You could be the safest driver in the world. Following all of the basic driving laws and not being distracted by eating, drinking or talking on your cell phone. But driving is not only about you being behind the wheel, but the other people around you behind their wheels. Most people aren’t as exacting behind the wheel as you could be, and this is the reason that accidents happen.
One pretty common rule on the road is that everyone is expected to have car insurance. It is illegal in most states to drive around without insurance, and in states that it is not required it is considered decent to have it. Unfortunately, the most common drivers in accidental vehicle accidents are ones without insurance.
After an accident, both people involved are expected to stay on the scene while the police respond to the accident. Both people are also expected to act very humanely and exchange insurance numbers so that the insurance companies can work it out. If the person that you get into an accident with does not have insurance or does not want to see the police, they may drive off in order to try to evade the police.
At the scene of an accident, the major rule is to remain calm. Do not start pointing fingers and trying to blame each other. Make sure that everyone keeps a cool head and this will go over much more smoothly. After that, make sure to document the license plate number. You do not want the person to run off never to be seen again.
A police report has to be filed for a hit and run incident no matter how small it is in order for your insurance company to be able to file a claim. If you have underinsured or uninsured motorist coverage or hold full coverage on your vehicle the insurance company will handle all the repair and medical expenses that were involved with the accident up to the limits of your policy.
In an incidental accident like this, you will be responsible for the deductible. The accident is not your fault, but the insurance company requires that the deductable be paid out while the company takes up the rest of the cost. This is better than being stuck with the full bill, which could cost upwards of thousands of dollars. In a hit and run accident, the person sometimes is not caught because they drive away as fast as possible. The police will look for the criminal, and if they find them the insurance will be able to cover it. If they cannot find the person who caused the accident, then you will be forced to pay out of your pocket for the accident. This is why it is important that the person who caused it is found and taken to court for repayment. If you can take care of certain basic assumptions, then you will be able to get the most out of your insurance possible. This is the most important thing that you can do; do not pay too much for the accident.
