It is always frustrating, upsetting, and difficult being involved in a car accident. However, if that accident happens while you are driving a company work car, things may get much more complicated than they would be in your own vehicle. There are many issues to consider when you have an accident in a company car. Of course, following a car accident, you may feel confused or overwhelmed, and it may be even harder for you to keep in mind the steps you need to take to handle an accident in a work car. Keep a list of these tips handy at all times, and you should have no trouble taking care of the situation to the best of your abilities.
Contact Your Employer
If the vehicle is owned by your employer, it is important to contact someone right away to let them know what happened. Your insurance provider will most likely not pay for any damages that arise from the accident, since the car’s insurance is likely paid for by your employer. When exchanging insurance information with the other driver, you may want to provide contact information for your place of employment rather than your insurance company, and explain that the car belongs to your company. The other driver’s insurance provider will be in touch with your employer’s insurance provider, and your own insurance agency will likely not be involved.
Determining Responsibility
If you are deemed responsible for the accident itself, the burden of responsibility may still fall to your employer, depending on court rulings and the type of state or country you reside in. If you have the accident while performing a work-related duty, such as transporting goods from your place of work to another location, then your employer will be held responsible for the incident. If, however, the accident occurs while you are commuting to or from work, or if you are taking care of personal errands using the company car, you will be held responsible, and your insurance provider will need to get involved at this point.
Employment
If the accident arose from reckless driving on your behalf, then your employer has the right to terminate your employment. If, however, the accident was not your fault or happened while you were performing normal work-related duties, your employer cannot fire you, withhold compensation, or take other disciplinary measures against you. Always talk to your employer about this, and be up-front about your concerns following an accident. It is important to communicate with your employer every step of the way after your accident, to understand what actions may or may not be taken against you.
Car accidents are never fun, but when your accident involves damage to your employer’s property, there are a number of other issues that arise in the immediate aftermath. Remember to stay focused and try not to panic, and keep these tips in mind. It is easy to handle a car accident in a work car if you do not let yourself become too overwhelmed. If this situation should happen to you, there are plenty of ways to deal with it appropriately.
