After an apparently minor car accident, both you and the other driver may not feel much of a need to get insurance involved. The other driver might offer to simply cover the costs of any medical treatment and repair out of pocket, without he or she having to report the crash to insurance and suffer the increased rates. You may feel fine, and the car may look fine, so why not? Wrong! Don't ever make any type of agreement at the accident.

It's Too Soon to Tell the Extent of Damages of the Car Accident

For one thing, you will have adrenaline and endorphins coursing through your body, making you incapable of feeling the full extent of any injuries you may have sustained. Many serious injuries often do not appear until days have passed since the accident. Then there is the potential for damage under the car or in its interior to consider, damage you may not be able to spot at the scene. If the expenses of an accident turn out to be more than either of you anticipated, then the other driver may back out of the deal, leaving you without much needed cash. And if too many days have passed, it could be too late to report the accident to insurance.

You Could Get Stuck with a Bummer Deal

It can be tricky to get yourself out of an agreement you and the other driver made. Now, you may be able to get the agreement nullified if you can show that the other driver issued threats against you. Another way you could back out is if you and the driver made a mistaken agreement, such as if you two said that since your car didn't have any frontal damage, you won't get insurance involved. But if it turns out there was indeed interior damage, then your agreement could be invalid. You may have other ways of getting out of the agreement, but there are no guarantees.

You Could End up Paying Double for the Car Crash

Let's say that you offer to pay for the damage so that you won't see your insurance rates skyrocket. So you pay the money…and then you won't be able to prove that this was your deal and that you held up your end. The other driver might simply take the money and then file a claim against your insurer anyway. Without a signed release from that driver, you agreement could be seen as invalid. Even with this signed statement, your agreement could be invalidated because the driver was not in a proper condition to waive rights, in shock after a crash and unable to think clearly.

There is no such thing as a good agreement after an auto accident. So don't assent to one, and don't offer one. Tell your insurer about the crash as soon as you can, and take it from there. If you run into complications, or if you are asking for a great deal in compensation, it is usually a good idea to get a car accident attorney involved right away. At the very least, you should probably consult a legal expert as soon as possible.