If you have car insurance in Rhaleigh and you are involved in an accident, the next step in the process is to file a claim. For those who have never done this before, though, it can be rather complicated and confusing. The insurance company will do their best to walk you through the whole thing, but there are just going to be some things that you do not know since you have not had any experience with it. To help you out, look over the following things that you need to remember.
1. Take Photos of the Accident
The insurance company is going to want proof of the damage to your car. Take photos of both vehicles at the scene of the accident. This way, if the other person goes home and damages their car even more, trying to scam you into paying more for the repairs than was needed, you can show that it was a scam. People have been known to do this in order to make it so that the car was officially totaled when the accident really was not that bad.
2. Diagram the Accident
You also need to draw out a diagram of what happened. This is just going to be a rough sketch so that the insurance company can see where your car was, where the other car came from, and why you hit each other. Make sure to include all streets, traffic lights, signs and anything else that contributed. Some companies will even give you online apps that you can use to do this so that you do not have to draw it out by hand.
3. Make a Note of the Time
The insurance company is going to ask you for the approximate time of the accident. If you make a note of it as soon as it happens, you are able to give them more information than just whether or not it happened that morning or that afternoon.
4. Call As Soon As Possible
Most importantly, you need to call the company right away and tell them what happened. Do not put it off. If you wait too long, they may be able to deny your claim. You want to put in the call to your insurance agent within an hour after the accident, if not sooner. Get them involved so that you can get the payout money that you deserve.