what to do if in an auto accident

Lynnfield, MA – January 9, 2015 MassAutoQuote Web Log –

Did you know that if you are involved in a minor fender bender and leave the scene of the accident without contacting the police, you may be breaking the law? …

What to do if in a MA auto accident

Lynnfield, MA – January 9, 2015 MassAutoQuote Web Log –

Did you know that if you are involved in a minor fender bender and leave the scene of the accident without contacting the police, you may be breaking the law?

Knowing what to do if you are involved in a car accident will help you to remain calm. Knowing what is expected can help make a stressful and unpleasant situation more bearable and help you avoid unnecessary liability, time and expense.

1. Call the police. If you are involved in an auto accident, either you or someone who is with you needs to call 9-1-1 immediately. Even if you have not sustained injuries or property damage that you are aware of, you must still wait for the police to arrive so that you can report the accident.

2. Do not talk about the incident to anyone. Speak only to the responding police officer. And call your insurance agent right away.

3. Be polite, even if you are really upset. When people get in car accidents, they are often more reactive than normal. Don’t start blaming the other driver. And if the other driver is rude to you, get in your car, lock the door, and wait for the police to come.

If there is a question about who was at fault in your accident, being overly emotional may potentially bias the reporting police officer against you to the point that he or she could give the other driver the benefit of the doubt.

4. Get all contact information from all drivers:

  • Full name
  • Address
  • Phone number and email
  • Insurance company’s name (and phone number if possible)
  • Insurance policy number

5. Be respectful to the police officer completing the accident report. You don’t need to go into great detail about what happened. It is probably better not to, because you may not be thinking straight and these reports are very hard to change after the fact. They will, however, be used as evidence by the insurance companies. Be cooperative and calm.

6. Take photographs of both vehicles and the scene of the accident. If one or both cars were totaled and you have no camera or cell phone, you can find out from the reporting officer where the cars are going to be towed and go to the lot later and take photographs of both the inside and outside of the cars. Pictures can help either prove damage or disprove damage.

7. Call your insurance agent or insurance company and report the accident as soon as possible with detailed specifics. You will need to tell your insurance company the following:

  • How the accident happened
  • Time and location of accident
  • Motor vehicles in the accident – cars, trucks, bikes, etc. Include the make and model of each car involved
  • Contact information for those in the accident
  • Injuries sustained in the accident
  • Witness contact information
  • Police report number, police jurisdiction in which the accident occurred; your insurance company will need the police report number to investigate any claim

8. See a physician immediately or as soon as possible after the accident. Even if you believe you have only a few bruises, it is important to document all injuries, no matter how minor.

If you have sustained serious injuries, documenting the injuries, including taking photographs of the injuries, can play a significant role in any insurance settlement.

The above information will help you streamline what can be a complicated, scary and confusing process.

We Are Here for You Before, During and a Car Accident

www.MassAutoQuote.com’s Independent Massachusetts Insurance Agents are with you every step of the way. Our Agents will make sure you have the proper auto insurance and help you through the claims process should you be involved in an accident.

To learn more about what to do after a car accident, please feel free to call us at: 781-246-8699.

What Makes My Massachusetts Auto Insurance Rate Go Up?

Driving safe is something that insurance companies love their customers to do. It saves the insurance providers a significant amount of money if their insured clients do not ever have accidents …

MA Auto Insurance Increase

Driving safe is something that insurance companies love their customers to do. It saves the insurance providers a significant amount of money if their insured clients do not ever have accidents. Thus, they tend to favor safe drivers with lower policy premiums and incentives like a disappearing deductible for each year they do not file an auto accident claim.

On the other hand, those who are involved in car accidents or who have received a moving violation may be due for a car insurance increase when it comes time for the annual policy renewal. If a car accident involved little or no property damage, there may not be a car insurance increase in the premium. Moving violations, in most cases, do trigger an increase in car insurance.

Factors That May Cause Car Insurance Increases

  • Type and number of moving violations you receive
  • Seriousness of a car accident that you are involved in
  • Cost of the insurance claim you or the other involved driver files
  • Your level of fault in the car accident, unless you live in a “no-fault” state
  • Appearance of the moving violation on your Motor Vehicle Report (MVR); or the accident on the Comprehensive Loss Underwriting Exchange (L.U.E.), which is a database that records claims information.
  • Number of years you have been with the company without an auto accident

Minimize Moving Violation Cost with Safe Driving Courses

There are ways to minimize the “cost” of a moving violation. For instance, if you take a safe driver’s course to gain insight into driving safe, some insurance companies may decide not to raise your insurance rates. In some cases, your moving violation may be changed to a non-moving violation, so the insurance company will not raise your rates. Each company has its own set of rules for determining just what will trigger a car insurance increase and what factors go into determining driving safe benefits.

