Geoden Agency, Accident, Insurance & Injury Claims Investigators > Geoden Agency's Services > Motor Claims Advice >

What to do in the event of a motor accident

Here at Geoden Agency, we obviously hope that you won't be involved in any sort of incident that might lead to an insurance claim, however there are some tips we have come up with, which might help you in the event of a claim. These tips are both designed to assist with your safety and improve you chances of making a successful claim.

Steps you can take before an incident occurs:
1) Make sure that you are complying with the terms of your motor insurance policy
This could prevent awkward questions being asked at a later date. You should carefully read your policy documents when you receive them to ensure that they are correct and provide you with the cover you require. You should also check that you are able to comply with all of the terms and conditions. If there are any changes to your situation, you should keep your insurer informed immediately, examples of things you may need to keep your insurance company informed of include:

Although notifying a change may result in an additional premium being levied, at least you can be confident that if you have given the correct information you will be fully covered by your insurance policy. Also some changes like moving to a safer neighbourhood or garaging your vehicle overnight could produce a refund on your premium.

2) Keep all papers relating to your vehicle including all repair and servicing invoices somewhere where they are easily accessible
This means that should an incident occur, you will know exactly where to find the relevant paperwork. Also by retaining all of the repair and servicing invoices, should your vehicle be stolen or deemed a total loss then you will be able to show that it was well cared for, which could increase the offer from your insurers. Even if you don't have to make an insurance claim, a full service history can often significantly increase the resale value of a vehicle.

3) Carry a card in your vehicle with your insurance details on eg. Insurers name and policy number
The will help you with exchanging details should an accident occur and could also speed up the claims process as the other side will be able to contact your insurers directly.

4) Carry a card in your vehicle with your breakdown / recovery company details on
The will speed up contacting the recovery firm should your vehicle need recovering if it is not driveable following an accident or breakdown.

5) Carry a first aid kit in your vehicle
Besides possibly being useful in the event of an accident, you never know when you may need a plaster etc. whilst out driving or when you might find another person who has injured themselves. A basic kit can be brought quite cheaply from chemists or shops selling motoring supplies.

6) Carry a small note pad and a pencil in your vehicle
In the event of an accident, you will be able to use this to exchange details with other drivers and also to make any useful notes about the accident whilst things are fresh in your mind. A pencil is better than a pen, because it will write on damp paper.

7) Consider carry an accident kit, including a disposable camera in your vehicle
These kits can be bought over the internet from a number of sources and could make the difference between you winning or losing a claim that you make following an accident. They allow you to fully document the location of and damage to the vehicles following the incident and also any skid marks or other relevant things. This means that should a dispute arise later, you will be able to show with physical evidence exactly what the scene looked like and won't have to rely on your memory.

8) Consider carrying a fluorescent jacket or stick on fluorescent strips in your vehicle
A fluorescent jacket will make you instantly visible to other passing motorists and alert them to the fact that an incident has occurred. They are invaluable at night and in poor weather conditions, however should also be worn during the day if you need to walk around in or near the road following an accident or breakdown. These are available from DIY shops and builders merchants and are often included in accident kits (see point 7 above).

In the event of an accident:
1) Stay calm

2) Ensure that anybody involved in or near the incident are not injured – if there are any injuries you should phone for an ambulance and you are also legally obliged to notify the police. You should also notify the police if the road is blocked, the accident involves certain animals or there has been damage to any roadside street furniture eg. road signs etc.

3) Get everyone to a place of safety.

4) If you have a fluorescent jacket or fluorescent strips, put them on.

5) Exchange details with the other driver(s). You should ideally give every other driver details of your:

You should also get the same information from each of the other drivers. If anyone refuses to provide at the minimum their name and address and vehicle details you should ask the police to attend. The same applies if you have any doubt over the information any driver has given you.

6) Get the names and addresses of any witnesses.

7) If you have a camera, you should photograph the final position of each vehicle and the damage to each vehicle. If anything else was a factor in the incident eg. debris in the road, then you should also document this.

8) Draw a quick sketch of the road layout and the final position of the vehicles. Also you might want to note which direction the vehicles were travelling in before the incident. Don't forget to record the names of the roads and any landmarks which might help identify where the accident happened eg. house numbers, road signs etc.

9) If you have satellite navigation equipment with you, you should be able to use the add new location (sometimes called favourite locations) function to accurately record the site of the accident.

10) If your vehicle is not driveable, contact your breakdown company to arrange recovery.

Once you get home after an accident:
1) Phone your insurance company to advise them of the incident. You should do this even if the accident was not your fault and you do not intend to make a claim against your policy. You should be prepared to tell them the following information:

Follow your insurance company's instructions regarding what you need to do next

2) If you feel that you have a claim to make against another party following the incident, contact a reputable firm of solicitors. If you have paid for legal expense insurance, you may wish to contact them first, as they may appoint solicitors on your behalf.

3) Write down all you can remember about the incident for use in the future.

4) If you are making an uninsured losses claim, keep a record of all extra expenses that you incur as a result of the accident and also keep any relevant receipts.

Contacting Geoden Agency for advice, assistance & support:
Once things have settled down, but as soon as possible after an incident, you may wish to contact Geoden Agency to see if we can assist you. We are able to complete a detailed set of photographs and a drawing of the road layout where the accident occurred. We are also able to take a statement from you and any witnesses giving all of the information about what happened.

These documents can be provided to your insurers and solicitors acting for you. You will also be able to produce them in a civil court should you need to take legal action following the incident. By gathering this information at an early point, it is likely to be more accurate and may speed up the settlement of your claim.

Please click for more information about our motor insurance claims assistance, advice and support services

Please note – The information provided on this page is provided for guidance purposes only. Geoden Agency accept no responsibility for any losses that may occur in the event of action taken or not taken based on the information on this page. If in any doubt about action you should take, you should contact a qualified solicitor for legal advice.