The reason you have car insurance in the first place is in the rare event of an accident, you must file an auto insurance claim. The ability to process auto insurance claims is the reason you pay hundreds of dollars a year for your premium, and serves as the basis for why the government has made auto insurance a mandatory expense. More than 220 million vehicles clog American streets every day, and with that number increasing, so do the chances of an auto accident happening to you.

The biggest problem concerning auto insurance claims isn’t the accident itself, or even personal injury, but rather the inability of the victims to file a proper, well-constructed auto insurance claim in the first place.

Below are five steps that will help you file the best auto insurance claim for you situation in the event of an accident:

Step 1 – Notify the local authorities about the accident and gather a report. If there if a life-threatening situation or a serious injury, call 911. If there is no immediate response needed, contacting the local police station at their respective number is better and doesn’t tie up the emergency lines. Receiving a police report is an essential part of an auto insurance claim, always persist of having one despite what the other driver or police officer may say.

Step 2 – Gather the necessary information. Retrieve license plate numbers, valid contact information, as well as auto insurance info. Insurance identification cards are required to be in vehicles in most states, and will have all of the information you need. Be persistent and remember to gather all pertinent information.

Step 3 – Look for witnesses. You must find ones willing to tell their interpretation of the incident and gather their information as well. Witnesses are always a great addition to an auto insurance claim as it helps verify information in the case of an insurance claim dispute. Finding out the fault of the accident is the most important part of a claim, as it acts as the decider of which insurance company pays out.

Step 4 – Contact your insurance company or insurance agent as soon as possible. Many companies have a 24-hour claim-filing system via the telephone, so in most cases you do not have to wait until office hours to begin the auto insurance claim process. Again, your insurance card should have the number for this service. If the other party is at fault, you should contact their insurance company to notify them that you are making a claim and will seek reimbursement for costs your carrier may not pay.

Step 5 – Sit back and wait. You may get phone calls from both companies seeking your side of the story. Once the stories are set and the insurance companies are ready to move forward, an adjuster will come out to estimate the amount of damage on your vehicle, cutting you a check for the amount minus any respective deductibles. If your company has a deal with a local auto-shop, an adjuster may not be necessary.

Filing auto insurance claims, especially if the other party is being difficult, may be a frustrating situation. Remaining calm and following these five steps, though, are a great start to constructing a perfect auto insurance claim. When you spend the little amount of time filing a good, honest auto insurance claim, both the insurance company and all parties involved will thank you.