Important Numbers That You Need to Remember as a Car Owner

Getting into an accident can be both nerve-wracking and frustrating. There is also the issue of settlement and the troublesome task of filing an accident report.

Regardless of the hassle, you should always report your accident within 24 hours, or by the next working day.

Otherwise, you risk the chance of losing your No Claim Discount (NCD), or your insurer might deny any claims made by you.

However, drivers might not know what to do or who to call in the event of an accident. As such, we have prepared this handy guide and some important numbers that you need to remember especially if you are a car owner living in Singapore.

Step 1: Ensure your safety

After the accident, always move out of harm’s way. It includes turning off the engine, switching the hazard lights on, and setting up an emergency triangle to warn others.

If the car catches fire, be sure to evacuate the vicinity as quickly as possible.

Step 2: Call the ambulance and police

Do call an ambulance if there are multiple or significant injuries.

You should also contact the police as a report is necessary to file an insurance claim.

Here is a list of common emergency numbers:

Emergency hotlines:

• Ambulance: 995
• Non-Emergency Ambulance: 1777
• Police: 999
• Traffic Police: 6547 0000
• EMAS (Expressway Monitory and Advisory System) Vehicle Recovery Service: 1800 255 0000

Step 3: Exchange of information

Remember to exchange your personal details with the affected parties.

It would make the claiming process much easier for those involved.

You will need to exchange the following information:

• NRIC and Driver’s licence Details (Name and Address)
• Contact numbers of both parties
• Insurer details (company name and policy number)
• Licence plate number
• Vehicle details (registration information, description, make, model and year)

Step 4: Gather the necessary evidence

As the saying goes, “a picture is worth a thousand words”.

So make sure you document the entire accident scene for evidence purposes.

Here are the details and evidence that you will need to collate:

• Date / Time / Location of accident
• The direction that the involved driver(s) was travelling
• Photographs of the accident scene
• Sketch of the accident scene
• Name & contact number of eyewitnesses
• Name & badge number of responding police personnel
• Other relevant details (driving conditions, weather, visibility, etc.)

Step 5: Seek medical treatment

If you were injured in the accident, remember to obtain a medical report for documentation purposes. Remember to do so regardless of the severity of your injuries.

Why? It would make insurance claims much easier in the event of repercussions in the future.

Step 6: Report your accident to your insurance company

Don’t forget to report your accident to your insurance company within 24 hours, or by the next working day.

Check with them on the necessary steps to take, as different companies have different reporting procedures.

Need to call your insurer? Here are a few insurance claim hotlines for your convenience:

Insurance claim hotlines:

*All working days are Monday to Friday unless otherwise specified

Additionally, you can call the following insurance companies if you require 24/7 roadside assistance from them:

24/7 insurance roadside assistance hotlines:

• AIG Insurance: 6338 6200
• AVIVA Mobile Accident Response Service (MARS): 6333 2222
• Budget Direct: 6221 2199
• ETIQA 24 Hours Emergency and Car Breakdown Assistance: 1800 886 491
• Ergo Insurance Mobile Accident Response Service (MARS): 6333 2222
• EQ Insurance Private Motor Emergency hotline: 6311 3211
• FWD Insurance Emergency Assistance hotline: 6322 2072
• Great Eastern Emergency Insurance Services: 6339 2155
• Great Eastern Towing Services: 6535 0511
• HL Assurance Emergency Hotline: 6922 6009
• Liberty Insurance: 1800 5423 789
• MSIG Roadside Assistance: 6337 1208 (for comprehensive private motor car insurance policyholders only)
• NTUC INCOME (Orange Force): 6789 5000 (due to COVID-19, the hotline operates from 7am to 10.30pm daily)
• Sompo (Private Car): 6226 3323
• Tokio Marine: 1800 225 8647
• United Overseas Insurance: 6453 8110

This article was first published in Motorist.

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