The faster your claim and repairs get resolved, the faster you can return to the road—and put your accident behind you. Here are three tips for working with your insurer to make this happen:

Report the claim as soon as you can.
This helps your insurer get a head start on your claim. With many insurers, you can report a claim online or from your smart phone using a mobile app. You can call, too.

Give the right details.
Collect contact information—especially phone numbers—for drivers, passengers, and witnesses involved in the accident; your insurer might need to speak with them to determine who’s at fault for the accident. If the police responded, or if anyone was injured, your insurer will want to know that, too. Also, get details about the other cars involved, from make/model to color, and take note of whether the cars were damaged and if they are, where the damage occurred.

Consider all your repair options.
Since insurers typically foot part or all the bill for vehicle repairs, many of them provide a list of trusted repair shops. At Progressive, if you use one of their network repair shops or our concierge level of claims service, your repairs are guaranteed for as long as you own or lease your car.

This information was written by Brittany Ritchey at Progressive.com and has been brought to you by your favorite Richmond auto insurance agency, Auto Insurers of Virginia.