The call usually comes at an awkward moment. A delivery driver, a technician, or a sales rep is on the line, a little shaken, telling you the van has been hit or that they have hit something. In the next few minutes you are a manager, a claims coordinator, and possibly a first responder all at once. Most small business owners have never rehearsed this, and the decisions made in the first hour shape how smoothly the insurance claim, the repair, and the return to normal work go.
This checklist walks through what to do, in order, from the moment the phone rings to the day the vehicle is back on the road. It is written for owners of small companies with one vehicle or a handful, where there is no fleet manager and no legal department. You can print it, trim it to suit your business, and keep a copy in every vehicle.
Start With People Before Property
Your first question to the driver is simple: is everyone okay? Vehicles can be repaired and schedules can be rearranged. Injuries need attention first. If anyone is hurt, even slightly, the driver should call emergency services before doing anything else. Adrenaline can hide pain for hours, so a driver who says they feel fine should still be encouraged to get checked if the impact was anything more than a light tap.
If the vehicle is in a live lane of traffic and can be moved safely, the driver should move it to the shoulder or a nearby safe spot and switch on the hazard lights. If it cannot be moved, everyone should get clear of the vehicle and stand somewhere safe, well away from passing traffic. Warning triangles or flares from the vehicle’s emergency kit are useful here, and they are worth adding to your kit if they are missing.
Give your driver permission to put safety ahead of paperwork. Many employees worry about the cost of an accident to the company and rush to collect details while standing in a hazardous spot. Tell them in advance, and again on the call, that nothing on this checklist matters as much as their wellbeing.
Stay on the Phone and Stay Calm
A calm voice from the owner helps the driver think clearly. Ask short questions: Where are you? Is anyone injured? Is the vehicle drivable? Have the police been called? Is the other party still there? Then tell them what to expect next, which is that you will walk through the steps together or that they can follow the card in the glovebox.
Avoid asking who caused the accident during this first call. Fault is something the insurance companies and, where needed, the police will work out from the evidence. Asking an upset employee to assign blame in the moment can lead to guesses that get repeated later as if they were facts. Ask what happened in plain terms, listen, and write it down.
If the driver is too shaken to continue the task safely, arrange for someone to collect them. A person who has just been in a collision should not be expected to drive the rest of the route or finish the job.
Document the Scene Like It Will Be Reviewed Later
Photographs are the cheapest and most useful tool in any accident claim. Ask the driver to take wide shots that show the positions of the vehicles and the surrounding road, then close-ups of every damaged area on each vehicle. Lane markings, traffic signs, signals, skid marks, weather and lighting conditions all help to tell the story. Photograph the licence plates of every vehicle involved, and take a photo of any debris on the road.
Notes matter too. The driver can type them into a phone or dictate a voice memo: the time, the street or intersection, the direction of travel, the weather, what the driver saw and heard, and anything the other driver said. Memory fades quickly and shifts under stress, so notes taken within the hour are far more reliable than a recollection a week later.
If there are witnesses, ask for names and phone numbers. A neutral third party who saw the accident can make a claim much simpler. If the accident happened near a shop or building with exterior cameras, note the address, since footage is often overwritten after a short time and an early request gives you a better chance of getting it.
Exchange Information and Choose Words Carefully
The driver should collect the other party’s name, phone number, address, driver’s licence number, licence plate, vehicle make and model, and insurance company and policy number. They should also give the same details for your business. A photo of the other driver’s insurance card and licence is quicker and more accurate than copying by hand, if the other driver agrees.
What your driver says at the scene is just as important as what they collect. A polite, sympathetic tone is fine. Statements such as “I’m so sorry, that was my fault” can be read later as an admission of liability, even when the driver was only being courteous and the facts were less clear. A good guideline for your team is to share facts, stay kind, and leave the question of fault to the insurers.
If the other driver becomes aggressive or seems impaired, your driver should return to their vehicle, lock the doors, and call the police. No claim is worth a confrontation.
Call the Police When the Situation Calls for It
Reporting rules differ by region and by the severity of the accident, so the safest policy for a business is to call the police whenever there is an injury, significant damage, a dispute about what happened, a hit-and-run, or a suspected impaired driver. A police report, or at least a report number, gives your insurer an independent record of the event. Ask your driver to note the responding officer’s name and badge number and to ask how and when the report can be obtained.
Even in a minor incident, such as a low-speed bump in a parking lot, a report or a self-reporting visit to a collision reporting centre or police station may be required where you operate. Check the local rules for your area and write the answer on your accident card, so that nobody is guessing in the moment.
