What to do in the first hour of a truck claim
Most of a claim's outcome is set in the first hour, before anyone has spoken to an insurer. This is what to do while you are still at the scene.
At the scene
Make it safe first, and call emergency services if anyone is injured or the vehicle is blocking traffic. Then photograph everything before it moves: the vehicles, their positions, the road, the load, any restraint, and the damage from several angles.
Get the other party's name, licence, registration and insurer, and any police event number. If there are witnesses, get a contact — a third-party account is worth more than your own recollection when liability is contested.
What not to do
Do not admit liability at the scene, and do not agree to settle privately for what looks like minor damage. Truck damage routinely costs multiples of the initial estimate once a body or hydraulics are involved, and a private arrangement leaves you with no recourse when it does.
Do not move the load or repair anything before the insurer has had a chance to assess, unless it is necessary to make the scene safe. Keep receipts for anything you do have to spend.
Then call your broker, not the insurer
A broker lodges the claim, briefs the assessor and pushes it along, and argues it if the assessment comes back short. That is the point of having one, and it is the part of the service you cannot judge until you need it.
Report promptly even if you are unsure whether you will proceed. Late notification is a common reason claims get complicated, and a notified claim can always be withdrawn.
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Any advice on this website is general advice only and does not take into account your objectives, financial situation or needs. Before acting on it, consider whether it is appropriate for you and read the relevant Product Disclosure Statement (PDS).