While it’s impossible to predict when an auto accident will occur, knowing how to proceed will help keep your head on straight – especially when tension may be running high between you and the other driver.

1. Move the cars off of the road. If this isn’t possible, remain in the car until an officer comes to take the report or until the conditions are safe for you to leave the vehicle.
2. Call the police to report the accident. If there are no serious injuries, remember to use the non-emergency number for the police station. If your state does not require law enforcement to respond to minor accidents, then you will need to manually fill out the report yourself.
3. Obtain details from the other driver. You should always take the time to record their name, insurance company, phone number, and the make and model of their vehicle – they will most likely ask you to do the same. Refrain from admitting the accident was your fault while you are exchanging information.
4. Take pictures of the scene and damage. In addition to documenting the damage while on the scene so that you can present it to your insurance company as evidence, you should also make sure you snap a few pictures of the entire scenario. This is especially helpful in the event that you cannot find any witnesses to vouch for your side of the story.
5. Call your insurance company to report a claim. Most insurance providers have a 24- to 48-hour window for you to report an accident – the sooner you make the call, the more smoothly things will go.

The most important thing you can do if you are in an accident is to remain calm; panicking won’t help, and you may forget to take important steps, like exchanging information, if you don’t retain self control.

The best way to protect a new car or a well-maintained older car is to keep it in a garage. A garage will protect the finish of your car from the various harmful elements of the weather. In addition to protecting it from hail, rain and snow, keeping your car inside a garage will also keep tree pollen, air pollution and even the sun’s powerful rays from your car’s finish.

If you do not have the benefit of a garage to protect your car from the elements, there are still ways to protect your car. With a little creative thinking and some simple maintenance, you can keep your looking as good as new.

A Car Cover

Most auto parts stores carry vinyl covers that will completely cover your vehicle. These covers do a good job of protecting your car from most of the weather elements as well as the sun. The main drawback to such a protective cover is that they are a bit cumbersome to put on and remove. If you are in and out of your car more than a few times each day, you probably will not want to leave the cover on all the time. For the most part, a car cover should be put on at night and removed in the morning.

Where You Park

If you are forced to park in an outdoor parking lot, try to avoid parking under a big tree that might leave sticky sap deposits on your car finish. It is nice to have shade to keep your car cool, but it is not so nice to come back to your car and see the hood stained with tree sap. While some trees do not drop their leaves or stain the cars below them, many trees do. Be sure to know the characteristics of any tree you may park under.

Wash Often

Just like people need to take a shower to stay clean, cars need to be washed regularly to keep their shiny finish. If you can not afford to take your car to a car wash every week, make a practice of removing some of the dirt with a squirt from the garden hose.

If you are asking yourself if comprehensive or liability auto insurance is still necessary for high mileage cars that are paid off, the resounding answer is "Yes, positively!" Ask yourself this question also: Can you get along without a car? Your car can still become a total loss no matter how much you do or do not owe on it; without some insurance coverage you will have nothing left toward replacement of that vehicle. Basic insurance protection depends on vehicle worth; liability and comprehensive damages are a different matter.

Some drivers believe that just because a vehicle or home is paid off, they can drop all insurance coverage. This is a worst-case decision, because accidents can always happen. Without proper insurance coverage on a fully paid-off vehicle, all accidental damage costs will come out of your own wallet. The minimum coverage for comprehensive damage should be maintained, as should liability coverage. Your responsibility when someone else is hurt on, in or because of your vehicle hitting them or their property does not end with a final vehicle payment. Liability lawsuits can involve astronomical dollar amounts you could possibly owe.

One example for maintaining comprehensive damage insurance on a paid-off car would be spring and summer hail storm damage. Yes, hail stones do fall that are as large as golf balls and baseballs. These can cause multiple breaks in glass and deep dents in metal. Large hail can even break through metal surfaces. Without comprehensive damage coverage, you bear all repair costs.

It’s wonderful to have a vehicle fully paid off, but remember to keep minimal insurance coverage in effect to protect yourself from liability claims, accidental damage and vandalism. A small monthly payment is much better than paying hundreds or thousands of dollars out-of-pocket.