Keep a copy of any report with the rest of the claim file. When the report is ready, read it carefully. If you find a factual mistake, such as a wrong plate number or an incorrect street, contact the reporting agency promptly to ask how corrections are handled.
Notify Your Insurer Early and Read Your Policy
Call your insurance company or broker as soon as the immediate situation is under control. Most policies require prompt notice of an accident, and early contact gets a claim number started, which you will need when speaking with repair shops and rental providers. Have the basics ready: policy number, vehicle identification number, driver details, the location and time, and a summary of what happened.
It helps to know in advance what kind of coverage your business vehicles actually have. A commercial auto policy, a personal policy with business use added, and an employee driving their own car on a work errand can each lead to a different claim path. If you have employees who occasionally use personal vehicles for deliveries or site visits, ask your broker how those trips are covered and whether you need additional protection. This is a good conversation to have well before an accident, while there is time to compare options.
When you speak with the adjuster, stick to what you know. Provide the facts, share photos, and ask the adjuster to explain the next steps and the timeline. Keep a log of every call, with the date, the name of the person you spoke with, and what was agreed. A simple spreadsheet or shared document is enough.
Look After the Driver Beyond the Day of the Accident
Once the scene is cleared, check in with your employee. A collision can leave someone feeling anxious about driving, even if there was no injury. A day off, a lighter schedule, or just a friendly conversation about how they are doing goes a long way, and it tells the rest of your team that the company is on their side.
If the driver was injured, work-related injury and compensation rules may apply, and the requirements depend on where your business and your employee are located. Contact the relevant workers’ compensation board or your insurance broker to understand your reporting duties, and keep a record of any medical visits and time away from work. Reporting deadlines can be short, so it is worth asking early.
Ask the driver to write down their account of the accident while it is fresh, and to keep any medical or follow-up documents together. Reassure them that this is routine and that the goal is a clear record rather than a search for someone to blame.
Choosing Where the Vehicle Gets Repaired
After the claim is open, the next big decision is the repair shop. Insurers often suggest shops in their preferred networks, and those can be convenient, but the choice of where your vehicle is repaired generally rests with the owner. In Oregon, for example, state law says an insurer may not require repairs to be made by a particular person or repair shop (the statute is ORS 746.280), and ACP Collision Center displays that right prominently on its homepage. If your business operates elsewhere, ask your insurer or a local shop what the rules are in your area.
Look for a shop with a clear estimate process, good communication, and a track record with the type of vehicle you drive. If your vans or trucks work around Oregon’s largest city, a conversation with a trusted Portland auto body shop early on can help you understand repair options and timelines before you commit. Ask how they handle insurance paperwork, whether they supply a written estimate, and what happens if hidden damage turns up once the vehicle is taken apart.
It is also worth asking what the shop does to keep you updated. A repair that drags on without news is expensive for a small business, because every day without the vehicle is a day of lost work or paid rental. A shop that sends photos, calls with updates, and explains delays in plain language makes planning much easier.
What a Good Estimate and Repair Process Looks Like
A sound estimate starts with a thorough inspection. Visible damage such as a crumpled bumper or a dented door panel is only part of the picture, and impact forces often travel into brackets, supports, sensors, and the structure behind the panel. A shop that tells you up front that the estimate may change once the vehicle is disassembled is being realistic, and a good one will contact you and your insurer before continuing with additional work.
Shops cover a wide range of repair types. ACP Collision Center, for example, lists front-end, rear-end and side-impact repair, frame and unibody straightening, suspension and steering repair after collisions, and paint refinishing among their collision repair services. When you compare shops, check that the work you need is on the list, and ask whether technicians are trained for your type of vehicle, whether that is a work truck, a cargo van, a hybrid, or an electric model.
Modern vehicles carry cameras and sensors behind bumpers, windshields, and mirrors. After a repair in those areas, driver-assistance systems may need to be checked or recalibrated so they work as designed. Ask the shop directly how it handles this, and request documentation of the final inspection for your records.
Keeping the Business Moving While the Vehicle Is Down
For a one-van plumbing company or a two-truck landscaping crew, a vehicle in the shop is a revenue problem as well as a repair problem. The sooner you plan around the downtime, the less it costs. Start by asking the shop for a realistic repair timeline, and ask your insurer what rental coverage applies and for how many days. Rental limits can run out before a repair is finished, particularly if parts are delayed.
Some repair shops help with this gap. ACP Collision Center states on its website that it provides free loaner vehicles while a customer’s car is in the shop, and that it will provide a car if the insurer’s rental period runs out and an extension is needed. Whether you use a shop loaner, an insurer rental, or a short-term commercial rental, check that the vehicle suits the job. A compact sedan will not carry a ladder rack or a pallet of product.
