Suppose you are leaving the grocery store and you suddenly find that someone hit your parked car. What steps do you take immediately following that? In this article, we’ll talk about the steps you need to take in such a situation. Its good to have a plan for such things in advance because car accidents just about happen to all of us no matter how careful we try to be.
When someone hits your parked car, you need to follow the steps mentioned below:
Get a Police Report The first thing you will need to do when someone hits your car is to call the police. The police will arrive at the scene and write a report regarding this accident. The police report is important as it is usually required when submitting an insurance claim.
Contact the driver The next thing you need to do is contact the driver if he or she has left a note after hitting your parked car. The note he or she leaves should contain the contact information along with his or her insurance details. If the note does not contain any info about the insurance company, then it is better for you to contact the driver and ask about their insurance. You will need the first and last name on the policy, the name of the insurance company, for example "American Family Insurance" and a policy number.
Document the accident After calling the police and contacting the driver, now is the time to thoroughly check your vehicle and document any damage from the accident properly. Look at your vehicle from all sides and take notes of any notable damage. Try to find some witnesses in the parking lot. If you manage to find any witness, note down their contact details. In addition, take multiple pictures of all damaged areas from different angles. This will give you better evidence to show the damage done to your vehicle later. This documentation will be very crucial if you plan to make a claim with insurance company's like State Farm Insurance.
Contact the insurance company After documenting the accident thoroughly, the next step is to call the insurance company and tell them about the accident. It is preferable to contact the insurance company immediately after the accident as the details are still fresh in your mind. In such a case, you will be able to explain the details more efficiently. You will need a claim number to proceed with repairs.
What if the hitting car driver does not leave a note? It is very much possible that the driver who hit your car did not leave a note and instead just ran away. In that case, how can you claim the damages? This questions can have multiple solutions but hinges on your insurance policy, which is why you should call your Farmers auto insurance agent and discuss the options available for you.
We really hope these tips will save you money and time if your parked car gets hit by someone else.
We’re here to help! Even after being careful, you may find that someone hit your parked car. These things happen. Fortunately, here at A&G PDR we have a team of auto collision specialists who can work on your car or truck. If need be, we can even help you navigate insurance claims and paperwork. You can give us a call to schedule an appointment at 888.321.4245 or schedule an appointment online by following this link -----> get a quote.