What Information Do I Need to Provide When Making a Car Insurance Claim?

Making a car insurance claim
 

When you’re involved in a car accident, it can be tough to stay calm; even a minor fender-bender can make your head spin. But if you can keep your cool at the scene and do a little detective work, you’ll thank yourself later — and your insurer will thank you, too. Be sure to gather as much information as you can while you’re at the scene to help your broker and insurance company process your claim as quickly as possible.

When you make a car insurance claim, you could be asked to provide any of the following information:

  1. Your insurance policy number, driver’s licence number, and vehicle registration information
  2. Details about the accident: a description of what happened, the exact location where the accident occurred, the date and time of the accident, the weather conditions, and whether or not another vehicle was involved
  3. Injuries sustained by you, your passengers, or anyone else: note the kind of injuries (if any) and whether you or others involved were treated at the scene or taken away by ambulance
  4. Damage to any of the vehicles involved or other property: the nature of the damage and whether or not any of the vehicles were towed away from the scene
  5. Information about all other drivers and passengers involved in the accident: name, address, phone number, driver’s licence number and expiration date, vehicle registration, and insurance information
  6. And if the owner of each car involved isn’t at the scene: the owner’s name, address, phone number, and insurance information
  7. Contact information for each person who witnessed the accident: name, phone number, and address
  8. Details about police involvement: the name, phone number, and badge number of officers at the scene; any traffic tickets issued to you or other drivers

We know that accidents happen without warning — that’s why they’re called accidents. It might not always be possible to gather all of the information listed above at the scene, but your broker will always be there to help walk you through the claims process and get you back on the road in no time.

Need to make a claim? Contact your licensed insurance broker right away. In case of an after-hours emergency, call your insurer’s emergency service line.

This article was originally posted on
economical.com