The other person’s information – Most everyone knows to “trade information” with the parties involved after an accident. But what information do you need to get? To help things run smoothly with your insurance company, you should write down the other person’s:

• Name
• Address
• Date of birth
• Phone number
• Driver’s license number
• Insurance provider
• Policy number
• Number of occupants in the other involved vehicle

These items are just the essentials. Remember, the more information you have for your insurance company, the faster your claim can be resolved.

Police information – Your insurance company will be able to collect police information on its own by formally requesting a police report. However, depending on the circumstances, this process could take months. If the police arrive at the scene of your accident, write down the name and badge number of the responding officer and request the report number. This information can be of use for your insurance company.

Witness information - If there are witnesses to the accident, request their information as well. Witness testimonials can help insurance companies determine accident liability.

Vehicle information – Be sure to take note of the year, make, model, license plate number, and VIN number of all vehicles involved in the accident.

Damage information – Documenting damage that was a result of the accident is very important and helpful for your insurance company. If you can, take several pictures of your vehicle and other involved vehicles from several angles. Be sure to take note if the other vehicles were able to drive away from the accident.

It’s also a good idea to write down your account of the accident. An insurance representative may not contact you immediately, so writing down as many details as possible will keep your memory fresh and your story consistent if you are interviewed by an insurance representative more than once.

This content is offered for educational purposes only and does not represent contractual agreements. The definitions, terms and coverages in a given policy may be different than those suggested here and such policy will be governed by the language contained therein. No warranty or appropriateness for a specific purpose is expressed or implied.

Hiring an attorney after a crash is not a requirement, but there are some scenarios where you may want to consider retaining legal counsel.  If you or any of your passengers are seriously injured, you may want to hire a lawyer to help you receive a fair settlement and keep the lines of communication open with all the parties that will be involved.

If the other driver caused the accident and you have serious injuries, you might consider contacting an attorney.  Oftentimes, the at-fault person’s insurance company may immediately contact you to settle the claim.  A lawyer can help wade through the complex language of the insurance policies involved and deal with any pressure from the other adjuster while you focus on getting better.

The American Bar Association suggests you hire an attorney any time you are involved in an accident with an uninsured or underinsured motorist.

If the circumstances surrounding the accident make it difficult to prove the other driver is at fault, you may want to have a seasoned counselor on your side.

No matter what you decide, there are a few factors you need to consider when hiring a lawyer.  First, settling your case will likely take much longer with an attorney at your side.  Second, in California, you have only two years from the date of the accident to file a claim in court.  And third, be prepared for the attorney to take a portion of your settlement money in return for his or her work on your behalf.

This content is offered for educational purposes only and does not represent contractual agreements. The definitions, terms and coverage in a given policy may be different than those suggested here and such policy will be governed by the language contained therein. No warranty or appropriateness for a specific purpose is expressed or implied.

If you only have liability coverage, your only option may be to use a lawsuit and the courts to get the other driver to pay. However, keep in mind, if the uninsured driver can’t afford insurance, he likely won’t have enough money to pay a court ordered settlement either.

In California, estimates show as many as 28% of drivers are uninsured. So if an uninsured driver hits you, your best bet is to have sufficient coverage to protect you and your car and to shield you from having to go the route of a lawsuit. At the minimum, protect yourself from costly medical bills by purchasing uninsured motorist coverage.

Finally, make sure you notify the police that the other driver was uninsured. In many states the penalties for driving without insurance range from fines or suspension of license and registration to jail time.

This content is offered for educational purposes only and does not represent contractual agreements. The definitions, terms and coverages in a given policy may be different than those suggested here and such policy will be governed by the language contained therein. No warranty or appropriateness for a specific purpose is expressed or implied.

If you are in a crash, try to keep calm and stay safe. Evaluate yourself and your passengers for injuries. If there is any question of a serious injury, move as little as possible and call for help. If it is a minor accident, move the cars to the side of the road. The last thing you want to do is be involved in a secondary accident. If you can’t move your car, turn on your hazard lights, and assess whether it is safe to remain in your car (with your seat belt on) or get out and move to a safer location. Be very careful to watch for oncoming traffic.

To prepare for such an event, put together an accident emergency kit and keep it in your car. It should include pen, paper, a card containing information on allergies or medical conditions if applicable and emergency contacts; also a flashlight, a disposable camera (if you do not have one on your cell phone), emergency flares, and a blanket.

