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Last updated: November 20, 2023
Whose Insurance to Call First in a Car Accident
Stay calm. First, call 911 and let your car insurance provider know you’ve been in a car accident.
Table of Contents
- Should I Talk to the Other Insurance Company After a Car Accident?
- Why Call Your Insurance Company First After an Accident?
- Do I Need to Inform My Insurance Company Even if the Damage Isn’t Substantial?
- What to Do After You’re Involved in a Car Accident
- What Happens When Someone Hits Your Parked Car?
- Will My Insurance Rates Increase After Someone Hits My Car?
- What if I Don’t Have Insurance When My Car Is Hit?
- No-Fault and At-Fault State Systems
- What Types of Auto Insurance Cover Damage in a Car Accident?
- Should I Contact the DMV or Police After an Accident?
- Should I File a Claim?
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When you’re in a car accident, you might wonder whose insurance you should call first. We’d recommend calling your car insurance provider as soon as you’re done contacting the police. Even if you’re not at fault or there’s minimal damage, you should still notify your car insurance provider to avoid delaying repairs and coverage.
Call your insurance provider after you’ve called the police and checked that all parties involved in a car accident are not injured. Whether or not you’re at fault you’re not responsible for contacting the other party’s insurance company. They are responsible for that.
Should I Talk to the Other Insurance Company After a Car Accident?
You don’t need to talk to the other insurance company. Your insurance company will work on the claim and coverage. However, if you are in an accident where the other driver is at fault, you may need to file a third-party car insurance claim with the other driver’s insurance company and contact it briefly.
You can either file the third-party car insurance claim online or with the other car insurance provider, but we’d recommend consulting with your insurance provider on whether or not you should reach out to the other insurance provider.
The third-party insurance claim would help pay for your car repairs and medical expenses. From there, you might work with a claims representative or insurance adjuster from the other party to determine fault or any car repairs needed.
Why Call Your Insurance Company First After an Accident?
Here are some reasons for contacting your car insurance provider right away:
- It can help provide coverage as soon as possible for damages or injuries.
- It can assist with the claim process.
- The other driver might allege injuries or damages later on, or your story might not correlate with what you said at the scene.
- You might have out-of-pocket costs if you decide not to report the car accident right away.
Do I Need to Inform My Insurance Company Even if the Damage Isn’t Substantial?
Yes, you still should still call and notify your car insurance company even if there’s minimal damage during a collision or accident. However, you’re also not obligated to let it know. We recommend letting your insurance company know about an incident, since it’ll have a record of that if you need to file a claim, or if the other driver files a claim against you.
What to Do After You’re Involved in a Car Accident
Follow these steps after a car accident:
- Stay calm and contact 911 for injuries or immediate medical attention. If there are no injuries, report the car accident to the police regardless.
- Make sure no one is fatally injured.
- Take photos of the damage and the other driver’s license plate number.
- Document the time of the accident, the location, the weather, and the speed of the vehicle during the incident.
- Exchange contact and insurance information with the other driver, including driver’s licenses, license plate numbers, insurance policy, phone numbers, addresses, and names.
- When the police arrive, tell them about the incident and ask for a copy of the police report. Write down their police badge numbers and names.
- If possible, find witnesses and get their contact information.
