Start with safety

A car accident can be stressful, even when the damage looks minor. The best first step is to deal with the immediate safety issues before thinking about insurance or repairs.

If anyone is injured, call 111 if emergency help is needed. If it is safe to do so, move vehicles away from live traffic and avoid creating another hazard. If there is any doubt about whether a vehicle is safe to drive, do not take the risk. Arrange recovery instead.

Know what you need to do at the scene

New Zealand road rules set out some basic responsibilities after a crash. If someone is hurt, the crash must be reported to Police as soon as possible and no later than 24 hours after the crash. If no one is hurt, drivers still need to exchange key details with anyone whose vehicle or property has been damaged as soon as possible and no later than 48 hours. If the owner cannot be found, the crash needs to be reported to Police within the required timeframe.

It is also useful to keep the conversation at the scene factual. You do not need to work out repair costs or make decisions about fault on the roadside. Focus on safety, recording what happened and exchanging the information that will be needed later.

What to record

A few minutes spent recording the right information can make the insurance and repair process much easier later. Useful details include:

• The other driver’s name, contact details and vehicle registration.

• The name of the other driver’s insurer, if they are happy to provide it.

• The time, date and location of the accident.

• Photos of the overall scene, the position of the vehicles and visible damage.

• Contact details for any witnesses.

• Any Police incident or reference number, if Police are involved.

Photos are useful as a record of what happened at the scene, but they are not a substitute for a proper repair assessment. Collision damage can extend beyond what is visible from the outside.

Contact your insurer

If your vehicle is insured, notify your insurer as soon as reasonably possible. Your policy will determine the claim process, any excess that applies, whether the insurer needs to approve the repairer or repair estimate, and what needs to happen before work can begin.

If you already have a repairer you would like to use, tell your insurer early and ask what process applies. It is better to clarify this before authorising repairs or incurring costs that you expect the insurer to pay.

Get the vehicle assessed

Once the immediate claim steps are underway, the next job is understanding what has actually been damaged. An assessment looks beyond the obvious dents and scrapes to establish the repair requirements, parts that may be needed and whether there is any structural or hidden damage that needs further investigation.

At Maidstone, the assessment also gives us the information needed to plan the repair and work through approval where insurance is involved. If you are unsure what your insurer needs first, contact the office and we can explain the repair side of the process.

What happens after the assessment?

From there, the path depends on the damage and whether insurance is involved. The repair requirements are established, any estimate or supporting information is prepared, approval is worked through where required, and the repair can then be booked.

Every job is different, but you should know what the next step is and who is responsible for it. That is one of the reasons a clear assessment is such an important starting point.

Had an accident? Get in touch with the office and we will help you work out the best next step suitable for you.