Immediate Steps to Take After an Auto Accident
Immediate Steps to Take After an Auto AccidentA car accident is always traumatic for any driver. Even if the damages are relatively minor, and both parties are uninjured, you may find yourself panicking over what to do next. There are important steps to take following any crash, no matter how severe.
Since car accidents involve insurance companies, both drivers need to collect the necessary information. They can do this by following six basic steps. This article will outline these steps and make their priorities clear.
1) The most important thing is to stay calm at all times. Letting the emotions get out of control will only make the situation worse, and make it harder to take care of the things that need to be done.
2) After remaining in control, the driver must make sure that they and their passenger(s) are okay and unharmed. While it is important to move as far off the road as possible, it is also important if not more so to remain at the scene of the accident. If the driver or one of the passengers can do so, wave oncoming traffic into the other lane or warn traffic with hazard lights and flares, if available.
3) Alert the appropriate authorities by calling 911 right away. If a cell phone isn't readily available, flag down a passing car and ask them to call.
4) The driver must contact their insurance agent / company regardless of whether they were at fault. The sooner the insurance company knows, the sooner they can start working to resolve the claim. Both drivers should call their respective companies and report the accident, even if one of them was at fault.
5) For legal reasons, the driver must not admit fault to anyone. All those involved with the accident should only talk about it with the police and their insurance companies.
6) Finally, collect the information from all parties, which means that each driver must collect information from any witnesses. Most importantly, each driver should get the name of the other's insurance company and their policy number.
Please call Khalid Umerani, Agent (NOVA Insurance Group) at tel. 703.263.7800 for all your insurance needs. We are licensed to write insurance policies in VA, MD and DC.
Labels: Fairfax car accidents, loudoun car accidents, south riding car accidents
Thinking of Buying a New Car? Be Sure to Consider Insurance Costs
Thinking of Buying a New Car? Be Sure to Consider Insurance CostsIf you are in the market for a new car you have probably looked at the reliability ratings, fuel economy statistics and safety tests. But have you looked at the insurance rates for the car of your dreams? If not you may want to take a step back and consider what that new car will cost to insure. Before you sign on the dotted line it is a good idea to contact your car insurance company for a premium quote. Some cars are surprisingly expensive to insure, while others are surprisingly affordable. The key is to find out how much the premiums on your proposed vehicle will be before you commit to buying.
We, at NOVA Insurance Group, are always available to run some premium quotes for your new vehicle.If you are currently driving an older vehicle, it's likely that you no longer carry full comprehensive and collision coverage on it. When shopping for a new vehicle, consider that you will be upgrading to full coverage, which translates into higher premiums by itself. Be sure to factor these higher insurance costs into the equation when determining what kind of car you can afford. Many drivers just look at the monthly payment for the car and forget about the cost of insurance, regular maintenance and other important expenses. By comparing insurance rates on the vehicles you are considering, you can avoid those unpleasant surprises and keep your transportation budget in check.
One good strategy is to narrow your choice of vehicles down to three or four by using the typical criteria: reliability ratings, government crash tests, cost of ownership and the like. After narrowing the field, contact your agent, here at NOVA Insurance Group, to determine how much it will cost to insure each vehicle. You may not be able to get an exact figure without the vehicle's VIN number, but we should be able to at least give you a ballpark figure. You can then use those figures to determine the true cost of ownership for each type of vehicle you are considering. Depending on how the numbers work out, the cost of insurance may be enough to tip the scales in favor of one model over another.
Shopping for a new car can be fun and exciting, but it is also serious business. That is why it is so important to consider all of the factors, including the monthly payment, the total cost of the car, the cost of ongoing maintenance and of course
the cost of car insurance. By understanding all the factors that go into the price of that car and its operating cost you will be able to make an intelligent and informed decision.
Call us at NOVA Insurance Group (Tel 703.263.7800) for further information.www.south-riding-insurance.comwww.loudoun-insurance.comLabels: Chantilly Car Insurance, Fairfax Auto Insurance, loudoun car insurance, South Riding car insurance
