For drivers who spend years on the road, car accidents are virtually inevitable. That said, at the same time, very few of us could say it's a common occurrence on a personal level. As such, you might be wondering what you should do if you get into an accident. Here's a simple guide to follow if you're unsure how to navigate this challenge.

Report the Accident to the Police

Did you know that, according to Driver Knowledge, motorists who text while driving are 23 times more likely to cause an accident than those who don’t? There are all kinds of reasons why you might have gotten into an accident, but no matter how it might happen, most states will require an accident report if the damage is significant enough. According to the experts at Slepkow Law, Rhode Island law requires an accident report for vehicle crashes where there's a minimum of $1,000 in property damage, or someone is injured as a result of the collision. If the damage is bad enough, you'll need to notify the police and get a copy of the police report.

Get Cost Repair Estimates From Auto Body Shops

Auto insurers will require multiple estimates for repair services from auto body shops, which usually offer free estimates for such purposes. Your insurer might want three estimates that detail the damage and give an equally detailed estimate of the cost to fix it. When the estimates generally cite the same damages and give roughly similar cost estimates, your insurer might approve paying for the repairs at one of the body shops that provided the repair estimates.

File an Insurance Claim

You’ll need to file an insurance claim when your vehicle suffers a significant amount of damage. Even when motorists just have liability coverage on their vehicles, they’ll need to file insurance claims so that the offending drivers’ auto insurance pays for the cost of auto body shops to fix the damage. Your insurer will assign an insurance adjuster to look into the accident and help the insurer determine who should be liable for causing the accident.

Rent Temporary Transportation

While your vehicle is in for repairs, your insurer might cover the cost of a rental car that you can use to go to work, run errands, and go about your normal daily routine. Some auto body shops, including D&H Collision Center, offer free rental cars to keep you mobile. If your insurance won't cover the rental cost, we do offer competitively low rates on the rentals as well.

Are you looking for a reliable source of collision repair in Warwick, RI or the surrounding areas? Contact our team at D&H Collision Center to learn more about how we can help! You can give us a call or fill out our Request an Appointment form to schedule a free damage inspection.