Have you found whenever a renewal is due on your car insurance it always seems to go up although the car value has gone down, even if you have not claimed? Its because they presume you may not notice and just renew the policy.
It pays to shop around, there are plenty of deals around at the moment, I play one off the other and normally save over £100 a year, worth 2 hours work of hammering them all down on quotes, they all want the business!
What’s a good insurance company? they all don’t cover something when you need to make a claim normally, i always protect my no claims discount and leave out the legal cover, i found when i needed to use it once i did all the work, and had to pay for medical reports etc, it was something i could have got free from various companies on a no win no fee basis.
Here are some tips in case you’re not sure of what to do after an accident in your car.
If you are unlucky enough to be involved in an accident then here is our checklist of the legal ‘do’s and don’ts’.
Always stop after an accident, unless the person you hit looks so cross there going to hurt you, stay in your car and dial 999
Check for damage to your vehicle, any other vehicles involved and any injuries to people or animals.
Exchange details, including name, address, telephone number, vehicle registration and insurance cover (if available) with others involved, sometime as in my case i would always now call 999 as i was given wrong insurance details, and the car was registered not to the person who hit me.
If you do not stop, or cannot provide any details, then you should report the accident to the police within 24 hours. If someone has been injured, their property damaged or an animal injured then you MUST report it if you could not provide all the relevant details at the accident scene.
Make sure you have a note of the other people involved and their vehicles (colour, registration, make and model).
If there were any witnesses to the accident make sure you have their contact details too.
If possible try and make a note of the precise location of the vehicles before any are moved, even take a picture if you have a camera phone.
If you have any worries, doubts or concerns then you should call the police and ask them to attend, they might not bother turning up it seems these days, but worth a go.
As soon as you can after the accident sit quietly and write out your recollection of exactly what happened.
Report the accident to your insurers.
If you or any of your passengers were injured in the accident then you/they should attend a doctor at the earliest opportunity, even use an ambulance as you go straight in at A&E rather than wait to be seen 4 days later! and consider making a claim. Note that you do not have to use any solicitors who may be appointed by your insurers under any legal expenses insurance scheme. Choose your own local to you.
Do not make any admissions about liability for the accident either at the scene or later.
If the police are called and you think that you may have been at fault, ask if you can arrange to give a statement at a later date. You can then prepare yourself properly, and also instruct a solicitor if necessary.
Things not to do for your own safety while driving
Don’t drink and drive
Don’t smoke
Don’t text or use your mobile phone
Don’t eat food
Don’t read a map
Don’t have the stereo to loud
Don’t argue with passengers
Stop if your tired
Keep safe its a dangerous object your in control of!
