What to Do After a Car Accident
The minutes after a collision are disorienting. This checklist covers the practical steps that protect you, your passengers, and your claim.
At the scene
- Check for injuries and get to safety. If anyone is hurt, call 911 first. If the vehicles are drivable and it's safe, move them out of traffic.
- Call the police when appropriate. For injuries, significant damage, or a dispute about what happened, a police report gives the insurers an official record.
- Exchange information. Get the other driver's name, phone number, insurance company and policy number, license plate, and the vehicle's make and model.
- Photograph everything. Damage to all vehicles, the positions of the cars, license plates, street signs, skid marks, and any visible injuries. More photos are always better than fewer.
- Get witness contacts. If anyone saw the accident, ask for a name and phone number.
Within the first day or two
- Report the accident to your insurance company. Most policies require prompt notice — even if the other driver was at fault, your own insurer should know what happened.
- Don't guess or speculate about fault. Give the facts to the insurers and let the claims process run. Fault is determined by the insurance companies (and sometimes the courts) — not by you, the other driver, or the body shop.
- Choose your repair shop. In Texas, that choice is yours — not the insurance company's. See your right to choose your shop.
Starting the repair
Once a claim is open, bring the vehicle in (or have it towed to us if it isn't safe to drive). We photograph and document the damage, prepare a written estimate, and — if you'd like — communicate directly with the insurance company from there. Our owner spent more than 20 years in the insurance industry, so we know what adjusters need to see and how to keep a claim moving.
Read next: how the estimate process works and whose insurance pays.