A strong sense of integrity makes the insurance industry function properly. When an auto accident occurs, it’s normal procedure for both drivers to pull off somewhere safe (if possible), assess the damage, and exchange insurance information. That way, the at-fault party’s insurance will pay for the damage, and life can return to normal as quickly as possible. What happens when the at-fault driver doesn’t stop though? It’s called a “hit-and-run,” and I’d like to tell you a story about my friend’s unfortunate experience.
The Hit-and-run
Accidents are scary, regardless of the situation. The sudden, jarring feeling of making impact with another vehicle can be terrifying even if it’s just a minor fender bender. Nothing is quite as scary as getting hit by another driver who doesn’t even stop to make sure you were not injured.
That’s precisely what happened to a good friend of mine this past summer. I should preface this by saying that my friend is a good driver in terms of safety. She’d never been in an accident, and she’s certainly never had to submit an insurance claim before, even though she held all the necessary coverage; liability, collision, comprehensive. She’s a cautious driver; what happened next came as shock nonetheless.
She was on her way to work one morning. It’s an easy commute that usually takes her fifteen minutes. She came to a stop at a red light. It was just a normal drive until the car behind rear-ended her, taking her car’s bumper right off. Thankfully the other driver wasn’t going full speed, but the impact was still forceful enough that her airbag deployed.
Instead of stopping, the other driver fled the scene of the accident and left her there without taking responsibility for his actions
Submitting a Claim
According to a 2016 AAA study, there is a hit-and-run accident in the US every 43 seconds. That amounts to a staggering 737,000 hit-and-runs a year, and my friend had just become part of that growing statistic.
Like a good citizen, she pulled her car to the side of the road and promptly called the police. After that, she called her insurance company. She felt confident that everything was going to be taken care of, especially with all that coverage she carried. She wasn’t prepared for the shock when her insurance company told her she had to pay the deductible.
Without an identifiable, at-fault party present, there was no insurance company to go after or individuals to take to subrogation. The immediate financial burden fell on her.
The Value of Scene Finder
It’s not that my friend couldn’t pay the deductible; it just wasn’t right, and it was an unnecessary financial hardship for her to bear.
I wish I knew then what I know now. Since her unfortunate accident, I’ve discovered Scene Finder. Scene Finder is an app that you can download on any mobile device. The app allows you to take what’s called “evidence-based content,” things like photos or videos of an accident in progress, and then upload them to the Scene Finder database. If my friend had evidence-based content in her corner she could’ve proven who the other driver was, and gone after him and his insurance company for the cost of her repairs rather than paying a deductible.
Not everyone operates with integrity, but integrity is what guarantees that insurance works. With the Scene Finder app, it’s easy to be a good Samaritan, helping to make sure that at-fault parties are held accountable. As an added bonus, if your photos or videos get properly matched by Scene Finder to a claim in progress and is purchased, you are eligible for a cash reward. It pays to look out for the other guy. Download the Scene Finder app like I did, and help take care of your community.
