After a road accident: FIR, insurance, and what to keep
A road accident is confusing. There is adrenaline, shock, people gathering, and a dozen decisions at once. Knowing the order to do things in beforehand helps you stay safe, and later it protects any claim you may need to make. Most of it is common sense. The value is in having it clear before you need it.
At the scene
- Safety first. Get yourself and others out of the traffic if you can, and put on the hazard lights.
- Get medical help for anyone hurt. Call for an ambulance. Injuries come before everything else.
- Inform the police. A police record of the accident matters a great deal if there is a claim later.
- Note the details: the other vehicle's number, the driver's and owner's details, the insurance, and the names and numbers of any witnesses.
- Take photos of the vehicles, their positions, the road, the damage, and any injuries.
In the days after the accident
- Tell your insurer quickly. Most policies require quick notice.
- Keep every document: the police report, medical bills and records, repair estimates, and your own notes of what happened.
- Do not sign or agree to anything under pressure at the scene, especially about fault or a quick cash settlement.
If someone was seriously hurt or died
If anyone was seriously hurt or died, this goes well beyond first aid and forms. There may be a compensation claim worth real support, and that is a matter to take further.
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