When you get car insurance in Texas, any insurance company through which you obtain a policy is going to look at your profile to determine whether you’re an acceptable risk to them. What does this mean, exactly? If you’re a "good risk," according to the insurance company, you have:

A safe driving record

Insurance rates are based upon the risk profile you present to the insurance company. If you have a good driving record, you’re less of a risk to an insurance company because you’ve already shown that you’re less likely to have an accident than the average driver. This gives you lower rates. The longer you have a good driving record and no accidents, the lower your rates are going to be.

No speeding or other moving violations tickets

Even if you’re a "good" driver in that you haven’t had any accidents (or haven’t had any for a long time), speeding tickets and other tickets for moving violations show irresponsibility on your part. Follow the rules of the road, including staying within speed limits. The more you can show a sense of responsibility on the road, the lower your insurance rates are going to be. (Getting too many tickets can also mean license suspension, which will automatically identify you as a bad risk and increase your insurance rates.)

An age above 25

Older drivers generally have lower insurance rates than younger drivers do, simply because statistically, younger drivers make more mistakes and are more cavalier about their driving than older drivers are – and young men under the age of 25 are the most "risky" demographic group of all. Simply put, as a demographic group younger drivers have more accidents than older drivers do, so they are charged higher rates. The good news is, getting older improves your statistics demographically and therefore drops your rates automatically. By the time you’re 25, you should be paying reasonable insurance rates as long as you haven’t had any accidents, DUIs, etc.

Are there coastal guidelines for auto insurance?

Not really. It’s been shown that in states like Texas (where devastatingly large natural disasters like hurricanes occur with some frequency), insurance companies will simply shut down and not issue new policies on homes or cars until a particular natural disaster has been cleaned up and things are back to "normal." That’s not really something automobile owners can control, though.

The CARCO inspection

In some coastal states, there’s something automobile owners have to submit to called the CARCO inspection. What this means is that you may have to agree to have your car visually inspected for damage on a regular basis in order to get insurance. Many insurance companies for states like Texas and Florida will not insure cars until they’ve undergone that CARCO inspection and have passed.

What else should you know?

Beyond these two possible exceptions, coastal guidelines for auto insurance are the same as those for cars that are housed off-coast. If you live in Texas, you have to carry at least liability insurance on your car in the amount of $30,000 personal injury coverage per person, or $60,000 per accident. You also have to carry at least $25,000 in property liability insurance.

If your car is newer than 10 years old, it’s a good idea to also include comprehensive and collision insurance coverage. Comprehensive insurance coverage covers your car if it’s damaged in a non-accident event, such as through theft, vandalism, "falling tree limb" damage, and so on. Collision insurance covers repair or replacement of your car at its current value if you’re in an accident and you are deemed at fault. If your car is older than 10 years old, liability-only coverage is generally advised, since premiums are going to cost you more than the replacement value of your car is worth.

Colorado car insurance laws require all drivers/owners of motor vehicles to carry a minimum amount of liability coverage. If you are the cause of an accident, liability insurance will cover you for any physical property damage or bodily injury to another person that was a result of your negligent actions. If you are found responsible for the damage, your insurance will pay up to settle any claims up to the limits of your policy. There are minimum mandated amounts of coverage in the state of Colorado for both bodily injury and property damage liability.

The minimum requirement under Colorado law for property damage is $15,000. That simply means if you get in an accident that was your fault, your insurance company will pay up to $15,000 to repair or replace the vehicle that was damaged.

Bodily injury liability minimum coverage is $25,000 for any single individual injured in an accident and $50,000 for all individuals injured in an accident. If you are in an accident where 4 people are injured, your insurance company will pay up to $50,000 to settle all claims, but will not pay more than $25,000 to any one individual.

It is important to consider purchasing more than the minimum amount of Colorado auto insurance mandated by state law. Be smart and buy enough insurance to protect yourself against a personal lawsuit in the event you cause more damage than the minimum amounts cover. Any amount of damage above your insurance limits can become your personal responsibility. If you have substantial assets such as a home, stocks and bonds or anything else, you could put them at risk if you do not have adequate liability insurance.