In California, police officers will not come to the scene unless there are injuries, drugs or alcohol are involved, the accident is a hit and run, or city property is involved. So it is important that you exchange information: name, address, phone number, auto insurance information, driver’s license and vehicle license plate numbers, a written description of the car including the year, make, model and damages. Do not admit fault or assume liability for the accident.  Take photos of the scene and the vehicles. If no camera is available, diagram the accident scene. If there are any witnesses to the crash, ask for their contact information.

Even if the damage is minor and you decide to handle the repair bills between the drivers without involving your insurance company, you still need to gather the above listed information. Frequently, the other driver will back out on paying for the damages once he sees the estimates. At that point, if you don’t already have the information, it can be much more difficult for the insurance company to start an investigation and piece together details of the accident.  Bear in mind, also, that your insurance policy may require you to report any accident, no matter how small, and offering a settlement on your own may jeopardize your coverage.

• Check all parties for injury
• Summon aid and police if necessary
• If possible move all parties to a safe location
• If possible move vehicles to a safe location
• Exchange information with other drivers
• Obtain names and contact informaiion for witnesses
• Take photos if possible

This content is offered for educational purposes only and does not represent contractual agreements. The definitions, terms and coverages in a given policy may be different than those suggested here and such policy will be governed by the language contained therein. No warranty or appropriateness for a specific purpose is expressed or implied.

So, somewhere in between picking up the Thanksgiving bird or crossing one more gift off your list, be sure you stock up on the essentials for your car and your family, so you have everything you need while you’re driving. Following is a helpful holiday road trip checklist you can use to make sure you’ve made your list and checked it twice! 

• Up-to-date auto insurance card and paperwork
• Tools for fixing a flat – working, properly inflated, spare tire and jack, can of “fix-a-flat”, etc.
• GPS or maps
• Cell phone charger
• Emergency supplies for your family – first aid kit, snacks and water for the kids, toilet paper, etc.
• Flashlight with extra batteries
• Jumper cables
• Extra Oil, washer fluid, etc.

Make sure your holiday road trip checklist items are well organized and accessible to those who’ll need them; e.g., snacks should be easy for bigger kids to access without the driver having to assist, while tools for flat tires can be safely stowed in the trunk to ensure they’re there when needed, but out of the way of the more often used cargo. Also, your holiday road trip checklist shouldn’t just be comprised of supplies, you may want to get a tune-up and have your tires checked before you embark on any lengthy holiday road trips; and be sure to check and top off fluids and gas before you get on the road. The holidays can be hectic enough as is, don’t cause yourself anymore undue stress by getting caught on the road unaware; use our holiday road trip checklist to ensure you have everything you need.

For more information about auto insurance coverage, please see www.aisinsurance.com or call AIS at 888-772-4247.

This content is offered for educational purposes only and does not represent contractual agreements. The definitions, terms and coverages in a given policy may be different than those suggested here and such policy will be governed by the language contained therein. No warranty or appropriateness for a specific purpose is expressed or implied.

The first step to driving safely in the winter months is making sure your vehicle is equipped to handle the weather.  Perform routine maintenance to make sure you are not stuck and do all of the following:

• Switch to an all season tire, and replace tires with worn tread.  Having the proper tire will help you to grip the road better and stop quicker.
• Check fluid levels.  Make sure your antifreeze, brake fluid and windshield wiper solutions are filled.  Buy windshield wiper fluid designed for cold weather so that it does not freeze when you use it.
• Equip your car with safety items. Having a winter safety kit is essential. The kit should include blankets, road flares, first aid items, flashlight and batteries.  These items will help keep you safe in the event you breakdown.

The next step to safe winter driving is making sure that you are prepared to drive in less than perfect road conditions.  Follow these driving tips so are better prepared:

• Leave more distance. When following a car, leave a greater distance between you and the car in front of you.  If the leading car suddenly slows down, the increased distance will allow you to maneuver more safely in slippery conditions.
• Know how your car handles.  You may want to find an empty parking lot and practice driving in snowy weather. This will help you to get a feel for what your car does in a skid and how to best recover from it.  There may also be some defensive driving courses available in your area.  These courses will teach you skills needed to drive in all types of conditions.
• Accelerate and decelerate slowly.  If you do these two actions quickly, you may cause your car to slide and become uncontrollable.
• Stay home! If conditions are just too bad, or you are uncomfortable driving, stay home. Sometimes the risks aren’t worth it.

