Do I need a police report to file a car insurance claim?
You do not need a police report to file a car insurance claim for a minor accident with no injuries. However, having a police report after an accident when there are injuries, significant damage, or the vehicle is stolen is a requirement for insurance companies to pay a car insurance claim.
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Michelle Robbins
Licensed Insurance Agent
Michelle Robbins has been a licensed insurance agent for over 13 years. Her career began in the real estate industry, supporting local realtors with title Insurance. After several years, Michelle shifted to real estate home warranty insurance, where she managed a territory of over 100 miles of real estate professionals. Later, Agent Robbins obtained more licensing and experience serving families a...
Licensed Insurance Agent
UPDATED: Dec 1, 2023
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Editorial Guidelines: We are a free online resource for anyone interested in learning more about insurance. Our goal is to be an objective, third-party resource for everything insurance related. We update our site regularly, and all content is reviewed by insurance experts.
UPDATED: Dec 1, 2023
It’s all about you. We want to help you make the right coverage choices.
Advertiser Disclosure: We strive to help you make confident insurance decisions. Comparison shopping should be easy. We are not affiliated with any one insurance provider and cannot guarantee quotes from any single provider.
Our insurance industry partnerships don’t influence our content. Our opinions are our own. To compare quotes from many different insurance companies please enter your ZIP code on this page to use the free quote tool. The more quotes you compare, the more chances to save.
On This Page
- Even if the incident is minor, you may want to have a police report to help validate your claim
- A police report may help establish fault for the cause of the accident, this is an important factor for insurance coverage
- Getting a police report is imperative if a crime is committed, such as vehicle theft, vandalism, or the crime of hit-and-run
Knowing how to correctly handle a car accident is essential if you are unsure whether or not to call the police. Even a minor fender-bender needs proper documentation of who is at fault and photos of the damage for an insurance company to approve a claim.
Getting a Police Report for a Car Insurance Claim
Some circumstances may cause a delay in getting a police report.
Here are a few examples:
- Holidays and Busy Periods: If you have a minor incident during a holiday or a busy period for police, an officer may not be able to respond at that time and ask you to come into the station to make a police report after the fact.
- Absentee Owner: If your car is stolen while you are away, you may not be aware of its being missing until you return.
- Injuries: If you are seriously injured, you may not be conscious and cannot give a statement about the accident until you wake up.
No harm is done if the circumstances make it impossible for a reasonable person to get a police report at the scene of an incident. However, it is usually in your best interest to get a police report at your earliest convenience.
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Getting a Police Report Later
After suffering injuries in an auto accident, you will want to know how to file a car insurance claim. Even if you did not call the police, but they arrived on the scene, there is a police report available. You or your lawyer may need to go to the local police station and make an official request for a copy of the police report.
Getting a copy of the police report may provide the information you need to locate the other parties involved. Even if you have “no-fault” coverage from the best personal injury protection (PIP) car insurance company, a police report may help substantiate your claim.
No Need for a Police Report to File a Car Insurance Claim
There is no need for a police report if the incident is minor and the repairs cost less than your deductible. In this case, you will not be making a valid claim against your insurance. Even if the repairs cost more than your deductible, you may forgo filing an insurance claim to keep your rates from increasing.
Police Reports for Comprehensive Insurance Claims
If you have comprehensive insurance, a police report may not be necessary if you can document the incident without one. Suppose a tree falls on your car in a storm. Usually, you would not call the police for this type of incident.
Photos of the damage would suffice. Nevertheless, having a police report may speed up the claims process. Understand more about having full coverage car insurance to learn when you need a police report and when you don’t.
A Final Word on Getting a Police Report to File a Car Insurance Claim
For certain minor incidents, such as a rock cracking your windshield, a police report is not needed, just a photo of the car with the broken window. For other incidents, especially with injuries, major damage, or crimes involved, having a police report is critical when you file an insurance claim.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is there any penalty for not getting a police report?
State law determines if the police should be called for certain types of accidents. Moreover, some states have rules about reporting accidents to the Department of Motor Vehicles. Failure to follow state laws may be an infraction subject to a fine.
What if the police refuse to come to the accident scene?
If you cannot get the police to show up for a minor accident, you can still go to the local station and get a police report made where you give the officer the information about what happened.
Do the police always fill out a report?
Police have the option to fill out a report even if no crime took place. If the police arrive at the accident scene where there are injuries, they must complete an accident report.
Are you looking for free insurance quotes?
Your one-stop online insurance guide. Get free quotes now!
Secured with SHA-256 Encryption
Michelle Robbins
Licensed Insurance Agent
Michelle Robbins has been a licensed insurance agent for over 13 years. Her career began in the real estate industry, supporting local realtors with title Insurance. After several years, Michelle shifted to real estate home warranty insurance, where she managed a territory of over 100 miles of real estate professionals. Later, Agent Robbins obtained more licensing and experience serving families a...
Licensed Insurance Agent
Editorial Guidelines: We are a free online resource for anyone interested in learning more about insurance. Our goal is to be an objective, third-party resource for everything insurance related. We update our site regularly, and all content is reviewed by insurance experts.