The moments right after a car accident are disorienting, even in a minor fender-bender. What you do in the first 30 minutes can affect your safety, your insurance claim, and how quickly your vehicle gets repaired. Here’s a clear, step-by-step guide for Quincy and South Shore drivers.
1. Check for Injuries and Move to Safety
Before anything else, check yourself and any passengers for injuries. If you’re able to, and it’s safe to do so, move your vehicle out of traffic, especially on busier roads like Hancock Street, Route 3A, or near the Route 128/I-93 interchange in Braintree, where a stopped vehicle creates a serious secondary hazard. Turn on your hazard lights.
2. Call 911 If Needed
Call 911 if anyone is injured, if the vehicles are blocking traffic, or if there’s significant damage. Even for a minor accident, having police document the scene creates an official record that can matter later if there’s a dispute about fault or damage.
3. Document Everything
Once everyone is safe, start documenting:
- Photos of all vehicles involved, from multiple angles
- Photos of the accident scene, including skid marks, road conditions, and traffic signs
- The other driver’s name, phone number, license plate, and insurance information
- Names and contact information for any witnesses
- The responding officer’s name and badge number, and the report number if one is filed
This documentation is exactly what your insurance company and your repair shop will ask for, so the more thorough you are now, the smoother the claims process goes later.
4. Do I Need a Police Report?
In Massachusetts, you’re generally required to report an accident to the police if there’s injury, death, or property damage estimated over $1,000, which covers the large majority of collisions. Even when it’s not strictly required, filing a report is a good habit: it gives your insurance company an independent account of what happened, which can help protect you if the other driver’s story changes later.
5. Notify Your Insurance Company
Report the accident to your insurance company as soon as it’s safe to do so, even if you think the damage is minor. Give them the facts as you documented them, and get a claim number. From there, you’re free to choose your own repair shop. Massachusetts law doesn’t require you to use a shop your insurance company recommends.
6. Get a Free Estimate Before Repairs Begin
Once you have a claim number (or if you’re planning to pay out of pocket), bring your vehicle to a licensed shop for an inspection. At Quincy Auto Body, we provide a free, itemized estimate and can work directly with your insurance company from there: sending the estimate, answering adjuster questions, and filing supplement requests if we find additional damage once we start the repair.
7. Keep Your Documentation Together
Hold onto copies of the police report, your photos, your claim number, and any correspondence with your insurance company until the repair is complete and the claim is closed. If a dispute comes up about fault, damage, or a supplement request, having everything in one place makes it much easier to resolve.
If you’ve been in an accident in Quincy or anywhere on the South Shore, contact us for a free estimate. We’ll walk you through exactly what your vehicle needs and handle the insurance conversation from there.