Last year, after buying a new Honda City 2006 sedan I never thought that I would be involved in car accident. So when I paid for the comprehensive car insurance, I just thought that it was necessary but I did not read the insurance policy.
Until it finally happened.
Yesterday, Sunday, 5 August 2007, I left early from my house in Bacoor, Cavite to go to the University of the Philippines-Diliman for a computer workshop. I took the South Superhighway which connects to the C-5 road. After passing a major traffic intersection between C-5 and Kalayaan avenue in Makati, I reached the C-5 flyover in Pasig City.
I was driving on the left lane of the flyover when suddenly a car ahead of me which is on the right lane suddenly swerved to the left lane without signalling. The car, a Volvo dark green sedan, hit the front fender of my Honda City car. Fortunately, I was able to control my car and was able to stop without injuring myself. Also, I was able to turn on the hazard light of my car. I saw the Volvo car which hit my car stopped several meters from where I was.
It was about 8:45 a.m. when the accident occurred. The road was cemented, the weather condition was good, and the traffic situation was light.
I was in shock. I didn't know what to do. When I saw the car that hit mine stopped several meters ahead I drove my car closer it. I paused for a while and took my cellphone (with a camera) and took a photo of the car infront of me (the car that hit mine).
I alighted from my car and walked towards the other car. A man (in his fifties or sixties) approached me and told me that it was not his fault. I told him that I was in the proper lane when his car hit mine. He told me that his driver received a bad news that day (a relative of the driver died). I told the owner of the car (the one who approached me) that I was in shock and I thought that we had to report the incident to the police. He told me that he was in a hurry and and he gave me his calling card (His businesscard states that he is a lawyer and a manager of his law firm). I gave him my business card and he saw that I am from Ateneo de Manila University. He said that he had a meeting to attend and he assured me that he would get in touch with me the following day to settle the damage to my car through his car insurance company.
There was already a tow truck waiting infront of his car in the C-5 flyover. He said that we are causing traffic and we better leave. I hesitated (since I wanted to report the incident to the police) but since the man seemed to me to be a respectable person, I agreed.
But before leaving the scene, I took photos of the damage to my car (in the front right portion and the left front wheel which hit the kerb of the flyover) and the plate number of the Volvo car.
I decided to proceed to U.P. Diliman where my workshop was scheduled to be held. It was about 9:30 a.m. when I reached the venue of the workshop. To my dismay, I was told that the workshop was postponed the following week. I told the person-in-charge of the workshop that I just had a car accident and I don't know what to do. I called up the U.P. police department and asked for assistance. I was referred to the Quezon City police traffic bureau. I told the police officer (over the phone) that I just had an accident at the C-5 flyover. I was told that the place was under the jurisdiction of the Pasig City Traffic Enforcement Bureau. I asked for the phone number of the Pasig police traffice bureau but the number I was given was out of order. I dialled 187 and asked for directory assistance. Finally, I was able to connect to the Pasig City Traffic Enforcement Bureau and I asked for directions to go there. The instructrions given to me were quite vague and it took me more than two hours to reach the Pasig City Traffic Enforcement Bureau.
At the Pasig City Traffic Enforcement Bureau I was asked to fill-up a form. The police officer asked for my driver's licence and for my car registration receipt. At the police station a man with a camera asked me to move my car so he could take photos of the damage. Later, he charged me 225 pesos for the photos (I thought price was too expensive, and I doubted if these photos were necessary since I already took photos of the damage to my car). I also asked for a photocopy of the form I fille-up. The police officer attending to me told me that there is no photocopier at the police station. He said that they have a "runner" who would go to a nearby photocopier. I gave the "runner" 20 pesos but he told me that he needs transportation money for trycicle rides. I gave the man 50 pesos. Later, I found out that the form that I filled-up is just an incident report. The police officer told me that the driver of the car that hit my car should also report to the Pasig City traffice enforcement station and fill up a form (with his driver's I.D. and copy of the car registration). I called the owner of the Volvo car that hit my car using my cellphone and told him the requirements of the Pasig City police station. The owner of the car told me that he was in a prayer meeting and he would just talk to me later.
The police officer also told me that I need to submit another copy of my car registration since my registration was already "expired" according to him. I told the police officer that he car registration is good for three years so I don't need to submit another one. I asked the police officer if it was necessary for me to pay the photos that day. He said that I should pay the photos so that they could be processed in time for the police report and I could get them when I come back for the police report. I gave the "photographer" 220 pesos and told him to get the 5 pesos from the "runner". The police officer noticed that I was irked already and told the "runner" to give back my 50 pesos. I got the 50 pesos since it was very obvious that 50 pesos was too expensive for photocopies of 2 pages of incident report.
