What to Do When Someone Else Is at Fault for Hitting Your Car?
2 Answers
After a traffic accident occurs, the first step is to report it to the traffic police and then call your insurance company. Let the traffic police determine who is at fault and how to proceed, while the insurance company's personnel assess the damage and determine if it falls within the coverage. Follow the traffic police's instructions first, then take your car to the repair shop as required by the insurance company. Below is relevant information: 1. Damage Assessment: Typically, if the vehicle damage is not severe, the insurance surveyor can assess the damage on-site. If the damage is significant, you will need to go to a designated assessment center. 2. Submit Claim Documents: According to the insurance policy, the policyholder should submit the necessary accident documents to the insurance company within ten days after the traffic police have concluded the case. Once these steps are completed, the car owner can calmly wait for the insurance company's claim notification.
Recently, my car was rear-ended, and the other party was fully at fault. I immediately pulled over to the side of the road, turned on the hazard lights to ensure safety, and checked that I was unharmed. After getting out of the car, I exchanged names, phone numbers, driver's license numbers, and insurance company information with the other party. The key was taking photos from multiple angles: license plates, collision points, and the overall scene. Then, I called the police, and when the traffic police arrived, they issued an accident report clearly stating the other party's liability. Afterward, I contacted my own insurance company to report the incident, and they recommended filing a claim directly with the other party's insurance. I preserved the evidence and submitted the claim via an app. The other party's insurance adjuster assessed the damage and arranged for repairs. The process required patience, and I didn’t rush to pay for repairs out of pocket. For the repairs, I chose an authorized shop to ensure quality. The entire process took two weeks, but the claim was settled smoothly.
