Documenting Car Damage

How to Document Car Damage after an Accident

Sometimes the unthinkable can occur. Despite your best efforts to drive safely and defensively, you have just been involved in a vehicle accident. After checking yourself and any passengers for injuries, you must turn your attention to your damaged car.

In order to obtain the best possible compensation from your insurance company for repairs at Precision Collision, we recommend taking the following steps to document the damage as best as you can.

Photograph the Scene of the Accident

Insurance companies have been known to question filed accident reports. To combat an insurance claim adjuster‘s skepticism, take as many photos as possible at the accident site.

If you and others involved are not injured, and if it is safe to do so (we do not recommend stepping into a traffic lane on the highway), take many photos from various angles. If your smart phone has a camera, use it. Snap photos of missing or obstructed road signs, skid marks, positions of crashed car(s), potholes and any other evidence to support your statement about the crash. And if you can‘t do so at the time of the accident, return as soon as possible to the location to take photos.

Write Down the Details

Certain facts can become harder to recall as time passes. Once you arrive home, record all of the particular facts surrounding the accident. How fast were you driving? What were the weather conditions? Were there distractions on the road? What details did other drivers involved give? What did witnesses recall?

Ask for a Copy of the Police Report

If you have the police report, you can compare it to your own notes. Also, it can prove handy to see exactly what is sent to your insurance company.