I left in a hurry but I came back when I noticed that the incident report was not signed by the police officer. I told the police officer that the report had to be signed because it would be useless if not signed by them and I would have no proof that I filed a report to the police. The police officer told me that the administering officer was not present so he just put a stamp on the copy (a certification that it is a true copy) and signed.
I was very exhausted when I reached my condominium unit in Quezon City. I was still in the dark since I was not sure if the repair of my car would be shouldered by the owner of the Volvo car. I sent an e-mail message to the owner of the Volvo car informing him that I filed an incident report to the Pasig City traffic enforcement bureau and that his driver had to go to the Pasig City police station to file a report too.
Also, I called the hotline number of my car insurance company. I was given the numbers of the claims department. Since it was a Sunday, I was told to call the following day during office hours.
Later in the evening I received a text message from the owner of the Volvo car telling me that he had already informed his car insurance company about the incident. He said that his driver left for the province because the driver's mother died due to an accident. He also said that in lieu of the police report an affidavit can serve the insurance purpose. He also told me that I should not get the impression that what he was doing was an admission of guilt. He told me that we should work for an out of court settlement.
The following morning (Monday), the owner of the Volvo called me and told me that his car insurance company will get in touch with me for more details. I also went to the bank (where I got my carloanoan and the car insurance policy) and I asked assistance from the bank manager. The manager contacted the car insurance company and asked for the necessary details.
Today (Monday) I planned to go to the Honda Cars Pasig (where I purchased the car last year) to get an estimate of the damage done to my car. However, the staff of the insurance company of the owner of the car that hit mine contacted me and told me that it was not necessary to go to Honda Cars Pasig and they would schedule their personnel to inspect my car and estimate the damage. They assured me that they would cover the cost of the repair at Honda Cars Pasig provided that I submit to them the necessary documents (including a NO CLAIM form my car insurance company).
The car accident that happened to me yesterday is part of my learning experience. Now, I would be more prepared in case I get involved in another accident ("knock on wood").
Below are some of the sites on car accident preparedness that I was able to search while looking for information on this case:
Until it finally happened.
Yesterday, Sunday, 5 August 2007, I left early from my house in Bacoor, Cavite to go to the University of the Philippines-Diliman for a computer workshop. I took the South Superhighway which connects to the C-5 road. After passing a major traffic intersection between C-5 and Kalayaan avenue in Makati, I reached the C-5 flyover in Pasig City.
I was driving on the left lane of the flyover when suddenly a car ahead of me which is on the right lane suddenly swerved to the left lane without signalling. The car, a Volvo dark green sedan, hit the front fender of my Honda City car. Fortunately, I was able to control my car and was able to stop without injuring myself. Also, I was able to turn on the hazard light of my car. I saw the Volvo car which hit my car stopped several meters from where I was.
It was about 8:45 a.m. when the accident occurred. The road was cemented, the weather condition was good, and the traffic situation was light.
I was in shock. I didn't know what to do. When I saw the car that hit mine stopped several meters ahead I drove my car closer it. I paused for a while and took my cellphone (with a camera) and took a photo of the car infront of me (the car that hit mine).
I alighted from my car and walked towards the other car. A man (in his fifties or sixties) approached me and told me that it was not his fault. I told him that I was in the proper lane when his car hit mine. He told me that his driver received a bad news that day (a relative of the driver died). I told the owner of the car (the one who approached me) that I was in shock and I thought that we had to report the incident to the police. He told me that he was in a hurry and and he gave me his calling card (His businesscard states that he is a lawyer and a manager of his law firm). I gave him my business card and he saw that I am from Ateneo de Manila University. He said that he had a meeting to attend and he assured me that he would get in touch with me the following day to settle the damage to my car through his car insurance company.
There was already a tow truck waiting infront of his car in the C-5 flyover. He said that we are causing traffic and we better leave. I hesitated (since I wanted to report the incident to the police) but since the man seemed to me to be a respectable person, I agreed.
But before leaving the scene, I took photos of the damage to my car (in the front right portion and the left front wheel which hit the kerb of the flyover) and the plate number of the Volvo car.
I decided to proceed to U.P. Diliman where my workshop was scheduled to be held. It was about 9:30 a.m. when I reached the venue of the workshop. To my dismay, I was told that the workshop was postponed the following week. I told the person-in-charge of the workshop that I just had a car accident and I don't know what to do. I called up the U.P. police department and asked for assistance. I was referred to the Quezon City police traffic bureau. I told the police officer (over the phone) that I just had an accident at the C-5 flyover. I was told that the place was under the jurisdiction of the Pasig City Traffic Enforcement Bureau. I asked for the phone number of the Pasig police traffice bureau but the number I was given was out of order. I dialled 187 and asked for directory assistance. Finally, I was able to connect to the Pasig City Traffic Enforcement Bureau and I asked for directions to go there. The instructrions given to me were quite vague and it took me more than two hours to reach the Pasig City Traffic Enforcement Bureau.
