SAFETY FIRST!!! 

Call 911 if you think there may be injuries. 

Stay buckled in your vehicle until you know it's safe to get out. If you can limp your vehicle off the main thoroughfare, do so. Any damage done by moving to safety is part of the claim. Even if your dragging flat tires or parts or leaking fluids, try to get it off of the main road to avoid other collisions and further damage or injuries. Then turn the ignition off.

Tend to any injuries and/or call for help.

If your car cannot be moved, call 911 immediately. 

Law enforcement may call a tow company that will prioritize moving it, which may lead to your vehicle ending up in temporary storage. That's OK, just get your needed items out and be sure to get information of where it will be held. 

Once everyone is cared for and the vehicles are safely removed from the roadway, it's time to assess your vehicle's damage. Click "Everyone is Now Safe, What Next".

Exchange of Information.

Do not accept or place any blame. Your insurance company has people in place to make that determination. 

Your phone is a valuable tool here. 

Get lots of pictures. 

Pictures of the vehicles involved (including license plates), the extent of damage, driving conditions, street signs and even pictures of witnesses if they don't mind. Also pictures of the proof of insurance cards and licenses of the other driver/s involved.  If multiple cars are involved try to get the ID pictures with the car associated with that driver in the background to help identify who is who. 

It's also a good idea to document passengers that were in all vehicles. 

Exchange contact and insurance information with all drivers. Be sure to get:

• Insurance company and policy numbers

• Driver’s contact info

• Drivers license numbers and State of issue of all drivers involved

• Vehicle license plates along with year, make, model and color of vehicles

It’s also a good idea to take a few minutes and jot down the details of events that led to the incident, while still fresh in your mind.

Assuming that your vehicle has not yet been towed off...

If lights and tires are all in tact (be sure that your brake lights are working!), wheels still pointed in the proper direction, opening panels seem secure and operational and there's no fluid leaking , perhaps it can be safely driven from the scene. 

Don't just put it in drive and hit the accelerator! Go very easy at first, checking steering and brake responsiveness. Listen for any unusual noises. 

If anything is out of the ordinary, safely pull back off of the road and click "I Don't Think That I Can or Should Drive It". 

So you need a tow...

Utilizing your "tow coverage" isn't necessary. Typically, those tows take quite a bit longer to get to you and you'll unnecessarily use up one of your "free" tows. 

Necessary towing and storage related to a claim are part of the loss and covered by insurance. So, unless you’re not making a claim, it would be best to utilize more efficient towing. 

If your incident is during normal business hours, You can simply call Auernig Auto Body and we'll arrange a tow and include the cost in our bill to the insurance company. 

Otherwise, you can call our preferred provider,  Jake's Towing and Transport directly. They can either drop the car at Auernig Auto Body for us to process the next business day, or take it to their yard for secure keeping until the next business day.  Either way, we’ll cover the cost and include it in the bill to the insurance company. 

It's important to make sure that the insurance company is working for you, rather than against you. 

The best way to do that is to call us BEFORE calling the insurance company. Insurance Claims department personnel are trained to skew everything in the favor of the insurance company. Auernig Auto Body exists to protect you from that very scenario. 

It is our goal to make sure that you are being made whole and getting a fair and proper settlement.

Even if your vehicle is a likely total loss, our involvement can save you time and get you more on your settlement. 

DO NOT LET THE INSURANCE COMPANY TAKE ADVANTAGE OF YOU!