Oak Creek Insurance Agency

By

Filing An Auto Insurance Claim: Five Steps

Insurance_ClaimFormFILING AN AUTO INSURANCE CLAIM

An auto accident is a terrible experience, but it’s important to gather all the necessary information in order to be able file your claim. Here are five steps to follow to make the claims process easier and quicker.

Filing An Auto Insurance Claim: Podcast

Source: Insurance Information Institute, “Filing an Auto Insurance Claim: Five Steps” iihs.org website. Accessed November 24, 2015. http://www2.iii.org/video/podcast-filing-an-auto-insurance-claim.html

© Copyright 2016. All rights reserved. This content is strictly for informational purposes and although experts have prepared it, the reader should not substitute this information for professional insurance advice. If you have any questions, please consult your insurance professional before acting on any information presented. Read more.

By

Reducing Risks to Your Business Vehicles

Transportation_VehicleFleet

MANAGING RISK

Whether you own or lease a single business car or an entire fleet of commercial vehicles, you’ll need to purchase commercial auto insurance. Your insurance professional can help you weigh your risks and evaluate coverage options.

But even with insurance in place, you’ll want to take steps to prevent accidents and protect your employees and vehicles. Your business can reduce the chance of an accident by establishing and enforcing the following practices and policies.

Hard-and-Fast Driving Rules

When it comes to the safety of employees and the protection of your vehicles, you should set certain firm driving rules that must be followed at all times, including:

  • Mandatory Seat Belt Use—Nearly every state has a seat belt law. Seat belt use helps prevent deaths and limit the severity of injuries in vehicle accidents. There is no reasonable excuse for not using a seat belt.
  • Zero Tolerance for Intoxicants—Even one alcoholic beverage can impair a driver’s reaction time. Employees should never drink or use other intoxicants prior to using business vehicles.
  • No Cell Phone Use—Distracted driving is a leading cause of accidents, and cell phone use while driving is banned in some states. Prohibit employees from taking calls or texting while driving.

Vehicle Use Guidelines

Other rules may be more flexible, but you should consider instituting policies and adhering to the following practices yourself as appropriate:

  • Limit Non-Business Use of Vehicles—While some employees use the same car for work and personal use, generally limit business vehicle use to work-related travel.
  • Slow Down—Scheduling should allow sufficient travel time between meetings and assignments. Do not create such a frantic pace of work that employees are encouraged to speed. In addition to reducing the risk of accidents, driving the speed limit also will help control fuel costs.
  • Lock and Secure Vehicles—Employees should always lock vehicles when on the job. Whenever possible, vehicles should be parked in secure, well-lighted areas.

Employee-Focused Practices to Reduce Vehicle Risk

  • Know Your Employees—Before hiring employees to drive company vehicles, check their driving record with the motor vehicle department for past infractions. Limit or ban driving by employees with a history of accidents or moving violations. Employees should also be required to report any accidents they have while not working. In addition, recognize that some personality traits—such as a bad temper—can raise the risk of auto accidents.
  • Training—Employees who regularly drive work vehicles—or are taking on a new assignment requiring vehicle use—should be provided with drivers training. This course may just be a refresher for some, but it should cover key safety practices such as following distances and proper backing techniques.
  • Recognize Safe Drivers—For businesses in which driving is central—such as a florist or a moving company—establish a program to recognize and reward safe drivers. You may also want to reward a department or the whole company for accident-free periods.

Responding to an Accident

The above practices and policies can help minimize the risk to your business vehicles, but they cannot entirely prevent accidents from happening. If a business vehicle is involved in an accident, you’ll want to help your employee-driver respond appropriately and proceed with filing an insurance claim. The following practices and steps will help your business and the involved employee recover and get back to work.

  • Establish Procedures in the Event of an Accident—Employees using company vehicles should be trained what to do if an accident occurs. This includes not leaving the scene of an accident, contacting the police, and collecting information (license plate numbers, contact information, insurance information, etc.) from the affected parties and any witnesses. The accident should also be reported to appropriate personnel at work. Consider using the incident as an opportunity to educate all employees who drive company vehicles about what to do if they are involved in an accident.
  • Contact Your Insurance Professional and File a Claim with Your Insurance Company—As soon as possible, contact your insurance professional to report the accident and begin the claims filing process. It’s especially important to work immediately with your insurance team if anyone has been injured in the accident. Follow the guidance of your insurer in a timely manner, such as getting estimates for repairs.

