Accidents In A Company Car: How To Report Them To Insurance Providers
As you shop for a car insurance quote, it may occur to you to wonder what would happen if you got into a car accident while driving your company car. Who would be responsible? What information will you need?
A vehicle must be insured by its registered owner. If you happen to own your own business, then you would be the registered owner and responsible for purchasing the insurance on the car. If you have not, then it is a good time to obtain a car insurance quote. Be sure that your insurance company is aware that the vehicle is driven for business purposes and check with your agent to ensure that you have the right coverage.
However, if your vehicle is owned by your employer, then they are the registered owner and are responsible for supplying insurance on the vehicle. It is important to verify with your employer that you are listed as a driver on their commercial auto policy. It is also necessary to be sure that your registration and insurance information are kept in the glove compartment of your vehicle at all times.
In the event of a car accident, provide the other driver with your personal contact information, your company’s contact information, and the insurance information. When giving car insurance information, you should make certain that the other driver is writing down the name of the carrier and the policy number as well as the vehicle identification number (VIN) and plate number. Many companies have fleets of vehicles and you want the other driver to be able to correctly identify your car.
As reasonably soon as possible, you should also contact your company and your commercial insurance carrier and notify them of the car accident. Provide as much information as possible. The following is necessary information that your insurance carrier will need: the personal contact information of the other driver and any passengers in the other vehicle; the VIN and license plate number of the other car; and the other party’s insurance information. Additionally, your insurance company will ask you for the time and location of the accident, the names of any witnesses, and for the police report number if one was taken. You may be asked to give a statement about how the car accident happened, or for any other supplemental information they may require.
It is always best to be prepared for the eventuality of a car accident, and have all of the proper information on hand. If you are never in an accident, then everything is wonderful. However, if you are unfortunate enough to experience a car accident in your company car, you want to be sure to be ready.
