What to Do After a Car Accident in Westchester: A Step-by-Step Guide

The half hour after a collision is when most of the expensive mistakes get made — not in the repair, but in the paperwork and the phone calls. This is what to do, in order, if you have an accident in Westchester or lower Fairfield County.

At the scene

Check everyone first. Injuries change everything that follows. Call 911 if anyone is hurt, if the vehicles are blocking traffic, or if you are unsure.

Get a police report. In New York, a report is required where there is injury or significant property damage, and even where it is not strictly required, it is worth having. Insurers treat a police report as the anchor document. Note the report number before you leave.

Photograph more than you think you need. Wide shots showing both vehicles and their position, then close-ups of every damaged area on both cars. Photograph the other vehicle’s plate, the driver’s license and insurance card, and the surroundings — signals, signage, road conditions. If there are witnesses, get a name and a number; they evaporate quickly.

Say little about fault. Exchange information, be civil, and leave the analysis to the adjusters. Apologies made in the street have a way of reappearing later.

Before you call the insurer

Two things are worth knowing before that call, because the call tends to move fast once it starts.

The first is that where the car is repaired is your decision. New York Insurance Law § 2610 states that an insurer providing collision or comprehensive coverage “shall not require that repairs be made to such vehicle in a particular place or shop,” and subsection (b) adds that the insurer may not recommend or suggest a shop unless you expressly ask for one. You will still be offered a direct repair program, usually described as faster or as carrying a guarantee. You can decline it and name your own shop.

The second is that the first estimate is rarely the final one. A preliminary estimate is written from what is visible. What is behind the bumper cover — brackets, absorbers, sensors, radiators, structural rails — is not visible, which is why supplements exist. A low initial number is not good news, it is an incomplete one.

Where the car goes

If the car is drivable, you can take it to a shop of your choosing and have the insurer inspect it there. If it is not, ask where the tow is taking it, because vehicles that end up in a storage yard accrue fees and become harder to move. You are entitled to have it moved to the shop you choose.

For newer vehicles, the choice matters more than it used to. Aluminum structures, high-strength steel, EV battery enclosures and driver assistance systems all have factory repair procedures, and the equipment and training needed to follow them is not universal. A car that leaves a shop without its cameras and radar recalibrated is a car whose safety systems may not behave as designed.

The first week

Expect roughly this sequence. The claim is opened and assigned an adjuster. The vehicle is inspected, either in person or from photographs. An estimate is issued, the shop writes a supplement once the car is disassembled, and the insurer approves the additional work. Parts are ordered — this is usually the longest wait, especially for low-volume models. Repair, refinish, reassembly, calibration, quality control.

Two things reliably shorten it: getting the car disassembled early so the true scope is known, and having one point of contact dealing with the adjuster instead of messages passing through you.

If they tell you the car is totaled

New York is a 75% threshold state — damage at or above 75% of the vehicle’s actual cash value means a salvage brand. Where a particular car falls relative to that line is often much closer than the first estimate suggests, and a more complete repair plan sometimes moves it back below. We set out the detail, including what the insurer must show you and how the appraisal clause works, in total loss claims in New York.

If the car is repaired rather than written off, it may still be worth less than it was because the accident is now on its record. That is diminished value, and where another driver was at fault it is recoverable in New York.

Common questions

Do I have to use the shop my insurance recommends?

No. New York Insurance Law § 2610 prohibits an insurer from requiring a particular shop, and from suggesting one unless you ask.

Should I report a minor accident to my insurer?

Damage that looks minor frequently is not, once the bumper cover is off. Reporting protects you if the other driver’s account changes later.

Who pays for a rental car?

It depends on your coverage and on fault. Confirm the daily limit and the number of days before you collect the car, because parts delays routinely outlast rental allowances.

How long does collision repair take?

A bumper and a panel can be days. Structural work, an EV, or a car needing parts from Europe can be weeks. Parts availability drives the timeline more than labor does.

What is ADAS recalibration and do I need it?

Modern cars carry cameras and radar that steer, brake and warn. Removing or moving the parts they are mounted to means they have to be recalibrated to factory specification afterward. It is not optional on vehicles that require it.

This article is general information and is not legal advice. For advice about a specific accident or claim, speak to a qualified attorney or your insurance broker.

We are a certified collision facility at 55B Plain Ave, New Rochelle, serving Westchester, the Bronx and lower Fairfield County. We deal with the insurer directly, including total loss and structural claims, on every kind of car. Call (914) 630-1668 or send us the details below.