Car accidents are very expensive. Rocky Mountain Insurance Institute data shows the average auto liability claim for property damage accidents was $3,231 and the average claim for bodily injury was $15,443. Monetary losses of a collision are too much for most people to bear on their own. When injuries are serious or death results, the costs are astronomical and can be financially ruinous.
It is important drivers in Connecticut know how to protect themselves from uncompensated costs. Understanding your Connecticut car accident report is one of the most important things to do to make sure you get insurance benefits to cover losses.
Reporting your Car Accident After a Collision
After a collision, report the crash to the police by contacting 911 or a non-emergency line if no one is badly hurt. Provide requested information to law enforcement officers about the accident. You'll need to provide your license, registration, and insurance card to an officer who comes to the crash scene.
Contact your insurer as soon as practical after the crash. Your insurer should ideally be called before you take your vehicle to a body shop for repairs or before you initiate the rental of a vehicle while your car is being fixed. You need to notify your insurance company an accident has happened so a claims representative can be assigned to your case and so you can be provided with information about what your auto insurance policy covers. Insurers have a legal obligation to fulfill terms of policy agreements, which includes investigating accident claims in a timely manner. Your insurer may have certain garages it works with for repairs, or your policy limits may designate only a certain amount of money for rental car coverage. You want to know these details before moving forward.
Connecticut is a fault state, so the driver whose actions were the direct cause of the crash should pay to compensate victims. Drivers are required to have liability coverage so the insurer can pay; otherwise, the driver who hit someone but who had no money would not be able to compensate crash victims. You must make sure the insurer for the other driver is notified of your accident. The other driver should provide insurance information to you. Police who come to the crash scene can also include insurance information on an accident report, which you may get a copy of.
Your insurer and the insurer for the other driver may want to ask you detailed questions. You need to provide some basic information to the insurance company, but you do not want to admit fault or say anything that could possibly affect your right to be compensated. Consulting an experienced Hartford auto accident attorney can help protect your rights and financial well-being in the aftermath of a serious traffic collision.
Your attorney can guide you through the insurance claims process and can help you when dealing with the other driver's insurer.