What to Do After a Car Accident?
Written by Team Clearcover
If you’ve ever been in a car accident, you know how it feels to have a tidal wave of thoughts flood your mind all at once. In the minutes and days following the accident, you'll go from assessing the safety of those involved to navigating the insurance claim process for your vehicle repairs. Those events—and everything in between— can often make for an intense few days.
1) Call 9-1-1 and Get Medical Attention if You’re Injured
First, if you or anyone else at the scene is physically injured, call 9-1-1 to get medical attention as soon as possible—taking care of the people involved in the accident is your first priority.
If you don’t notice symptoms until after the accident, call your primary care provider immediately for follow-up medical attention or exams. If you do need to file a physical injury claim, you’ll need to provide this medical exam information to your insurance company.
It’s important to know that the situation around every car accident is different—and not every situation requires police involvement. For example, if you’re in a major accident, you’ll definitely want law enforcement on the scene to manage the situation and file a report. However, depending on the specifics of your accident, getting a police officer on the scene may not be necessary. It is best to contact 9-1-1 for emergency accidents and use the local police department's non-emergency response line for less severe accidents. Please note that in some states, the requirements to report a car accident to the police depend upon the dollar amount of damages. Your insurance claims representative can help you with making sure you file the proper report if law enforcement did not respond to the scene.
2) Move to a Safe Area
If you're in a car accident, safety comes first and second. As soon as you're able to do so, you should move to a safe place. This is for the safety of those involved in the accident and others on the road.
Here are a few suggestions to increase your safety after an accident:
Breathe. Do what you do to find your peace. This isn't a time when it's easy to keep calm but do your best.
Move to the shoulder of the road or a side street if possible. Even if your vehicle was totaled and can't move, get yourself to a safe area.
If your car's condition allows it, turn on your hazard lights to warn other drivers.
If available, put out flares or reflectors to make your vehicle more visible.
If it's dark outside, use your phone's flashlight to make yourself more visible to oncoming traffic.
Do not try to move injured people unless they are in extreme immediate danger, like fire. Moving them can worsen their condition, so it's important to wait for emergency personnel.
Keep an emergency kit in your vehicle. It should include things like flares, water, and a first aid kit.
Preparation is huge. Beyond physical preparation, you can also prepare your plan. Having these thoughts in mind can help you keep calm after an accident.
3) Wait for Help
Once you're in a safe area, wait for help to arrive. Depending on the severity of the accident and any injuries, emergency responders may include ambulance service, police officers, or firefighters.
Again, it bears repeating that injured people should not be moved unless they are in extreme immediate danger. Wait for medical professionals to arrive and assess the situation.
If you don't have any injuries that require medical attention, you can start exchanging information with the other driver. However, if you're feeling even slightly injured, wait for medical help to arrive before exchanging information.
4) Collect Insurance Information From Other Drivers Involved in Accident
If other drivers are involved in the accident, exchange information for each vehicle—including:
the driver's full name
their address and phone number
driver’s license number and state (if possible take a photo)
the name of their insurance company and their insurance policy number (take a photo of their insurance card)
vehicle make and model (take a photo of the license plate number)
And of course, share your insurance and contact information with others involved in the accident. Being involved in an accident with someone is a unique situation. Emotions can be high and frazzled nerves can be easily misread. It's best to avoid any potential conflict by being as cooperative and respectful as possible. Ideally, it's mutual!
Pro-tip: Clearcover customers always have an up-to-date insurance card on file within the mobile app.
5) Take Photos of the Accident and the Damages
Take photos of any damages to property or vehicles, the overall accident scene, and whatever else you feel may help provide evidence for your insurance claim to show the situation and damage.
Here’s what to photograph after a car accident:
Your car and any damage incurred
Other cars or property involved in the accident
Any damaged property (guardrails, signs, business or residential property)
Marks or debris on the road from the accident
Unusual road conditions in or near the accident scene (such as potholes, oil slicks, etc.)
The license plates of all the vehicles involved
Any injuries you or others have suffered
Are you currently a Clearcover customer? You’ll be guided to take photos of your car when you file through Clear Claims on the app.
6) File an Insurance Claim and Start the Claims Process
An insurance claim is a formal request made to your insurance company asking for compensation for damages caused by a covered accident.
The insurance claim process can be daunting, but it doesn't have to be—especially with Clearcover, you can start our lightning-fast claims process right in the app!
For most people, the first step in filing an accident claim is to fill out a mobile or online claim. If your company doesn’t allow for digital claims you can call your insurance agent or company. You will have to give them specific information about the accident and answer any questions they have.
Contact Your Insurance Company.
Ready to file your insurance claim? You’ll need to gather information about the accident for your car insurance company. Your claims representative will guide you through the process. Here’s what they’ll need:
The insurance information and contact information from other drivers, if applicable
Information regarding the other vehicle in the crash (license plate number, description, etc.)
Police report information, if a report was filed
Your account of the accident and what happened
Any photos of the accident and the damages
Any medical examination or treatment information related to the accident for yourself and/or others injured (usually, the insurance company will request this on your behalf if you provide contact details)
Once you file your claim, the insurance company will provide you with a claim reference number as well as contact information, and they’ll be in touch if anything else is needed.
For a detailed guide on digital car insurance claims, check out this resource on filing a car insurance claim online or digitally.
Let the Insurance Company Do the Work for You.
At this point in the process, let’s take a second to acknowledge that you’ve been through a lot—it’s normal to feel stressed out. In our survey of insured U.S. drivers who have experienced an accident, 3 out of 4 drivers reported being emotionally shaken after their car accident. And 46% of drivers surveyed agreed that they experienced anxiety related to the accident long after it was over.
The good news is that you’re in the home stretch. And if your car insurance company is doing its job, this part of the process should be relatively hassle-free. All you’ll likely need to do is be ready to talk with your claims representative whenever required.
File Claims Faster and Get Back on the Road With Clearcover
After any car accident, it's important to prioritize safety. Keep calm, but assess the scene for injuries. Contact emergency services and wait for help, if needed. Once you're sure everyone is safe and there are no other accidents in the area, call your insurance company so they can start processing a claim on your behalf (or file digitally with Clearcover).
Whenever possible, it's smart to think ahead. When you choose Clearcover, you choose insurance from a company that’s committed to making car insurance easy from getting a quote to claim. Experience how fast and easy it is to become a Clearcover customer today.
