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There are many types of car accidents, and some are minor, which might lead people to believe they shouldn't report them to the insurance company.
However, at Powell Law Firm, the best car accident lawyers in St Louis have the necessary knowledge to guide the involved parties in the right direction. Thus, this guide includes all the answers to the question “should I tell my insurance company about a minor accident?” - it might help someone who requires it.
Informing the Police
When someone has a minor car accident, they might believe they can ignore it and move on with their daily tasks without reporting it to the police. However, they must never do that since it could cause many consequences later on.
Instead of leaving the scene, all parties involved in the car accident must exchange information and contact the authorities as soon as they can. Being in a minor crash that did not cause any injuries might be many people's excuse to avoid talking to the police, but they shouldn't do that.
In many cases, laws forbid people to leave the scene of the accident until they contact the police. Legal regulations oblige them to contact the authorities if they were involved in a crash that injured someone else, a vehicle, an animal, or some property.
Everything can get much more complicated if someone is hurt because the victim must leave the scene with the other party's car insurance certificate.
If someone fails to report the accident to the police or swap contact information with the other party, they could be accused of failing to report an accident.
The most important consequence of failing to report an accident is getting convicted (they might lose five points of their license, have to pay a fine, or even spend time in jail). Therefore, experienced lawyers at Powell Law Firm always recommend people to find legal help and follow the necessary steps to ensure their process is smooth while on a contingency fee basis.
What to Do if the Owner Is Not Present
Sometimes, accidents occur when the car owner is not there, for example, someone could hit a car in a mall car park.
Just because the owner is not present doesn't mean that the at-fault party must not report the accident. On the contrary, they should do everything they can to contact the owner and solve the issue.
The person could, for instance, leave a note on the car windshield, and include their contact information. In that case, the owner can contact them once they see it.
Another option is to contact the authorities of the place of the accident. If it happens in a supermarket, the person could go to the customer services desk and ask the staff to make an announcement.
After that, the at-fault party must report the accident to the police, explain what happened, and tell them the owner was not there. Then, all they need to do is wait until the owner contacts them.
Telling the Insurance Company
Sometimes, people believe they should not tell the insurance company if they were in a minor accident. If they don't want to claim on their insurance, they might believe that not reporting the crash is the best option.
Nonetheless, knowledgeable lawyers such as the ones at Powell Law Firm would recommend that the person always reports it to the insurance company.
When people fail to report the accident to the insurance company, the company might refuse to renew their policy or cancel their cover. Thus, explaining what happened must always be a priority.
A Lawyer Could Make Things Easier
Even though reporting an accident might seem like a straightforward thing to do, there are many aspects involved in it. At the same time, it may lead to other steps the person must complete to make sure they solve the issue.
Therefore, finding expert help is always the best option, especially when protecting a person’s assets. Experienced and knowledgeable lawyers at Powell Law Firm are always prepared to help people with their cases, so they must never hesitate to ask for assistance.
Conclusion
People might believe that reporting a minor car accident is not important, but it's one of the most crucial steps of the process. Therefore, when asking themselves “should I tell my insurance company about a minor accident?” the answer should always be affirmative.
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