How to Deal with a Car Wreck

After the accident,police will determine if your vehicle needs to be towed or if it's drivable,if it needs to be towed they will call the next tow service on the rotation.You can suggest to have your vehicle towed by a tow company of your choice.

• If the tow service is strictly a tow service and not a body shop,you will have to pay storage fees for your vehicle,it's a good idea to have your car towed to a body shop,this way the body repairman can determine if your vehicle is repairable or if it's a total loss.
• The police will determine the cause of the accident,and ask you for information.If you do not know or if you do not tell them what happened they will write the report as they see it.You can pick up the report at the police station.
• You will need to take the report to your insurance company,so they can send it to the appropriate location.They will also ask for your description of the accident.
• If you have full coverage on your car,and if you are hurt in the accident,you can go to the hospital and the insurance company should pay.If you do not go right after the accident,and you decide to go later,you must inform the insurance company that you are going to a medical facility,and when you arrive at the medical facility you must inform them that you where involved in a car accident,and give them your insurance claim number,if you don't have the claim number you may call them back with it.The insurance company will send you a letter stating that they have received your claim and you just sign the letter and state whether you have medicare or not and send the letter back.Most cases you will write a check for the medical care,and the insurance company will reimburse you.
• Once your vehicle is at a body shop the body repairman will look at the vehicle,and determine a estimate on how much it will take to fix your vehicle.Once that is done he will now whether or not the car is repairable or not,usually if the airbags are out it could play a factor in the decision,mileage and age of the vehicle will also play a role.
• Your insurance company will come look at your vehicle,and thoroughly inspect it,and get the estimate from the body repairman,if the estimate is around 80% of the total worth of your vehicle the insurance company may decided to declare your vehicle a "total loss".

• If your vehicle is declared a" total loss" the insurance company will decide what they are willing to pay for your vehicle,if you still owe on the vehicle,and the estimate they give you is less than what you owe,you may have to pay that expense out of pocket.

If Your Vehicle is Declared a "Total Loss"

• You will need to contact your insurance company,and have your car removed from coverage.

• You will need to remove your personal belongings from the vehicle,and remove your license plate off the vehicle.

The insurance company will ask you to come in,at this point you will sign the car over to them,and sign the Salvage Title.