- Call and notify your auto insurance company about the car accident.1
| Car insurance companies | Phone number | Email address or online form |
|---|---|---|
| 21st Century | 877-401-8181 | service@21st.com |
| AAA | 888-883-8417 | https://www.fuzeqna.com/aaawebsupport/consumer/question.asp |
| AARP/The Hartford | 800-423-6789 | N/A |
| Amica | 800-242-6422 | https://www.amica.com/en/customer-service/contact-us/form.html |
| Allstate | 800-255-7828 (1-800-ALLSTATE) | https://messaging.allstate.com/corp.aspx |
| CarShield | 800-277-7170 | https://carshield.com/help-support/contact-us/ |
| Clearcover | 855-444-1875 | support@clearcover.com |
| Concord Group | 800-852-3380 | https://www.concordgroupinsurance.com/about/contact-us |
| Dairyland | 800-334-0090 | https://www.dairylandinsurance.com/contact-dairyland-insurance |
| Direct | 877-463-4732 | https://www.directauto.com/emailus |
| Endurance | 800-253-8203 | https://www.endurancewarranty.com/contact/ |
| Erie | 800-458-0811 | https://www.erieinsurance.com/contact-erie/customer-care |
| Esurance | 800-378-7262 (1-800-ESURANCE) | https://www.esurance.com/contact-email |
| Farmers | 888-327-6335 | https://www.farmers.com/contact-us/send-message/ |
| Foremost | 800-527-3907
(claims) |
imaging@foremost.com |
| GAINSCO | 866-GAINSCO (claims) | gainsco.services@gainsco.com |
| GEICO | 800-207-7847 | https://www.geico.com/contact-us/email/ |
| National General (formerly GMAC) | 888-293-5108 | Service@NGIC.com |
| Good2Go | 855-646-4661 | customerservice@good2go.com |
| Infinity | 800-782-1020 | customer.service@ipacc.com |
| Liberty Mutual | 844-629-8984 | N/A |
| Mercury | 800-503-3724 (claims) | https://cp.mercuryinsurance.com/guest/contact-mercury |
| MetLife | 800-METLIFE | N/A |
| Metromile | 888-595-5485 (claims) | N/A |
| Nationwide | 877-669-6877 | https://www.nationwide.com/personal/contact/online-form?language=en |
| Plymouth Rock | 800-437-5556 | rockcare@plymouthrock.com |
| Progressive | 888-671-4405 | https://www.progressive.com/contact-us/ |
| Root | 866-980-9431 (claims) | help@joinroot.com |
| Safeco | 800-332-3226 (claims) | N/A |
| State Farm | 800-782-8332 (1-800-STATE-FARM) | N/A |
| The General | 844-328-0306 | customersupport@thegeneral.com |
| Travelers | 800-252-4633 (claims) | https://www.travelers.com/contact-us/email |
| USAA | 800-531-8722 | N/A |
What Happens When Someone Hits Your Parked Car?
Here are the steps to take when someone hits your parked car:
- Call the police and obtain a police report for your claim.
- Determine whether the person left a note or fled the scene. If they left a note, document their contact information and let your insurance company know.
- Speak with possible witnesses.
- Contact your insurance provider as soon as possible.
Will My Insurance Rates Increase After Someone Hits My Car?
Whether or not you’re at fault in a car accident, you might see premium increases afterward. However, if you’re not at fault, your premiums won’t go up as much. An exception to the typical rate increase is if you have accident forgiveness coverage, which prevents your premiums from increasing after a specific number of accidents.2
TIP
We recommend contacting your insurance provider after someone hits your car. As a policyholder, you’re obligated to update your provider if you’ve been in an accident.
What if I Don’t Have Insurance When My Car Is Hit?
Your license might be suspended for not having insurance, with the exception of states like New Hampshire and Virginia, which don’t require insurance. You still need to file a claim with the other party’s insurance if you don’t have insurance when someone hits your car.
No-Fault and At-Fault State Systems
If you’re in an accident, look into what type of fault system your state observes: no-fault or at-fault.
Florida’s no-fault system lets you file claims through your own insurance provider to cover medical expenses. Additionally, when you’re at fault in an accidnet, you need to pay for the other party’s damage by filing a claim through your insurance.
In at-fault states, if you’re the driver who caused a car accident, then you or your insurance provider must pay for the cost of injuries or property damages to the other driver’s vehicle. The other party can also sue you for damages.3
| State | Fault system |
|---|---|
| Alabama | At fault |
| Alaska | At fault |
| Arizona | At fault |
| Arkansas | No fault |
| California | At fault |
| Colorado | At fault |
| Connecticut | At fault |
| Delaware | No fault |
| Washington D.C. | At fault |
| Florida | No fault |
| Georgia | At fault |
| Hawaii | No fault |
| Idaho | At fault |
| Illinois | At fault |
| Indiana | At fault |
| Iowa | At fault |
| Kansas | No-fault |
| Kentucky | Optional |
| Louisiana | At fault |
| Maine | At fault |
| Maryland | At fault |
| Massachusetts | No fault |
| Michigan | At fault |
| Minnesota | No fault |
| Mississippi | At fault |
| Missouri | At fault |
| Montana | At fault |
| Nebraska | At fault |
| Nevada | At fault |
| New Hampshire | At fault |
| New Jersey | Optional |
| New Mexico | At fault |
| New York | No fault |
| North Carolina | At fault |
| North Dakota | No-fault |
| Ohio | At fault |
| Oklahoma | At fault |
| Oregon | No fault |
| Pennsylvania | Optional |
| Rhode Island | At fault |
| South Carolina | At fault |
| South Dakota | At fault |
| Tennessee | At fault |
| Texas | No fault |
| Utah | No fault |
| Vermont | At fault |
| Virginia | At fault |
| Washington | No fault |
| West Virginia | At fault |
| Wisconsin | At fault |
| Wyoming | At fault4 |
What Types of Auto Insurance Cover Damage in a Car Accident?
