You Just Got into a Car Accident. Now What?

The minutes right after a car accident are a blur. What just happened!? What am I supposed to do now?

Well, first, take a deep breath, then:

1. Move to a safe location

If you are able to move your vehicle, get to a safe location off the road and put your hazard lights on.

2. Check on everybody involved

Are you okay? Any pain when you move? What about the other vehicle(s)? It’s important to check to see if anybody needs immediate help.

3. Call 911 / File an Accident Report

The dispatcher will ask where you are and if anybody is hurt. Give them the best description of your location. Landmarks such as nearby gas stations or mile markers are helpful. This is important to do even for minor collisions. If the police are able to come to the scene, they will file a report of your car accident. This will help your insurance claim process.

* But The Other Party Said That They Would Pay For Everything!? Why Do I Still Need to File a Report and get Their Insurance Information?

We’ve heard this statement time, and time again. At the accident, the other party is happy to pay for everything! The next day, they almost always have a change of heart! (1% of Clients who had the other party tell them this… were actually paid. It almost always only made it tougher to get information, such as insurance, and also makes it tougher to file reports.
No matter what, always get a police report even if the Officer says the damage is minimal (they are paid to enforce the law, not make damage estimates).

4. Exchange insurance information with anyone involved

Whether law enforcement is able to come to the scene or not, documentation is crucial. Make sure you record important details, like:
Driver’s contact information (name, phone number and address)

  • License plate numbers
  • Driver’s license numbers
  • Car insurance information (name of insurer, address and phone number)
  • Additionally, if you or someone else in your vehicle can safely take photos of the accident scene and involved vehicles it can help with documentation. Lastly, try to limit your conversations with involved parties. An auto accident is likely to lead to a liability dispute and the accident scene is not the appropriate forum for those discussions.

    5. Call Carolina Industrial

    After the police arrive, call Carolina Industrial at (704) 845-2456. If the accident happens after our operating hours, some carriers offer an after-hours 1-800 number. For Auto-Owners policies, we have our 1-888-252-4626 number for after-hours claims. Check our Carriers page for other assistance phone numbers. You can also Click Here to File A Claim.

     

    We’ll Take It from Here

    After you call Carolina Industrial one of the first things that will happen is a claim number will be assigned. Soon after that, a claim representative will be assigned to your claim. The claim representative assigned to your claim will guide you through the process of getting an estimate for your vehicle. The method of inspection will be determined by the severity of the damages to your vehicle.

    Whether your car needs a minor repair or is a total loss, Carolina Industrial will help ensure that your Car gets back on the road.

    Depending upon your state of residence, some insurance companies may require you to choose from a list of preselected body shops for repairs.