For Chicago locals, having a car accident when outside of Illinois can be rough. Surely this upends your life and all your plans. Your car might need repairs which further alters your schedule.
The first call to make after getting into an out-of-state accident is to the police.
You must file a police report, even with no injuries. Exchange all key info with the other driver, especially details about the accident. You should not admit fault and try to stay as calm as possible throughout the whole ordeal.
After assessing the damage and police wrote it up, call your insurance company and provide them with the details of your accident. Most companies have claims adjuster networks nationwide and can send someone to you to quickly look at the damage.
Most car insurance companies offer policies that extend nationwide, including the US territories and sometimes even Canada. You should confirm your policy’s territory limits especially if you plan to drive to Mexico or further south, as other countries may not be covered.
Prevention for an out-of-state accident
Before you plan a trip, you should know what your policy covers, specifically out-of-state:
- Towing back to your home
- Car repairs for serious damage
- Car rentals while away from your home
Your biggest expense may be getting your vehicle back to your Chicago home. Towing is expensive, and most likely, your insurance company will pay for only a little piece of the cost.
If you were injured outside of Illinois, call one of our personal injury attorneys. We can help figure out tricky jurisdiction issues, since every state has different laws that give an injured person a certain amount of time to file a claim. Let us keep this as easy as possible.