Hhandle Car Accident Procedures

What you need to know when an accident occurs!

AT THE ACCIDENT SITE:

1. Make sure everyone is okay first. If there are injuries, get medical attention immediately.

2. Exchange insurance information with all parties involved in the accident.

a) Name of driver AND name of vehicle owner if different than driver.

b) Year, make, model and license plate number of vehicle.

c) Name of insurance company, policy number and phone number for agent or claims office.

d) If your vehicle is removed from the accident site by a towing company, get their name, location, and phone number.

NOTE-Local police will generally only make a report if there are injuries. If a report is made, get the report number and officer's business card.
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MAKING A CLAIM:

1. Contact your insurance carrier as soon as possible after the accident. They will take all information over the phone and give you a claim number. Your claim representative will instruct you on what needs to be done at this point.

GETTING DAMAGED ASSESSED:

a) If your vehicle can safely be driven, your insurance company may ask that you go to a local claims office for an estimate. Please make sure you have your appraiser go over the written estimate with you, line by line. If you have concerns about what type of parts are being used, the need for alignments, etc., this is the time to resolve those issues.

b) If your vehicle was towed from the accident, you will need to arrange for it to be taken to our shop. At the bottom of this email is a telephone number for Bill's Custom Towing. Contact him and he will make arrangements to have the vehicle picked up, the outstanding balance paid, and the vehicle brought to us. You must then notify your insurance carrier of your vehicle's location, and they will send an appraiser out to write your estimate.

c) If your insurance carrier does not have a local office, they may ask that you obtain and submit an estimate. You may bring your vehicle in anytime during estimating hours, located at the top of this email. No appointment necessary, the estimates are done at no cost to you and take approximately 15 minutes.

NOTE-Honda, Jaguar and Land Rover customers: you have the option of taking your vehicle directly to the Collision Center or the convenience of dropping off your vehicle at your dealership and they will make arrangements if you are ready to begin repair.
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GETTING YOUR VEHICLE REPAIRED:

1. If your vehicle can be driven, please call our Collision Center for a repair appointment.

2. If the vehicle will be towed, it will be taken in immediately. No appointment will be necessary.

3. Once the vehicle is here, we must have a repair estimate for repairs to begin.

If your repairs are by appointment, you will need to provide the shop with the estimate you have. If the vehicle was towed in, we will need to wait for your insurance carrier to estimate the damage before repairs can begin.