Insurance Repair
What to Do After an RV or Fleet Vehicle Accident
About 15 min left
After an accident, secure the scene and check for injuries, call law enforcement, photograph everything before vehicles are moved, exchange information, notify your carrier promptly, and have the vehicle towed to a shop of your choosing rather than to whichever facility the tow operator suggests.
The decisions made in the first hour after an accident affect the claim more than anything that happens afterward, and they are made by people who have just been in an accident and are not thinking clearly.
This is the sequence, in order, written to be usable in that state.
Immediately: Safety and Scene
Check for injuries and call emergency services if there is any doubt. Move to safety if the vehicles are in a traffic lane and it is safe to do so, and put out warning devices if you carry them.
On a large vehicle, be aware that your coach or truck may be blocking a lane in a way a car would not, which changes the urgency of scene management considerably.
Before Anything Moves: Document
Photograph everything before vehicles are repositioned. Wide shots showing vehicle positions relative to each other and the roadway. Closer shots of each impact area. Skid marks, debris fields, road conditions and traffic controls.
This evidence cannot be recreated once vehicles move, and in a disputed liability situation it is the single most valuable thing you will have.
Information and Reporting
Exchange names, contact information, insurance carrier and policy numbers, and vehicle information. Photograph the other party insurance card and license rather than transcribing them.
Get the responding officer name and the report number. Collect contact information for any witnesses, because witnesses disappear and a phone number captured at the scene is worth a great deal later.
The Tow Decision
A tow operator arriving at the scene will suggest a destination, and that suggestion frequently reflects a commercial relationship rather than your interest. You choose where your vehicle goes.
Direct the tow to the shop you intend to use, or to secure storage. Vehicles towed to a facility you did not choose sometimes accumulate storage charges and become surprisingly difficult to retrieve.
Notifying Your Carrier
Report promptly. Give factual information about what happened. Do not speculate about fault, mechanism or the extent of damage, because your speculation becomes part of the file.
Tell them where the vehicle is and which shop will be repairing it. If they suggest a network facility, state that you are exercising your right to choose your own shop.
In the Following Days
Write down your recollection of the incident while it is fresh, including details that seem unimportant. Memory degrades quickly and specifically.
Watch for delayed symptoms in yourself and any passengers. Keep every receipt related to the incident, including towing, storage and alternative transportation, because many of those are recoverable.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where should I have my RV towed after an accident?
To the shop you intend to use, or to secure storage you have chosen. The tow operator at the scene will suggest a destination, and that suggestion frequently reflects a commercial relationship rather than your interest. Vehicles towed to a facility you did not choose sometimes accumulate storage charges and become difficult to retrieve. You have the right to direct the tow, and you should exercise it even while shaken.
What should I photograph at the accident scene?
Everything, before any vehicle is repositioned. Wide shots showing vehicle positions relative to each other and to the roadway, closer shots of each impact area on both vehicles, skid marks, debris fields, road surface conditions, traffic controls and weather. Also photograph the other party insurance card and license rather than transcribing them. This evidence cannot be recreated once vehicles move, and in a disputed liability claim it is the most valuable thing you will have.
Should I tell my insurance company I might be at fault?
Give factual information about what happened and let the adjusters determine fault. Describe what you observed and did, without offering theories about cause, mechanism or who was responsible. Your speculation becomes part of the claim file and it is not your job to adjudicate liability. This is not about being evasive, it is about not volunteering conclusions you are not qualified or required to reach.
What if my RV has hidden collision damage I did not notice at the scene?
That is extremely common on recreational vehicles, because the fiberglass cap and laminated sidewalls hide structural movement. Damage that shows up later as a binding door, a slide that will not seal or a new leak often traces back to an earlier impact. Report it to your carrier and reference the original claim number. This is where scene photographs matter, because they establish the impact occurred and support tying the later symptom to it.
This page describes how claims work in practice at OCRV Center. It is general information rather than legal or insurance advice, and your policy language governs your specific situation. Read your declarations page and ask your carrier questions in writing.
Have a Claim in Progress?
Bring us the claim number and what the adjuster has written so far. We will tell you what teardown is likely to find and what the supplement should cover.