A tree jumped out of the forest and slammed into my car
When an accident happens, people are often so traumatised they make mistakes and all sense and logic goes out the window with the spare tire. While you don’t know how you will react in this situation, being informed is half the battle won. You need to get your sub-conscious up to speed as to what to do in an accident because he’s the ghost in the machine who takes over in a trauma scenario. The sound of squealing brakes – Crash! What do you do?
At the scene of the accident:
- Breathe deeply and focus on staying calm.
- Assess the situation with regard to anyone being injured or dead.
- Phone the police. If you don’t, you will need to report the accident to the police within 24 hours. Your insurance company will want a reference number for your claim.
- Phone the insurance company’s helpline or your broker. (You wouldn’t have a problem doing this if your credit card was stolen to inform the bank to stop transactions on your card.) The reason, by the way, you phone your insurer is not because, cold fish that you are, you want to set the claims procedure in motion; it is because they will telephonically guide and support you over the phone.
- Don’t move the vehicle if someone has been hurt or killed. Otherwise, only move the car if necessary for safety reasons and make a careful note of where the vehicle(s) was situated before being moved. Use your cell phone to take photographs.
- Get the other driver’s details (including contact details, make, model and registration of their vehicle, and the name of their insurance company. The most important detail here is the registration as this can be traced if the other guy does a runner).
- Make as many notes as you can of what happened, where and how. Later it will be a blur. If possible, take photographs or make a sketch. You need to ensure your insurer can see that the tree that jumped out has rooted itself in the road, away from its mates in the forest.
- If there are independent witnesses, make a note of their details and give them yours. Your wife is not an objective witness, especially if she had her hand on your knee.
- If your car needs to be towed, make sure it is towed by an approved tower. (Your insurance cover will have given you a sticker to say the vehicle should not be towed by vultures.)
- Never admit liability for anything.
From the foregoing you can see that probably the second most important tip I can give you is to keep a copy of the details of your policy in your vehicle, and contact numbers for your insurer and your tower. The most important is to understand the details of your policy.
After you get home:
- Have a cup of tea.
- Report the accident to the police if you haven’t already.
- Phone your broker/ insurer if you haven’t already.
- Complete the claim form with necessary documents, including your ID and a case reference number from the police.
- Start contacting panel beaters/ mechanics for quotes to repair your vehicle. You’ve read your policy and know how many you need to contact and whether they need to be approved by your insurer, right?
- Ensure you have the money available to pay any excess/ cost of repairs.
- Read your policy; are you entitled to a courtesy car?
- Read your policy; can you claim back the towing charge?
- Open a file to record all expenses and communications.
- If you are unsure of any aspect of your insurance policy, now is the time to ask; before you sign anything. This is especially true if you are requested to sign a waiver from the 3rd party involved. That double brandy he gave you was (probably) not because he thinks you’re a lekker ou. Insurance claims are best conducted visibly and through legal channels. The guy you drove into is not your friend until he pays up. Or you do.
- Take just a moment to consider whether you should file a claim. If you reversed into a pole and smashed a tail light, it would obviously not be in your interests to make a claim. At what point it is in your interests to make a claim only you can tell, based on the conditions of your policy. Another factor to consider at this point is whether you have kept to your side of the policy bargain. It is not the time to claim if, for instance, your vehicle is not roadworthy due to your neglect. Insurers have a strong sense of smell for rats.
- Get your story straight and document it. Be confident you won’t change it because it is the true version of events; a 3rd party may contest it.
Last but not least. When you take out an insurance policy, you pay for peace of mind. This does not mean that you have no responsibilities. You need to understand your policy and you need to play the game, i.e., keep your car roadworthy and drive responsibly. No, this won’t prevent accidents, but it will give you peace of mind.