Driving Violations and Car Insurance Increases

Drivers with one-car, single driver policies whose driving record included one violation paid 18 percent more on average for car insurance then did drivers who had no moving violations, according to an Insurance.com analysis of more than 30,000 insurance policies purchased in 2010.

Those drivers with two violations paid 34 percent more for their auto insurance; drivers with three violations paid 53 percent more than whose drivers who had no violations. A DUI can result in an insurance company refusing to renew an insurance policy. It seems that driving safe pays off in more ways than one.

Types of Moving Violations Triggering a Car Insurance Increase

  •  Driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol – DUI
  • Speeding
  • Reckless driving
  • Careless driving
  • Fleeing from law enforcement officers
  • Running red lights
  • Driving the wrong way on a one-way or a divided highway
  • Improper passing
  • Lack of child restraint
  • Unsafe U-turn

Does My Insurance Go Up Immediately?

Generally, increases due to a moving violation or a car accident happen at the time you renew your policy. If you have not told your insurance agent about the accident or the ticket, it may take longer to have an impact. Eventually, your ticket or accident will be discovered. If you decide to switch insurance providers, a claims history or driver’s record will reveal any tickets or accidents.

How to Avoid a Car Insurance Increase

If you have received notice of a car insurance increase at the time of your renewal, you can speak to an independent insurance agent who will help you shop for less expensive insurance. Independent insurance agents generally work with a wide range of insurance providers, so they can help you find a car insurance that meets your needs and your pocketbook.

Questions about Your Insurance Policy?

Talk to an independent insurance agent who has a deep understanding of the issues involved in car insurance increases and the benefits of driving safe. Call, click or stop by Massautoquote.com to learn more about getting the best insurance for the best rate available to you.

Massachusetts Auto Accidents: Standards of Fault

When determining fault in a Massachusetts auto accident, MA insurance companies use the following Standards of Fault:

– Collision with a lawfully or an unlawfully parked vehicle
– Rear-end collision …

MA Accident Standards of Fault

When determining fault in a Massachusetts auto accident, MA insurance companies use the following Standards of Fault:

  • Collision with a lawfully or an unlawfully parked vehicle
  • Rear-end collision
  • Out-of-lane collision
  • Failure to signal
  • Failure to proceed with due caution from a traffic control signal or sign
  • Collision on wrong side of road
  • Operating in the wrong direction
  • Collision at an uncontrolled intersection
  • Collision while in the process of backing up
  • Collision while in the process of backing up
  • Collision while making a left turn or a U-turn across the travel path of a vehicle travelling in the same or opposite direction
  • leaving or exiting from a parked position, a parking lot, an alley, or a driveway
  • Opened or opening vehicle door(s)
  • Single-vehicle collision
  • Failure to obey the rules and regulations for driving
  • Unattended vehicle collision
  • Collision while merging onto a highway or into a rotary
  • Noncontact operator causing collision
  • Failure to yield the right-of-way to emergency vehicles when required by law
  • Collision at a “T” intersection(you entered from side road)

For For more information regarding MA automobile insurance, call the Massachusetts Division of Insurance Consumer Hotline at: 617-521-7777 or visit their website: http://www.mass.gov/doi. For more information regarding your driving record, call the Massachusetts Merit Rating Board’s Customer Service Section at: 617-351-4400 or visit their website at: http://www.mass.gov/mrb.

For a competitive, Massachusetts Auto Insurance quote, please call or click us today.

Massachusetts Auto Accident Standards of Fault

When determining fault in a Massachusetts auto accident, MA insurance companies use the following Standards of Fault:

  • Collision with a lawfully or an unlawfully parked vehicle
  • Rear-end collision
  • Out-of-lane collision
  • Failure to signal
  • Failure to proceed with due caution from a traffic control signal or sign
  • Collision on wrong side of road
  • Operating in the wrong direction
  • Collision at an uncontrolled intersection
  • Collision while in the process of backing up
  • Collision while in the process of backing up
  • Collision while making a left turn or a U-turn across the travel path of a vehicle travelling in the same or opposite direction
  • leaving or exiting from a parked position, a parking lot, an alley, or a driveway
  • Opened or opening vehicle door(s)
  • Single-vehicle collision
  • Failure to obey the rules and regulations for driving
  • Unattended vehicle collision
  • Collision while merging onto a highway or into a rotary
  • Noncontact operator causing collision
  • Failure to yield the right-of-way to emergency vehicles when required by law
  • Collision at a “T” intersection(you entered from side road)

For more information regarding MA automobile insurance, call the Massachusetts Division of Insurance Consumer Hotline at: 617-521-7777 or visit their website: http://www.mass.gov/doi. For more information regarding your driving record, call the Massachusetts Merit Rating Board’s Customer Service Section at: 617-351-4400 or visit their website at: http://www.mass.gov/mrb.

For a competitive, Massachusetts Auto Insurance quote, please call or click us today.