Suppose you are leaving the office after working for many hours and you suddenly find that someone hit your parked car. What steps will you take immediately following that? In this article, we’ll outline the steps you need to take in such a situation. Usually, people in this situation panic and freeze so it is better to have a plan for such things in advance because car accidents just about happen to all of us no matter how careful you try to be.
When someone hits your parked car, you need to follow the steps mentioned below:
Call the Police
The first thing you need to do when someone hits your car is to call the police. The police will arrive at the scene and write a report regarding this accident. The police report is important as it is usually required when submitting an insurance claim.
Contact the driver
The next thing you need to do is contact the driver if he has left a note after hitting your parked car. The note he or she leaves will contain the contact information along with his or her insurance details. If the note does not contain any info about the insurance company, then it is better for you to contact the driver and ask about their insurance.
Document the accident
After calling the police and contacting the driver, now is the time to thoroughly check your vehicle and document the accident properly. Look at your car from all sides and take notes of any notable thing. If your car was hit while it was parked on the road or street, try to find some witnesses. If you manage to speak to any witness, note down their contact details. In addition, you should take multiple pictures of your damaged car from different angles that show the damage done to your vehicle. This documentation will be very crucial when you make a claim with the insurance company.
Contact the insurance company
After documenting the accident thoroughly, the next step is to call the insurance company and tell them about the accident. It is preferable to contact the insurance company immediately after the accident as the details are still fresh in your mind. In such a case, you will be able to explain the details more efficiently.
What if the hitting car driver does not leave a note?
It is very much possible that the driver who hit your car did not leave a note and instead just ran away. In that case, how can you claim the damages? This questions can have multiple solutions but hinges on your insurance policy, which is why you should call your auto insurance agent and discuss the options available for you.
We hope these tips will save you money and time if your parked car gets hit by someone else. Have you ever been in a similar situation? Please let us know your experience in the comments below.
We’re here to help!
Even after being careful, you may find your car hit in the partkinglot. These things happen. Fortunately, here at Davis Paint & Collision Auto Center we have a team of auto collision specialists who can work on your car. If need be, we can help you navigate insurance claims and paperwork. You can give us a call to schedule an appointment. For the Oklahoma City location, call 405.733.9797, South Oklahoma City location: 405.691.1820, and Midwest City location: 405.732.0762.
