Car crashes can occur to anybody. Recently, Tampa Bay Buccaneers linebacker and former LSU player Kendell Beckwith sustained injuries in a collision and will now have to miss out on a significant part of offseason.
After a car crash, you may feel anxious about having to go through your insurance. That is exactly the moment when the other driver offers to pay for the damages with cash. You may think this is a great gift, but for something as complex as car crashes, you always want to go through insurance. This is especially true if the other driver was clearly most negligent.
You could be the target of insurance fraud
As an example, say you took the cash and drove off, thinking you are in the clear. The other driver who was at fault can now contact the police and say he was a victim of a hit-and-run. He got your plate number, and now, you are the one who is most liable. You need to be wary of these types of scams. The first thing you should always do after a collision is contact the police.
You do not know how badly damaged your vehicle actually is
On the surface, it may look like the crash only resulted in cosmetic damage. However, even a fender bender can greatly damage a car’s suspension. Since you can no longer get payment from your insurance company, you are on the hook for covering the rest of the cost.
You do not know if you have injuries
You also do not know how badly hurt you are after a crash. Insurance does more than simply pay for vehicle damage. It can also help with any medical expenses you incur. You always want to see a doctor for a check-up following a car accident. Without insurance, you may have to pay hundreds or even thousands of dollars for medical bills.