At the Pasig City Traffic Enforcement Bureau I was asked to fill-up a form. The police officer asked for my driver's licence and for my car registration receipt. At the police station a man with a camera asked me to move my car so he could take photos of the damage. Later, he charged me 225 pesos for the photos (I thought price was too expensive, and I doubted if these photos were necessary since I already took photos of the damage to my car). I also asked for a photocopy of the form I fille-up. The police officer attending to me told me that there is no photocopier at the police station. He said that they have a "runner" who would go to a nearby photocopier. I gave the "runner" 20 pesos but he told me that he needs transportation money for trycicle rides. I gave the man 50 pesos. Later, I found out that the form that I filled-up is just an incident report. The police officer told me that the driver of the car that hit my car should also report to the Pasig City traffice enforcement station and fill up a form (with his driver's I.D. and copy of the car registration). I called the owner of the Volvo car that hit my car using my cellphone and told him the requirements of the Pasig City police station. The owner of the car told me that he was in a prayer meeting and he would just talk to me later.
The police officer also told me that I need to submit another copy of my car registration since my registration was already "expired" according to him. I told the police officer that he car registration is good for three years so I don't need to submit another one. I asked the police officer if it was necessary for me to pay the photos that day. He said that I should pay the photos so that they could be processed in time for the police report and I could get them when I come back for the police report. I gave the "photographer" 220 pesos and told him to get the 5 pesos from the "runner". The police officer noticed that I was irked already and told the "runner" to give back my 50 pesos. I got the 50 pesos since it was very obvious that 50 pesos was too expensive for photocopies of 2 pages of incident report.
I left in a hurry but I came back when I noticed that the incident report was not signed by the police officer. I told the police officer that the report had to be signed because it would be useless if not signed by them and I would have no proof that I filed a report to the police. The police officer told me that the administering officer was not present so he just put a stamp on the copy (a certification that it is a true copy) and signed.
I was very exhausted when I reached my condominium unit in Quezon City. I was still in the dark since I was not sure if the repair of my car would be shouldered by the owner of the Volvo car. I sent an e-mail message to the owner of the Volvo car informing him that I filed an incident report to the Pasig City traffic enforcement bureau and that his driver had to go to the Pasig City police station to file a report too.
Also, I called the hotline number of my car insurance company. I was given the numbers of the claims department. Since it was a Sunday, I was told to call the following day during office hours.
Later in the evening I received a text message from the owner of the Volvo car telling me that he had already informed his car insurance company about the incident. He said that his driver left for the province because the driver's mother died due to an accident. He also said that in lieu of the police report an affidavit can serve the insurance purpose. He also told me that I should not get the impression that what he was doing was an admission of guilt. He told me that we should work for an out of court settlement.
The following morning (Monday), the owner of the Volvo called me and told me that his car insurance company will get in touch with me for more details. I also went to the bank (where I got my carloanoan and the car insurance policy) and I asked assistance from the bank manager. The manager contacted the car insurance company and asked for the necessary details.
Today (Monday) I planned to go to the Honda Cars Pasig (where I purchased the car last year) to get an estimate of the damage done to my car. However, the staff of the insurance company of the owner of the car that hit mine contacted me and told me that it was not necessary to go to Honda Cars Pasig and they would schedule their personnel to inspect my car and estimate the damage. They assured me that they would cover the cost of the repair at Honda Cars Pasig provided that I submit to them the necessary documents (including a NO CLAIM form my car insurance company).
The car accident that happened to me yesterday is part of my learning experience. Now, I would be more prepared in case I get involved in another accident ("knock on wood").
Below are some of the sites on car accident preparedness that I was able to search while looking for information on this case:
http://www.edmunds.com/ownership/driving/articles/43805/article.html
http://articles.moneycentral.msn.com/Insurance/InsureYourCar/WhatToDoAfterACarAccident.aspx
http://personalinsure.about.com/cs/vehicleratings/a/aa120902a.htm
http://www.lawcore.com/car-accident/insurance-claims.html
http://www.lawcore.com/car-accident/
http://www.whatcar.co.uk/news-special-report.aspx?NA=217158&EL=3141791
http://calbar.ca.gov/state/calbar/calbar_extend.jsp?cid=10581&id=2174
http://calbar.ca.gov/state/calbar/calbar_extend.jsp?cid=10581&id=2174#8
http://www.forthepeople.com/auto_accident.htm (New!)
Till the next blog post....
Raffy
(8/6/07, in Quezon City)
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