What You Should Do When You Lose Your Car Mirror To A Hit And Run
If you park your car on the street regularly, either because you do not have a garage or driveway or because you have too many vehicles to park off of the street, you never think that anything bad can or will happen to your vehicle while it is parked and left unattended. However, there is always the chance that someone will hit your car and damage your car, specifically your car mirror. The problem is that you may not know what you can and should do when this happens so that you can get the situation resolved as quickly as possible. Get to know some of the steps that you can and should take to deal with a hit and run on your parked car so that you can deal with it right away.
Contact the Police
A hit and run, even on a parked car, is a crime and needs to be reported to the police. Call the non-emergency number for your local police department as soon as you find the damage to your vehicle.
An officer will come out as soon as they are available to do so and assess your vehicle and the scene around it. Try not to touch or move anything on your car while you wait for the police officers to show up at the scene. If you have a cell phone handy, take pictures of the damage and any debris that you find in the street or elsewhere on or around your car. This documentation will help you on the off chance that the police find the responsible party.
Report the Incident to Your Insurance Company
If you plan to file an insurance claim for the damage to try to get a portion of the cost of repairs covered, then the next step after reporting the incident to the police is to also report it to your insurance company. The police officer will have given you a case number for the hit and run.
You will need to provide your insurance company with the case number when you call and report the incident. Your insurance company will also want a description of the incident in your own words so that they get all of the information available. Once you have filed the claim, you can begin the repair and replacement process.
Replace Your Car Mirror and Repair Other Damage
Finally, once all of your reports have been filed, you can begin looking for car mirrors that fit your car and will match the mirror you have on the other side of your vehicle. Oftentimes, a good mechanic shop or auto body shop will be able to help you find used parts that will match the make, model, and color of your car.
However, going to salvage yards yourself can also get you the car mirror you need. Other damage will need to be deal with as well, including retouching and resealing paint and trying to get any dents or dings out of the side of your car. All of these repairs will get your car back to normal as soon as possible after a hit and run incident.
Now that you know some of the steps you should take when you lose a car mirror to a hit and run, you can be sure that you do everything that you can and should to deal with the situation if and when it happens to you.
For more information contact a company like Parts Chain.
