Had An Accident! Here's What To Do

The following are guidelines to help in the event of an accident

What to do if your Vehicle is involved in an accident:

Stay Calm 
Stop, take some deep breaths, this will help you calm down, so that you can ensure that you record all information needed from this point on accurately.

Check for Injury
Make sure you and all others are safe. If you can’t get out of your vehicle, or it is not safe to try – keep your seat belt fastened , turn on your hazard lights and call 112 or 999 if possible and wait for help to arrive.

Moving Your Car

If you can drive your car and are in an unsafe spot or are blocking traffic, find a safe and legal place to park the vehicle. Turn off the ignitions of the vehicles involved.

Remain at the scene
Stay at the scene of the accident until the Garda Siochana have come and gone, making sure you have the name or number of any Garda in attendance.

Exchange Motoring Details -Legal Obligation
Exchange names, addresses, driver's license details, vehicle registration and insurance details including Name and address of other drivers insurance company and the number of certificate of insurance with the driver of the other car (See insurance disc on windscreen).

Document the scene
-Get the name and address of each witness.
-Date, time and location of accident.
-Debris or marks on the road relevant to the accident.
-Rough sketch of vehicles before and after the accident.
-Width of road, road markings, state of road surface, weather conditions, visibility.
-Whether other driver and passengers were wearing seat belts.
-If you do have a camera, photograph the scene.
-Review your policy to make sure of your coverage.
-Make a list of questions and related information you want to know.

Call your Insurance Company 
Report the accident promptly to your insurance company.

Having an accident shouldn’t be viewed as anything more than it is – an accident.
If you keep a clear head and follow these simple steps, you can get through the stressful process of an accident much easier.

After the Accident

The repair process what happens next:

Right to Choose
You have the right to choose a Vehicle Body Repairer to undertake repairs to your car. An insurance company may recommend their approved repairs however you're always free to choose any repairer and you don’t have to use your insurer's recommendation. It’s your decision and Insurers must meet all reasonable costs of repairs.

Standards for Repairs
Ask your insurance company or repairer if the company is CSS certified?

CSS (Certified Steel Standard) is the Irish National Standard programme for the structural repair of accident damaged cars created by SIMI, (the Society of the Irish Motor Industry).

CSS ensures 

• The craftsmen carrying out the repairs have the appropriate qualifications.
• Ensuring that every aspect of the job is recorded and traceable.
• Ensuring the vehicle body repairer has all of the tools and equipment to carry to out the repair correctly.
• Ensuring that customers are satisfied with the work done and they have somebody to help if there is a shortcoming with the repair.
   

Recovery
If your vehicle has to be towed away contact an SIMI Vehicle Recovery Operator or your insurance company may arrange recovery.
 

Schedule an inspection for an estimate
The damaged to your vehicle needs to be inspected to determine the cost of repairs. In some cases the insurance company may send out an assessor depending on the level of damage or the repairer will submit an estimate of the work to the insurance company for approval. Vehicle Body Repairers will assist customers with the paper work required to submit a claim to an insurance company.

Speak with your claim handler 
Your insurance company's claim handler will review all the information to help determine fault and then provide a cost estimate. Check the excess you have to pay yourself on your policy the amount varies.

Get your Car Repairer
Once your claim has been filed, coverage determined, your insurer will process your claim and will confirm if you are covered so you can consent to have your car repaired.

Safe Driving
Choosing a CSS vehicle body repairer guarantees that the repair will be carried out to a standard, correctly and completely – no short cuts, no compromises on quality. So you will have peace of mind when driving your newly repaired car.