This content is offered for educational purposes only and does not represent contractual agreements. The definitions, terms and coverages in a given policy may be different than those suggested here and such policy will be governed by the language contained therein. No warranty or appropriateness for a specific purpose is expressed or implied.

In California, coverage follows the vehicle.  In most cases, the primary insurance will be the policy that is purchased for the specific car, even if you loan it to someone else.  If you borrow someone else’s vehicle, their policy should pay first.  Your own coverage is “secondary” or excess, and typically applies only if the primary insurance is insufficient to cover the loss.

When you are purchasing a policy, you should ask your provider about this situation.  They may also advise you of ways to protect yourself.  In most cases, in order for another driver to be covered, they must have permission to drive your vehicle to be covered. Also, if there are drivers that you don’t want to have driving your car, you can have them excluded from your policy so they don’t have coverage.

For more information about auto insurance coverage, please see www.aisinsurance.com or call AIS at 888-772-4247.

This content is offered for educational purposes only and does not represent contractual agreements. The definitions, terms and coverages in a given policy may be different than those suggested here and such policy will be governed by the language contained therein. No warranty or appropriateness for a specific purpose is expressed or implied.

A car is declared a total loss when the cost to return the vehicle to pre-accident condition would be as much or more than the actual cash value of the car.  If the repair costs are much less than this, the insurance company will pay to have the car repaired.  Here are a couple of examples to illustrate this.

If your car’s actual cash value is $12,000 before the accident, and the repair cost is $3,000, the insurance company would pay to have it repaired, because the repair cost is much less than the cash value of the car.

If your car’s actual cash value is $6,000 before the accident, and the repair cost is $7,000, then the insurance company would declare this a total loss, because the cost to fix it is more than the car is worth.  In this case, the insurance company will make a payment to you for the actual cash value of the car.  After this, the insurance company will usually sell your damaged vehicle to a licensed salvage dealer (the insurance company becomes the owner of the vehicle as part of the settlement with you).

For more information on California auto insurance, please visit www.aisinsurance.com or call one of our representatives today at 888-772-4247.

This content is offered for educational purposes only and does not represent contractual agreements. The definitions, terms and coverages in a given policy may be different than those suggested here and such policy will be governed by the language contained therein. No warranty or appropriateness for a specific purpose is expressed or implied.

While this is the case in the state of California, you should always review your insurance policy to be certain.  This information is usually contained in a section titled “Duties After an Accident or Loss”.  For example, if your vehicle is stolen you typically have a duty to file a police report immediately and contact your insurance company within 30 days.

To make filing a claim a bit less stressful, it is a good idea to gather information just after the accident.  Make notes and take pictures if possible.  Also, if there are medical complications, it is important to save all of the documentation.

For more information please see www.aisinsurance.com

This content is offered for educational purposes only and does not represent contractual agreements. The definitions, terms and coverages in a given policy may be different than those suggested here and such policy will be governed by the language contained therein. No warranty or appropriateness for a specific purpose is expressed or implied.

When traveling, it is important to have a few basic survival items in your vehicle while you wait for help.  Always have bottled water, snacks, blankets, road flares and jumper cables in your car.  Keep these items in a kit in your trunk, so if you need them, they are easily accessible.  Now that many people have cell phones, it is also a good idea to equip your kit with a phone charger that is either solar powered or crank power.  If you breakdown and lose power, you may not be able to plug your phone into the cigarette lighter to charge it.

To supplement your kit, you should also consider purchasing roadside assistance insurance.  This type of insurance will be beneficial if you break down.  This service typically covers minor mechanical work, towing, tire changes, jump starts and fuel delivery.

Adding roadside assistance coverage to your current policy can be an affordable way to make sure that help is only a phone call way.  For more information on California roadside assistance coverage, please see http://www.aisinsurance.com/california-roadside-assistance.

This content is offered for educational purposes only and does not represent contractual agreements. The definitions, terms and coverages in a given policy may be different than those suggested here and such policy will be governed by the language contained therein. No warranty or appropriateness for a specific purpose is expressed or implied.