No matter how careful you are out on the road with your classic car or truck you are still at risk of having an accident. An innocent mistake, other careless drivers and unavoidable circumstances are always lurking around the corner looking to ruin your day.
Before a tragedy strikes there are a few things you need to be made aware of when dealing with a classic car accident. There are a lot of unique requirements when owning a classic car in comparison to a modern day vehicle.
1. Have the right classic car insurance.
Well before you ever roll your classic collector down the driveway it is imperative that your ride is well insured. Classic car insurance works differently than the regular insurance on your daily driver.
We have two great articles on buying the right insurance for your classic car and getting the best deal.
Your classic car or truck is going to be worth much more than blue book value, so it is imperative that you have the proper coverage.
2. Keep your cool if it does happen
Accidents happen and as long as everyone is ok, everything else can be fixed. With the proper insurance coverage you should have no issues making a claim that will get your prized possession back in perfect working condition. In the event of an accident, make sure that everyone in your car is uninjured and then check with the other vehicle to make sure they do not need medical attention either.
It can be easy to lose your cool when when these things happen, but it is really important that you keep a level head. If it is a minor fender bender than you are usually ok with just exchanging contact and insurance information. If it is a more severe wreck than be sure to contact the police or highway patrol to document everything. Chances are someone has a smartphone with them, so whip it out and try to capture as many images of the damage to both vehicles, the scene of the crash and anything else that may have played a part in the accident.
3. Call your insurance agent
After dealing with the immediate issues of the accident you need to contact your insurance carrier as soon as possible. Again you have already properly covered your vehicle so you should have no issues making a claim and getting the repairs done that are necessary.
Even if the accident is not your fault it is a good idea to contact your insurance carrier as soon as possible just to keep them in the loop. Insurance can sometimes be tricky so don’t take the chance of not notifying them. Even if you fear that your premium could go up, give them a call.
4. Repair your classic as soon as possible.
We can’t think of a reason that you would want to wait on repairs, but this needs to be stated. Classic cars can be very expensive to fix and time consuming. Sometimes replacement parts can take a while to find and with every passing day they can get harder and harder to locate.
In addition, any damage that is left unattended can become an open door for rust to form. This will just make the repairs more costly. If you have to wait to get into the repair shop you might want to take some action to prevent additional damage. Store the damaged vehicle in a dry garage or storage facility until it is time to get the repairs done.
5. Get it fixed by a classic car specialist
It is highly recommended that you get your vehicle repaired by a professional. It can be tempting to fix it yourself and keep a big insurance check. However you never know if there are other issues caused by the crash that did not show up in the original estimate.
If you live in an area that does not have a specialist that can repair your car properly, you may need to have it shipped off to another area to get the job done right. We have two more articles to help if this is the case. There are some things to know before shipping your classic car or truck and we have some great tips on choosing the right company to move your vehicle.
6. Document everything
Even if you never experience any accidents it is a very good idea to keep a thorough paper trail of all your repairs and restorations. It certainly can help verify the value of the car which helps you show the insurance company what it is really worth. It also helps a lot to have this documentation if you ever decide to sell. Having images and receipts will help you confirm that any accident repairs were performed correctly.