What to Do the Day of the Accident (to Protect Your ACV)
7 min read·Updated February 2, 2025
At the scene
- Photograph everything — all four corners of your vehicle, every dent and scratch, the interior, the odometer, the VIN plate, the other vehicle, the scene, road conditions, traffic signals.
- Get the other driver's full info — name, address, phone, insurer, policy number, plate.
- Get a police report — even for low-speed collisions. Insurers weight police reports heavily on liability.
Within 24 hours
- Open the claim with your own carrier, even if you intend to claim against the other driver. Your collision coverage may pay first while subrogation handles fault.
Within 48 hours
- Pull your own pre-loss photos from your phone's history — listing photos, road trip photos, anything that shows the car in good condition.
- Pull recent service records — oil changes, tire receipts, anything that supports a "Normal" or "Above Normal" condition rating.
What NOT to do
- Don't sign anything from the other driver's insurer in the first week.
- Don't accept a recorded statement on the value or condition of your vehicle until you've documented it yourself.
- Don't dispose of the salvage until your appraisal is complete.