There could nothing worse than seeing that your parked car has been damaged. The first thing to do is to call the police to investigate the scene and create an accident report. In case you are lucky any of the security cameras will let you know what happened. Also, a notification to the insurer is necessary to start the claim process as soon as possible. OD (Own Damage) is an essential part of car insurance that covers this kind of an accident.
Steps to Take at the Scene
The three-basic go-to steps which one must know and follow if this happens to their car are:
1. Calling the police
The policemen will analyze the situation and will create an official accident report which will be needed by someone looking forward to filing a claim for the car. Also, it is necessary to ask for a copy of the accident report and maybe ask for the contact number, name, and badge number of the policeman who filing the report.
2. Documenting the accident
Gather as much information as you could about the details of the accident. It is necessary to take pictures, videos and document every damage that has been done to the car. This should also have time, location and the weather conditions under which this happened. Also, any debris at the scene any other tire marks or anything that could prove someone hit your car could be recorded on the phone.
3. Notifying the insurer
The next step is to contact the insurer as soon as possible and give them all the information about the accident that has happened. The insurer may ask for some details which will be easier to remember at that exact moment and not days after. The agent will guide you through the process of claiming, the documents required and what to expect during this process.
What is Own Damage Car Insurance?
The own damage car insurance covers the financial losses in the car due to theft, fire, accidental damages. It covers the repairs or the replacement of the car. The mandatory third-party car insurance covers the financial losses arising damages to the third party's property. Own damage covers the Comprehensive car insurance policy which is related to unannounced parked car accidents or in case of fire.
Will the insurance be paid?
Depending on the coverage which your insurance provides, it will pay for the basic repairs or a replacement. This happens under the collision coverage and even one could not find the other driver this could happen against one's policy coverage.
If your car is hit by an uninsured vehicle who maybe has fled the scene the insurance company pays for repairs however this is optional coverage and is not available everywhere. In any case, you can rest assured if you have got yourself covered by a good insurance company the agent will take care of all the necessary things and will guide you through the process.
Having car insurance is mandatory and if you don't have it buy car insurance right now.