A five-step guide for UAE motorists
A car accident is dreaded by everyone. Unfortunately, it is not humanly possible to avoid accidents altogether. Even if you are a cautious driver, the other driver’s actions are not in your hand and before you know it, you could be in the middle of an accident.
Considering the frequent accidents and the stressful situation it causes, Given below are few guideline offering some helpful advice to people, on how to handle being involved in an automobile accident.
The reason for accidents are many. Regardless of who is responsible for the accident, the situation can be incredibly distressing. So, for the benefit of all motorists in UAE, here are the 5 steps one should take when faced with a car accident.
ALERT THE AUTHORITIES
As soon as you are involved in an accident, you have to alert the authorities. Check the severity of injuries first. In case of severe injuries, you should dial 999 to call the emergency ambulance right away. In case of a non-emergency accident, dial 901. You can also use the mobile application made available by Dubai Police to report the minor mishaps.
The procedure for reporting an accident using the app, is simple and takes just three minutes. You just have to enter the information regarding your driving permit and registration of the vehicle. Additionally, you will be asked to take a few photos of the damage to your vehicle. This to help the officials to understand the situation and decide on who is to blame.
GET THE POLICE REPORT
After alerting the authorities, the next step is to take care of the paperwork that follows. So ensure that you get the full Police Report. Without the police report, you can wind up in a difficult situation, both legally and financially. It is not even considered legal to do any repair work without a police report. For accidents informed through the Dubai Police application, accident reports are sent to all the parties involved, within 24 hours of finishing the reporting procedure. The accident reports are sent by way of SMS.
INFORM YOUR INSURER
Once you have completed the procedure to get the police report, contact your vehicle insurance agency as fast as possible. Inform them that you have been involved in an unfortunate accident. Also let them know that you have the police report. Now you can request them to arrange for the collection of the vehicle from the site of the accident. The insurance agency will then give you the right advice on what you need to do with the police report that is with you. After accepting the formal police report, the facts of the case will be verified again before formalizing the same.
WAIT TILL HELP ARRIVES
If the damage is minor or superficial, then it will be ok, to be on your way and leave the scene of the accident. But it is possible that the vehicle has suffered considerable damage and it is risky to for you to drive. In such a case, rest assured, your insurance provider is obliged to arrange the recovery truck that will help tow your vehicle to the closest certified workshop/garage.
CLAIM FOLLOWUP AND PROCESS OF REPAIR
The time required for repair will depend upon the extent of the damage and availability of spare parts. Insurance policyholders are promptly informed about the claim and repair process. Moreover, Covermatch support its clients during the entire process related to repair of the vehicle and Claim.