When to Report an Accident

There are few sounds more unnerving than the crunch of two vehicles colliding. Often, however, the sequence of events that follow the actual accident is the difficult part. Even in the case of a minor fender-bender, the hassle of filing reports, trading insurance information, and assessing the damage done to your vehicle (if any) can cause a headache. The first step is reporting the accident to your insurance carrier or is it? When should you actually report an accident? And must you always report an accident, even when little damage was caused to either vehicle or any person?

Do you need to report the accident to your insurance company?

Always report an accident to your insurance company. If little damage was done and all persons involved are okay, that’s great. Your insurance agent may advise you to deal directly with the other person if the accident was very minor. However, you have at least reported the accident and any loss, and in the event the other party cannot be trusted or claims delayed health issues or the like down the road, your insurance company will at least have been notified of the accident and presented with the details and the police report.

At what point after the accident occurs must you report the accident to your insurance company?

Immediately after the accident occurs, you should call the police and exchange insurance and vehicle identification number information. Discuss the accident with only the police, and do not admit or accuse the other driver of fault or liability. Everyone is probably a little shaky, and the investigation is police business. One option for addressing the accident with your insurance company is to wait until the police have filed their reports, the vehicles have been removed from the roadway, and you have all the available information regarding the accident though you should still make the call the same day, but certainly within seven days. However, a better decision may be to contact your insurance agent at the scene, and have one of the police officers relay pertinent information directly to your agent. The longer you wait, the more suspicious your withholding the information becomes.

Should you contact your insurance company after the accident or make a follow up call, your insurance agent will ask you a number of questions, so be prepared with the answers. Have the information in front of you. Accidents can induce panic or create confusion, but a level head is your best friend. Be certain you have the police officers’ information (including their badge numbers) and take down some notes of your own, as well as take a few photos of the scene if safe and if possible. Know the date, time, and location of the accident, and have the other driver’s vehicle, driver’s license, and auto insurance information ready. In the unfortunate event that the other party leaves the scene of the accident which you should never do until the police have completed their inquiry do your best to record any information on the other driver and his or her vehicle, and flag down witnesses. Give the police the most accurate account of what happened as possible.

What happens if you do not report an accident?

The consequences of not reporting an accident to your insurance company vary by case. However, some general consequences include a possible change or loss of coverage, diminished chance of policy renewal, or legal action. If you exchanged insurance information and you should always do so with the other party, but do not contact your insurance company, the other party could contact them. If you are at fault for the accident, failure to report to your insurance company could result in some serious consequences and they are almost certain to learn of the accident through the other party. If you are clearly not at fault, there is no reason you would not want your insurance company to be aware of the situation.

If your accident involved serious injuries or vehicle damage, the police and your insurance company can advise you on the specialized specifics of the post-accident process.

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