What should I do if I am involved in an accident?
Is my car totaled?
What will my insurance cover?
How much will it cost?
How long will it take to repair my vehicle?
What if I need to rent a car?
What should I do if I hit a deer or other animal?
What should I do if my vehicle is damaged by hail?
What should I do if I am involved in an accident?
1. Stop your vehicle and find out if anyone is injured.
2. Call the police, highway patrol or 911 and explain to them who is involved, if anyone is injured and where the accident is located.
3. If your vehicle is still safe to move try to position it out of the flow of traffic to avoid further damage or injury.
4. Insurance companies advise against admitting fault. You should only speak to the police and your insurance company about details of the accident. It is advised to report accidents that do not appear to have damage in case there is unseen damage that needs to be taken care of by insurance at a later time.
5. If your vehicle is not drivable then have it towed to Scott's Collision, 17 Level Acres Drive, Horseheads, NY. If the damage is minor you can bring it to Scott’s Collision and we can provide you with an estimate and help co-ordinate with your insurance company to complete your repair.
6. Report your accident claim to your insurance provider.
Your vehicle is usually considered totaled by your insurance company. Companies have
different ways of determining if it is a total loss. One general guideline is if the cost
of repairing is close to or higher than the cost of replacing the vehicle then it is
totaled. If it is not deemed as being totaled then Scott’s Collision can repair your
vehicle. Even frame damage can be repaired with our frame-straightening machine.
If you have collision insurance they will typically cover damage when your vehicle
collides with another vehicle or an object. Comprehensive insurance usually covers
natural damages such as flood, fire and collisions with animals. Comprehensive also
covers your vehicle from theft damage. Check with your insurance provider for exact
details.
Most policies have a deductible that typically ranges between $250 and $1000. Scott’s
Collision may be able to help you if you have a high deductible. You can bring in your
insurance company estimate so we can go over any ways we can save you money.
How long will it take to repair my vehicle?
This can vary for every vehicle and every accident. Minor damage can usually be repaired
within a week where as major damage can take two or three weeks or longer depending on
severity. We will provide you with an estimated time frame once we have assessed the
damage. We pride ourselves in getting you and your vehicle back on the road quickly.
Most insurance policies do not automatically cover the cost of renting a vehicle. Many
offer rental reimbursement for as little as $1 or $2 a month. This can often cover most
if not all of the expense of renting a vehicle. Some major collisions can take up to two
or three weeks to repair. Rental car expenses can add up quickly in that time making
rental reimbursement well worth the extra $1 or $2 a month. Check with your insurance
company to see if your policy includes rental reimbursement.
What should I do if I hit a deer or other animal?
Do not try to move the animal or see if it is still alive, this could be dangerous for
you and the animal. Contact the police to help take care of the animal and have them fill
out an accident report for insurance purposes.
What should I do if my vehicle is damaged by hail?
Bring it to Scott’s Collision and we will help restore your vehicle. Sometimes the repair
can be made by PDR (Paint-less Dent Repair) a method that does not require the repainting
of your vehicle and can save time on the repair.
