Sometimes, even minor car accidents can end up being expensive. A fender-bender at low speed in traffic can lead to expensive car repair costs and having to use your car insurance coverage.

In all accidents, you should immediately take steps to protect yourself like moving to a safe place. Additionally, if you are not at fault, you will want to do everything you can to make sure you are not paying insurance deductibles and car repair bills that should be covered by the other person’s auto insurance policy.

Here are some steps you should take after a car accident, even if it’s not your fault.

Seek Medical Attention

If you have been injured, the first step is always to seek medical attention. Even if the accident is minor, you may want to have a physician check your neck and back for potential injury, as sometimes these types of injuries don’t begin to cause pain for several hours after an accident.

Get Driver and Witness Information

To protect yourself, make sure you take the time to get information from anyone involved in the accident or from any witnesses. Be sure to find out:

• Personal information of other drivers, including name, address and telephone number
• Insurance information of other drivers, including insurance company name and policy ID
• Statement and personal information of witnesses

Also, use your cell phone to take pictures as soon as possible after the accident. Accident scenes can change quickly, and a photograph may capture essential information in your favor.

Call the Police

Especially if you are not at fault, you will want the police to make a record of the accident. This can be very useful if you have trouble proving to the other driver’s insurance company that you are not at fault. Give your report to the police and make sure to get a copy for your own records.

Call Your Insurance Company

As soon as possible after your accident, contact your own insurance company. If you wait too long to report an accident, even if you are not at fault, you may put yourself in a position of being ineligible to collect damage payments. Some companies have provisions for not reporting an accident immediately.

Also, sometimes the other person’s insurance company will fight taking responsibility for the claims. By notifying your insurance company right away, you can make sure your company has all the information it needs to challenge the other insurance company.

Insurance is meant to be there when you need it. InsuranceWins has your back when it comes to finding the best insurance for your budget and your needs. Use our simple form to shop around and receive quotes from top carriers that will protect you in case of an accident.

The primary job of insurance, and the reason you pay for it every month, is to protect your assets in case of an unexpected accident. For most people, their first inclination is to pay as little as possible each month.

But, you may want to rethink that strategy, because in a time of need you may just find that you are underinsured. You may find that can’t replace what you lost or that your insurance doesn’t cover all of your accident-related expenses.

Read on to find out how to know if you are underinsured, and how to make sure you don’t find yourself with lots more to pay after your insurance benefits have run out.

How Do You Know If You Are Under-Insured?

If you are insured at the bare state minimums for auto insurance, you are most certainly underinsured. While you are saving a small amount each month, you will likely be shelling out cash if you are at fault for an accident.

You will be responsible for any damages that exceed your coverage limits. So, when deciding how much coverage to buy think about your own peace of mind. Consider long-term injuries, totaled vehicles, and multiple passengers.

Ultimately, each driver must decide for themselves what their limits will be. However, by investigating the different coverages you can begin to see that increasing your coverage limits does not always raise your premium a large amount.

By shopping around and receiving quotes for different levels of coverage, you will be able to find a coverage level that gives you peace of mind and a monthly payment that fits your budget.

State Minimum Requirements for Auto Insurance

State minimums should be used as a guideline. Commonly, these limits are:

• Bodily Injury: $15,000 per person/$30,000 per accident
• Property Damage: $10,000 per accident

Consider an accident in which the other driver breaks some ribs and injures their back. These days, this type of injury could easily exceed $15,000. And any type of structural damage to a home or building that you may cause during an accident could fast exceed $10,000.

If you can afford a modest increase in your monthly premium, getting increased coverage may help protect you more fully than if you stick with the state minimums.

How Much Auto Insurance Should I Have?

The best approach to determining if you are underinsured is to make a list of your assets and their value. Remember, if you are underinsured and you become liable for damages that exceed your coverage limits, you may have to start selling those assets to pay the costs.

You don’t have to cover all of your assets at a 100% value, but you should understand what you do and do not want to lose should something happen. Then, set your coverage limits to protect yourself.

You can use the InsuranceWins quote form to find out how much you can increase your coverage for little money. Don’t be underinsured. Be smart and protect what you own.

It is illegal to drive a car without car insurance. So, if you already have a felony conviction you’ll want to make sure you have car insurance before you get behind the wheel.

But, depending on your circumstances it can be hard for someone with a felony conviction to obtain a car insurance policy. Car insurance companies are not concerned with criminal history, unless it involves a driving-related offense such as DUI. But, car insurance companies are concerned with your driving history and will also use your credit history to determine your rates.

Here are some of the factors that are considered when it comes to car insurance with a felony conviction and how to find the best car insurance rates for felons.

A Valid Driver’s License

Before obtaining car insurance, you must ensure you have a valid driver’s license. For some felony offenses, the privilege of having a driver’s license is revoked. This can happen in DUI cases and in some vehicular homicide or manslaughter convictions.

Your Driving History

When you apply for car insurance, the insurance company does not perform a criminal background check. But, they will run a driving history, or motor vehicle, report. Typically, this report shows the last ten years of driving history and any accidents or traffic violations you have had in that time.

Your Credit Report

Even if you have a valid driver’s license and a clean driving history, you may find yourself with higher rates because of your credit report. Felony crimes that have affected your credit, or being in jail for many years, can lead insurance companies to consider you a higher risk, at least for some time.

When You Have SR-22 Requirements

Most states require special conditions for drivers who have been convicted of a DUI or other serious motor vehicle offenses. The standard form in most states is known as an SR-22. This is a form that is filed by the insurance company that will insure you. It goes to the department of motor vehicles in your state. The SR-22 is a certificate stating your financial responsibility and that you are covered by at least the required state minimum amount of car insurance.

Obtaining auto insurance with an SR-22 requirement is not hard, but it will cost you more than a typical auto insurance policy.

How to Find Car Insurance

Shopping for quotes is the best approach to obtaining car insurance if you have a felony conviction. If you are considered a high-risk driver, most insurance companies have a division that will cover you. In addition, there are many other companies that specialize in what is known as non-standard insurance.

Shopping around for the best car insurance rates is the only way to find the most affordable coverage for your situation. And, the InsuranceWins fast and easy form can help you take your first step forward.