An accident scene is filled with tension, anger and worry. In the worst cases, grief. An accident can cause shock and make it difficult to think rationally about what steps to take to collect all information necessary to settle an insurance claim or gather sufficient evidence to present in court. Accident insurance provides protection in the event that one is injured or suffers damage to another person’s vehicle. The other party involved in an accident may not have insurance. If they are at fault, they will have to pay for the damages. This is often done in court. If there isn’t enough evidence, you may not get all of the money you are entitled to.
South African law does not require accident insurance. This means that if an accident occurs, the financial consequences can be thousands to thousands. Accident insurance will ensure that you have financial security for a small monthly cost. This article is intended to help you prepare for an accident and make it easy to file a claim or appear in court. You don’t want to be caught asleep at the wheel in case you get into an accident.
This may seem simple, but many people don’t have it at the scene of an incident: a notepad and a pen! You’d be surprised at how many people speed off to avoid being caught in an accident. You should always have a pen and paper handy, such as in the cubby hole. This will allow you to take down details like name, surnames, addresses, phone numbers, email addresses, and car registration numbers. You should also note the information of any eye witnesses, as you may need them to testify for you.
Photographs can be the best evidence of crime scene. You will need a digital camera to capture the scene, but you can use your phone’s camera if you don’t have one. You can take pictures of your car and the damage done to it by the other person. Take photos of any skid marks, broken walls or poles, as well as the car of the driver. Insurance companies will not be able to deny liability for a claim if you take pictures of the damage to your car, other driver’s car, skid marks on the road, damaged walls or poles, and even a picture of the other driver. If there are disagreements about the circumstances of an accident, it is necessary to have this document in court.
Keep your insurance papers in your car, so you can easily present them to anyone who may need them. Keep your pen, notepad and insurance papers together in a bag. You won’t have to search for them.
Insurance is the security blanket that you need in case of an accident. However, it is important to do your bit and collect as much information as you can so that your claim can be settled quickly or that you get your money back from your counterpart. It is better to be prepared for those moments when you may not be able think quickly.
