When you rent a car for a vacation or because yours is in the shop, the dealers hope that you will care for that automobile and make sure to drive safely. Yet the fact is that accidents do happen. Whether it’s a fender bender or a large scale accident, there are some practical steps you can take after you have crash a rental car. First of all, you will want to make sure that everyone in your vehicle and the other vehicle involved are okay. If someone is harmed call 911 immediately to get an emergency rescue team on site and get the wounded person to a hospital. If no one is hurt, then you will want to call the local police or law enforcement agent. They will arrive on the scene in due time and compile a police report. You may want to ask for a copy of this report, because it may be critical when you report the accident to the car rental facility.

Remember that if you have violated any traffic rules, you will be held accountable. For example, if you ran a red light and got in an accident, or made an illegal lane change, then you will automatically be at fault for the accident and need to pay the fines or fees associated with your traffic offense. After you have dealt with the police, you’re going to have to make that difficult call to the rental facility where you are borrowing the car. Normally the company phone number is in the glove compartment of your car. Have your account information ready so that you will be prepared. Many of these car rental companies have their own roadside assistance service, and they will dispatch a tow truck if needed to meet you. You will probably need to pay this expense.

While you have the rental company on the phone, you may want to ask them a few questions. Inquire about how you should document the damage, and ask the contact what kind of evidence they want. You may want to snap a few photos of the accident on your smart phone, or your company may prefer that you write down the details of the accident and submit them. Make sure to document the date, time etc. of the accident so that you won’t forget later on. You will also want to ask your contact to explain the payments for the car, and request about a replacement car. Any other assistance questions should be asked in this initial phone call so that you aren’t left wondering. If the car accident occurred because of a vehicle malfunction, then you will need to document this with evidence.

After you get off the phone with the dealership, your next phone call should be your insurance agent. You need to report the accident by filing a claim, and then document the damage and provide other information as requested. In addition, it is probably a smart idea to call your credit card company and ask whether or not they offer rental car insurance coverage. When the tow truck arrives, make sure that you are fully aware of where the vehicle is going. Confirm whether or not you will be charged a rental rate for the days that the car is being worked on at a body shop or mechanic’s shop. Before the car gets towed make sure to grab all of your belongings!

After the car is off to the auto shop, you will want to organize all receipts. When the bills come, keep track. Also watch your credit card balance to make sure that some of the costs of the accident aren’t being automatically depleted from your account. You may also want to get extra estimates on repairs if you will be paying. You may want to take the car to a dealer with cheaper costs, instead of going with the mechanic that the company recommends. Being shrewd when choosing a mechanic is essential, because your own auto insurance might not cover the costs of the accident. The rental costs while the vehicle is being serviced probably will still come out of your credit card account. Other expenses like towing, storage, and administrative costs will also be taken from your personal funds rather than your insurance. While the situation is slightly different, treat repairing the same way that you would repair your own car. Contact a car accident attorney if you were hurt or you believe that someone else was entirely at fault for the accident.