Friend Crashed Your Car? Here’s What You Do Next

Most of us must’ve lent their cars to their friends at least once. What happens if those same friends get your car involved in an accident? Of course, at first, you will tend to be mad at them, but next thing you would check if they’re safe. Later, you will want to see how damaged your car is from the unfortunate incident. In case your friend is injured, make sure they get immediate medical attention. Then, notify your insurance provider about the damaged caused. In case others have been hurt in this accident, you must have third party car insurance to cover it. Take notes of how to deal with the situation on the accident spot: Do not drive the damaged car and try taking it anywhere. You must first contact your insurer and inform them about the same. See if your insurance provider can make arrangements for your car being towed to any garage nearby. By the time your insurer arrives, you can take pictures of the accident spot and damaged vehicle, or record a few videos of the same, and most importantly note down the details of the entire accident scene. After that, you will have to file the First Information Report (FIR) with the police. This will help you during the claim process. Important Details about Your Friend It is essential to know about the person who was driving the car. Details such as the age of your friend, whether they were drunk while driving your car, do they have a valid driving license, etc. will be asked to you by the police as well as the insurer. Remember that, a claim will not be filed if your friend was under the influence of drugs or alcohol, did not have a license, or wasn’t covered under your car insurance policy . Policy Type Firstly, check to see the type of car insurance policy you have. If it is the basic third-party liability cover, then only the damages caused to the third-party will be repaired, and only they will get help for medical expenses (if any). However, if your car also gets damaged in the accident, it won’t get repaired. You will have to take care of the medical expenses. But, if you’ve opted for a comprehensive cover, your insurance provider will provide coverage for all of this. Procedure for Repairs Wait for your insurer to inspect the extent of damage caused. Do not get your car repaired before that. If you take your car for repairs before informing your insurer, your claim can get rejected. For cashless claims, you can take your vehicle to a network garage, or if you want to go for a garage of your choice, you can wait for reimbursement. Filing of Claim After the things mentioned above are done with, it is possible to file a claim against your car insurance policy. It has become easier to raise a claim against your motor insurance policy using the internet. All you have to do is submit the necessary documents and leave the rest to your insurer. If everything looks in place, your claim request will be accepted. It is required to have a valid policy, so check car insurance status at regular intervals and set renewal reminders for continued coverage.   The Bottom Line If your friend crashes your car by any chance, you can surely scold them for the same. However, this won’t repair your damaged car, will it? People make mistakes, but it is always in your hands how you handle it. Well, all the damages caused to your car or any medical expenses for that matter will be taken care off by your car insurance company. But for that to happen, remember to never drive a car without a valid insurance policy.