Car accidents, no matter how minor, can throw your day, your plans and your stress levels into chaos. From the moment of impact, a chain of actions kicks off: reporting the accident, talking to insurers, arranging repairs and (hopefully) getting your car back on the road as quickly as possible. But who actually takes care of what?
More clarity means less stress for you, so let’s break down the car accident management process and who’s responsible for each step.
In the immediate aftermath, the first steps fall to you. Once you’ve made sure everyone is safe and called for help if there are injuries, it’s your job to exchange details with any other drivers, document the scene and notify your insurer or car accident management company.
You should make sure you get the other driver’s details, contact number, make and model of car and insurer. You should also take pictures of any damage, the position of the vehicles and note the weather and circumstances at the time of the crash.
Once you’re over the shock of the accident it’s time to turn your attention to getting your car fixed. You can go down one of two routes: either contact your insurer directly and liaise with them or engage the car accident management services of a company like EvolveArc who will do the liaising for you.
You have a legal right to choose and there’s no right or wrong answer. The difference is with a accident management company they handle a lot of the admin for you whereas with your insurer you deal with them direct. Ultimately, choose the one that feels right for you.
If you opt for a car accident management company like EvolveArc you call us once and we take care of the rest. Our team acts as a central hub for everything to do with your accident repair, any claim and the use of a courtesy car while repairs are carried out.
We will report the accident to the insurers (either yours or third party’s) and arrange for vehicle recovery if it’s required. We will book and manage your repairs at approved bodyshops. And we will supply you with a like-for-like courtesy car if the accident wasn’t your fault.
In short, we’re your one point of contact throughout, so there’s no chasing multiple companies and wondering what’s next.
While we can handle the communication with your insurer, they’re the ones who assess who was at fault and what costs are covered. They’ll review statements, any dashcam footage or photos and decide liability. They will also approve costs for repairs or hire vehicles and settle any claims.
If you work directly with your insurer they will arrange for your repairs at one of their approved repairers and the use of a courtesy car if it’s part of your policy terms, but you may need to arrange appointments directly with these different companies.
Not all garages are created equal. Your insurer will have a list of approved repairers, a network of garages authorised to carry out repairs on vehicles. Similarly, with EvolveArc, our body shops are approved and have particular expertise in the repair of EVs, so you know the repairs you get are using manufacturer-approved methods and genuine parts. The work is also guaranteed, so in the unlikely event of a problem, it’s quickly rectified.
Once work is completed, we’ll inspect your vehicle, return your car and collect the courtesy car to minimise the inconvenience to you.
Our main goal is to get you back on the road with minimal fuss and disruption. With us managing the process, you can focus on your daily life and leave us to deal with the admin, logistics and legal bits.
You call us. We sort it. Simple.
Get in contact with the team at EvolveArc today!
Image source: Canva