Remember too, that auto insurance claims are not limited to accidents. You may also need to file a claim if your vehicle is vandalized, stolen or damaged from an event other than an accident, such as fire or severe weather.

Source: Insurance Information Institute, “Reducing Risks to Your Business Vehicles” iihs.org website. Accessed December 1, 2015. http://www.iii.org/article/reducing-risks-to-your-business-vehicles

© Copyright 2016. All rights reserved. This content is strictly for informational purposes and although experts have prepared it, the reader should not substitute this information for professional insurance advice. If you have any questions, please consult your insurance professional before acting on any information presented. Read more.

By

What to do at the scene of an accident

In the aftermath of a crash, know the right actions to take

 

No one wants to get into a car crash. But being prepared and knowing what to do if you are involved in an accident can save lives, reduce injuries and make the claims process simpler and easier.

So you’ll be prepared at the scene:

  • Keep critical, relevant documents in your car, such as registration, proof of auto insurance, your leasing agent’s name. It’s also a good idea to carry important medical information (allergies, doctors names) for you and your family members.
  • Ensure that your car is emergency ready. Flares, orange cones, emergency signage can help keep your loved ones and your vehicle from more harm after an accident. And, while we rely on technology, there’s a chance it might fail when you need to record a phone number or license plate details—keep a pad and pen in your car.
  • Make sure to have the right amount of auto coverage to fit your needs. While an insurance policy is not a substitute for health and safety, knowing you’ll be covered in the case of an accident can reduce the stress.

In the event of an accident, immediately:

  • Take care. Pull the vehicle to the side of the road, if possible. If the accident was triggered by road rage, take extra cautions when engaging with the other driver. If you are bumped from behind and think you might be the intended victim of a carjacking, make sure to pull off in a safe place.
  • Assess possible injuries. Tend to people first—make sure everyone is okay. Call 911 if anyone is injured.
  • Assess damage to the car. Once you’re assured everyone is okay, review the extent of the damage to the vehicle. If possible, take pictures.
  • Don’t leave the scene of the accident. If you run into an unattended vehicle, try to find the owner. If you can’t, leave a note with your name, address and phone number. Record the details of the accident, including the make and model of the car and the address where the accident occurred.
  • Collect as much information as possible. Get the names of and contact information for everyone involved in the crash, including witnesses. Ask the other driver or drivers (if you are involved in a multi-car accident) for a license, car registration and insurance ID card, and get the makes and models of the cars involved. Note of the location of the accident, time of day and the weather conditions. Smartphones are a great way to record driver and car documentation (as well as accident details).
  • Alert the police or highway patrol. If you are involved in a serious accident, let law enforcement know, especially if anyone is hurt. If necessary, the police will notify the nearest medical unit. Get the names and badge numbers of the officers on the scene and ask where you can get a copy of their accident report.
  • File an accident report, even if the police can’t come to the scene. Head to the nearest police department (or their website) to file an incident report. Having an official report can help in case the other driver decides to sue for damages or medical injuries, or there is more damage done to your car than initially thought. And you will need to have the report when making your insurance claim.
  • Get the claims process started. Notify your insurance professional about the accident as soon as possible—the longer you wait, the harder it will be to remember the details.

Source: Insurance Information Institute, “What to do at the scene of an accident” http://www.iii.org/ website. Accessed August 20, 2019. http://www.iii.org/article/scene-accident

© Copyright 2019. All rights reserved. This content is strictly for informational purposes and although experts have prepared it, the reader should not substitute this information for professional insurance advice. If you have any questions, please consult your insurance professional before acting on any information presented. Read more.

By

IN: 5 Steps To Take At The Scene Of An Accident

Dear Valued Customer,

Knowing what to do after an auto accident can save lives and make filing a claim easier. In this issue of “——————” we focus on what to do at the scene of an accident.
Find out about the five steps you should take to ensure you are safe and secure. Learn the five steps to file an auto insurance claim. Reduce risks to your business vehicles. This and much more is provided here for your information.We appreciate your continued business and look forward to serving you.

Kind regards,