Think about the practical side too. Can a colleague cover the route? Can jobs be rescheduled with a call to customers explaining the delay? Customers are usually understanding when they hear from you early and get a clear new date. A short, honest message does more for your reputation than silence.
Understand Warranties, Deductibles, and Lost Value
Before you approve the repair, ask what warranty comes with the work. A written warranty on workmanship gives you something to rely on if a paint finish fails or a panel shifts later. ACP Collision Center, for instance, describes a lifetime workmanship warranty on its repairs that covers labor performed in its facility for as long as the owner has the vehicle, and it lists the exclusions, such as damage from future collisions. Whatever shop you choose, get the terms in writing and file them with the repair invoice.
Your deductible is the part of the claim the business pays, so it helps to know the number before you decide between claiming and paying for a small repair yourself. Some owners choose to cover minor cosmetic damage directly to avoid a claim on their record, while others prefer to claim every time. Your broker can explain how claims affect your renewal, and the answer is different for every business.
If the accident was not your fault and the vehicle is worth less after repair, you may be able to pursue compensation for that loss in value. The rules vary by place and by policy, so ask your insurer or the repair shop how it works where you are. Keep all of your estimates, photos, and invoices, since they support any such claim.
Keep a Clean Claim File
A tidy file makes every later conversation easier. Create a folder, digital or paper, for each accident and put everything in it: photos, driver notes, the police report number, the claim number, the adjuster’s contact details, estimates, invoices, rental receipts, and a log of calls. If your business is ever asked to account for the downtime, the folder shows exactly what happened and when.
Track the costs that fall outside the repair bill, too. Hours of lost work, rental charges beyond what the insurer covers, towing, and storage fees can all add up. Not every cost will be recoverable, but a clear record lets you and your broker see what can be claimed and helps with future budgeting.
When the claim is closed, take ten minutes to review how it went. Which step took longest? What did the driver wish they had known? Use the answers to improve your checklist for next time.
Prepare Before It Happens: The Glovebox Card
The best time to prepare for an accident is on an ordinary day. Create a small card or folder for every company vehicle that includes your insurance policy number and the claims phone number, your own contact details, the registration and ownership documents, and a short list of the steps in this article. Add a pen and a notepad, since phone batteries run out and cold fingers struggle with touchscreens.
It also helps to keep a list of preferred contacts: a towing company, a repair shop, and your broker. If you already know a local auto body shop in Portland or in your own area that you would use, having its phone number on the card means the driver can call without hunting for options at the roadside. Towing companies that arrive at an accident scene sometimes suggest a shop, and the driver will feel more confident declining when they have a plan.
Finally, put a short note in the card about reporting. Tell drivers to call you first after emergency services, and tell them in writing that you want to hear about any accident, no matter how small. A culture where employees report quickly and without fear of punishment protects both the driver and the business.
Train Drivers and Review After Each Incident
A short training session once or twice a year is enough to keep the steps fresh. Walk through a pretend scenario: a minor collision in a supermarket parking lot, for example. Ask each driver to explain what they would do first, second, and third. Practice taking photographs and filling in the card. The point is to make the process feel familiar so that the real thing is less stressful.
After an incident, hold a friendly debrief with the driver. Look at the route, the time of day, the pressure of the schedule, and the condition of the vehicle. Many accidents are linked to rushed deliveries, distraction, or tired drivers, and a calm conversation can reveal changes that make the next trip safer, such as adjusting delivery windows or allowing more time between jobs.
Regular vehicle maintenance supports safety too. Tires, brakes, lights, and wipers all play a role in avoiding collisions, and a simple monthly check, with the results written down, shows that the business takes safety seriously.
A Quick Checklist You Can Copy
Here is the whole process in short form, in the order it usually happens. First, check that everyone is safe and call emergency services if anyone is hurt. Second, move to a safe place and turn on the hazard lights. Third, call the police when the situation requires it and note the report number. Fourth, photograph the scene, the vehicles, and the plates, and write down notes while memory is fresh.
Fifth, exchange information with the other driver and keep statements factual. Sixth, notify your insurer or broker and log every call. Seventh, look after your driver and check any workers’ compensation duties. Eighth, choose a repair shop you trust, get a written estimate, and ask about timelines, loaner or rental options, and warranty terms. Ninth, keep the claim file tidy. Tenth, review what you learned and update your card.
No small business wants to use this list, but having it ready turns a stressful afternoon into a series of manageable steps. A little preparation means your driver is supported, your customers are informed, and your vehicle is back in service as soon as the repair allows.