significant. It’s important you contact your insurer as soon as you’re reasonably able to.
What if my car is damaged?
Try not to worry. If the damage is minor and your car is still safe to drive, take photos and then carefully drive it to a safe location and report the incident to your insurer. They’ll need details of the damage that’s occurred and, depending on your level of cover, should be able to arrange the necessary repairs.
If you can’t drive your car then you’ll either need to ask your insurer to recover the vehicle from the scene of the accident or, if you only have Third Party Fire and Theft cover, you’ll have to arrange for a third-party recovery agent to pick up your car.
Avoid further stress
Going without your car is a major inconvenience. It makes it harder to do the school run, attend appointments, stock up on shopping and even get to work.
That’s why some insurance includes the use of a hire car, until an approved repairer has your car back on the road.
The type of car you receive will depend on the type of cover you have. Be sure to check your policy for full details of what you’re entitled to.
Let your insurer do the legwork
It’s their job to make tough decisions like who’s at fault for what happened, and whether your car can be repaired or will be considered a write-off (this is when it would cost more to repair than the car is worth).
Need help avoiding disputes?
If you're sure the accident wasn’t your fault, we’ll fight your corner as long as you provide the relevant proof. If you’ve added Motor Legal Protection to your policy, you’ll be covered for the cost of recovering uninsured losses, such as personal injury and car hire.
