Traffic accidents are an unavoidable part of using vehicles. According to reports from the Department of Roads and Motorways (MORTH), there were more than 3.66 000 road accidents in 2020. More than 1.31 000 people lost their lives in these accidents, while more than 3.48 000 people were injured. (Source: https://morth.nic.in/sites/default/files/RA_2020.pdf).
Although the number of accidents decreased by 18.46% in 2020 compared to 2019 (source: https://morth.nic.in/sites/default/files/RA_2020.pdf), they were still widespread. So, if you own a car, you are at constant risk of accidents while driving in India, even if you are a careful driver.
Although accidents can prove to be inevitable, how you respond to them makes all the difference. So, here are some important things to do after a car accident –
- Avoid fleeing the scene of the accident
This is the first and most responsible thing to do. Do not run away from the scene of the accident. Stay at the crime scene and check the damage. This would also help you to correctly report the damage to the insurance company.
- Avoid possible consequential damage
After an accident, there is a risk of consequential damage. For example, the fuel leak from your car could make the claim worse and cause an explosion.
Such consequential damage has a double impact. First, they increase the amount of damage taken. Second, they are not covered by your car insurance. So if there is consequential damage, you have to reckon with considerable expenses.
So after an accident, try to get the damage under control. Check whether there is a possibility of consequential damage and try to minimize the likelihood of this happening.
- Notify the police or traffic authorities
The authorities must be informed about the accident so that they can record the accident. In addition, they can also help you in difficult situations and ensure that you do not violate any law or regulation.
So file a police FIR and also inform the relevant traffic authorities about the accident. Describe the incident in detail so that the FIR records the accident as clearly as possible. This will also help you settle your insurance claim.
- Take pictures of the damage for evidence
For hard evidence, click photos of the damage you suffered. Auto insurance companies like Maruti Auto Insurance also allow photos as evidence in your claim. You can also submit your claim online and submit the photos as evidence to start your claim process at the earliest.
- Consult a doctor if necessary
If you or someone else is injured, seek medical attention immediately. For severe injuries, call an ambulance and get checked for any internal injuries you or the other person may have sustained.
- Inform your insurance company
The policy will cover the cost of repairs if you have comprehensive car insurance from credible providers like Maruti car insurance and your car is damaged in an accident. In addition, in the case of liability insurance, your insurance company will assume the underlying financial liability.
- Submit the claim with the correct information
When making your car insurance claim, you must provide all the correct information to both the insurance company and the police authorities. So report the incident in as much detail as possible so that no aspect is left out. This simplifies the claims process because the insurer will not dispute the claim because of hidden aspects of the incident.
You must present the relevant documents when reporting your motor vehicle insurance claim. These documents include police FIR, copy of insurance policy, copy of driver’s license and RC book, proof of identity, etc. Organize all documents and keep them handy. Also keep the evidence of all accident-related documents so that you can submit them with the claim to speed up the process.
- Follow up with your insurer
Once your claim has been submitted to the insurance company, track and review your claim status regularly to verify the estimated settlement time. Follow-up also ensures that if documents are missing or if the insurer asks you to do something, you can comply with requests to facilitate claims settlement.
To sum up
These steps mitigate the consequences that usually occur after the accident. You can submit your claim correctly and process it quickly. Also, you will be able to fulfill your duties as a responsible citizen and alleviate the troubles of the accident.
