Insurance & Claims6 min read
The minutes after a collision are the worst possible time to be making decisions, which is exactly why it helps to know the order of operations before you ever need it. Check for injuries first, move the vehicles out of traffic if they are drivable, and call the police so there is an official report. In Pennsylvania that report becomes an important reference point later when your insurer is deciding who pays for what.
Photograph everything while you are still at the scene. Wide shots showing the position of both vehicles, close shots of every point of contact, the other driver's license plate, and the surrounding road conditions. Photos taken at the scene carry far more weight with an adjuster than anything documented three days later in a parking lot, and they cost you nothing but a minute.
Exchange insurance information, but keep the conversation factual. You are not required to assign blame at the roadside, and speculating about fault while you are shaken up rarely helps you. Get the other driver's name, phone number, insurer, and policy number, and note the name of any witness willing to be contacted.
Report the claim to your insurance company promptly, then choose your repair shop. This is the part drivers most often get wrong: in Pennsylvania, you choose where your vehicle is repaired, not your insurer. A shop can be recommended to you, but the decision is yours, and you are entitled to have the work done somewhere you trust.
Finally, get the vehicle looked at even if the damage seems cosmetic. Modern bumpers and body panels are designed to absorb impact and can hide displaced brackets, cracked mounts, or structural movement behind an otherwise clean-looking exterior. A free estimate tells you what you are actually dealing with before you agree to anything.
Heritage Collision & Auto Body works with all insurance companies and can take the claims coordination off your plate. Stop by 55 Army Heritage Dr in Carlisle during business hours — walk-ins are welcome and estimates are free.
