What to Do After a Car Accident

Sometimes, accidents are unavoidable. Should you be in an accident, no matter how small, you’ll want to be prepared. Knowing what to do after a car accident will help you stay calm and focus on what really matters — the health and safety of those involved.

At BMW of Tenafly, we want to do all we can to make these incidents less stressful. Learn more about what to do immediately following the collisions, learn how to file a car accident insurance claim, and more with the finance team at BMW of Tenafly in Tenafly today!

What to Do After a Car Accident: Minor

When it comes to minor accidents, such as fender-benders or parking lot collisions, there are a few steps you’ll want to take. Even though these are typically minor accidents, you’ll want to follow this process to ensure everyone is okay and everything is in order:

• Check to see if anyone needs medical attention. If so, call 911 immediately.
• Pull your vehicle over. Don’t go too far from the scene, or the incident may be treated as a hit and run. Pull over and do your best to avoid blocking traffic.
• Most insurance companies won’t process a claim without a police report. Make sure you’re covering all your bases.
• Exchange information with the other driver. Swap phone numbers, email, and insurance policy info immediately, or risk getting burned. Take photos of the other driver’s license, plate numbers, and insurance cards. If there were witnesses, ask for their contact info, too.
• Photograph both vehicles and the scene as a whole. Take photos of any damages, including any damages caused to your surroundings.
• Call your insurance to file a car accident insurance claim. The sooner the claims process begins, the sooner you’ll receive reimbursement to fix your vehicle.

What to Do After a Car Accident: Major

Hopefully, you’ll never be in a major accident. Should you find yourself in Cresskill or Closter, you’ll want to follow these steps after a major car accident:

• Call 911 immediately. If you or someone else is seriously injured, call or ask someone to call an ambulance. The police will also arrive to access the damage. If you cannot obtain information from the other driver due to an immediate need for medical attention, follow up later to make sure you have all the information you need.
• Follow up on your car accident insurance claim. If you file a claim, or if someone else filed the claim on your behalf, be sure to follow up with your insurance provider in case they need additional information.

How to File a Car Insurance Claim

The process of filing a car insurance claim varies depending on your provider, your coverage, and the type of accident that has occurred. In general, learning how to file a car accident insurance claim is pretty simple. Here are the steps you’ll need to follow:

• Mark down your insurance policy number.
• Include a detailed description, from your point of view, of how the accident happened.
• Make sure to detail the date, time, and location of the accident.
• Provide any and all the contact and insurance information that you collected from the other driver. Do the same for any witnesses who were present on the scene.
• Provide the name of the police department involved, and include the police report number (if a report was filed).

Once this is submitted, an insurance adjuster will estimate the cost of repairs. If there isn’t enough information for this estimate, you might have to schedule a meeting to have your vehicle inspected. Before submitting your forms, be sure to be as thorough as possible.

Find a Place for Quality Repairs

In the end, it’s important to remember that no insurance provider can dictate the process by which you secure repairs. When everything is said and done, you choose the location where your repairs will take place, so be sure to work with experts who can get the job done correctly. At the BMW of Tenafly service center, we work with BMW-certified technicians and offer service specials to help drivers save more on the repairs needed to safely return to Fort Lee roads.

Trust the Service Team at BMW of Tenafly

After learning what to do after a car accident, you’ll be prepared for whatever comes your way. If you’re in need of quality repairs, trust the team at BMW of Tenafly. We also provide genuine parts for a lasting repair. Don’t see what you need? We can order the parts for you and help with installation once they arrive. Want to learn more about our models? Check out the BMW 4 Series price, learn how to trade in a car, and more!