Check your auto insurance policy for damage and loss coverage under six main insurance coverage types.
Liability Coverage
Liability insurance coverage includes both bodily injury liability and property damage liability in an at-fault accident. This type of coverage covers the other parties’ injuries and damages to their vehicle, including any of their personal property. However, it doesn’t cover you and your passenger’s bodily injuries, or an accident in which an uninsured motorist damages your car.
Uninsured Motorist Coverage
Uninsured motorist coverage provides additional coverage in the event that a driver without auto insurance crashes into your car. It covers your medical bills for bodily injury, damages to your car and property, and any lost wages.5
Collision Insurance Coverage
Although collision coverage isn’t legally required, we still recommend it, as it will cover the cost of repairs to your car after an at-fault accident.
Comprehensive Coverage
Comprehensive coverage covers your car damages from incidents other than collisions, such as theft or vandalism.
Medical Payments Coverage and Personal Injury Protection
You can apply either medical payments coverage in at-fault states or personal injury protection (PIP) in no-fault states to your injuries. In no-fault states, PIP is required with an average minimum of approximately $13,000 per person and per accident and a range from $2,000 to $250,000. Medical payments coverage is an optional coverage that can help cover you or your passengers for medical expenses — even if you’re found to be at fault.6
Read our auto insurance guide to learn about how much auto insurance you need.
Should I Contact the DMV or Police After an Accident?
You might still need to contact your state DMV or local police after a car accident. Each state has its own rules and requirements regarding the deadlines and forms for reporting injuries, property damages, or fatalities following car accidents.
| State | General deadline to file | Forms to fill out (if not investigated by police and you need to self-report) | Minimum estimated amounts for reporting property damage, fatality, injuries |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 30 days | SR-13: https://www.una.edu/police/docs/forms/sr-13.pdf |
Death, injury, or property damages over any amount when the at-fault driver is uninsured |
| Alaska | 10 days | Alaska Motor Vehicle Crash Form: 12-209 https://dot.alaska.gov/sef/forms/CarCrash12-209.pdf |
Property damages over $50
Injuries or property damages worth $2,000 or more |
| Arizona | Immediately | None specified | Death, injury, or property damages worth more than $300 |
| Arkansas | 30 days | SR-1: https://www.dfa.arkansas.gov/images/uploads/driverServicesOffice/SR121.pdf |
Death, injury, or property damages worth more than $1,000 |
| California | 10 days | SR-1: https://www.dmv.ca.gov/portal/dmv-virtual-office/accident-reporting/accident-reporting-form/ |
Death, injury, or property damages worth more than $1,000 |
| Colorado | 10 days | Traffic Crash Report DR3447: https://www.codot.gov/about/committees/strac /dr3447-folder/using-the-dr3447/dr3447-paper-report-page-handling |
Not specified |
| Connecticut | 5 days | DAS Vehicle Incident/Accident Report: https://portal.ct.gov/-/media/DAS/Fleet-Operations/ Vehicle-Accident-Form.pdf?la=en |
Death, injury, or property damages over any amount |
| Delaware | Immediately | Request crash report: https://dsp.delaware.gov/traffic-unit/ |
Death, injury, or property damages worth more than $500 |
| District of Columbia | Immediately | Accident report with the Metropolitan Police Department: https://mpdc.dc.gov/ |
Not specified |
| Florida | 10 days | Driver Report of a Traffic Crash (Self-Report): https://flhsmv.gov/pdf/forms/90011s.pdf |
Death, injury, or property damages worth at least $500 |
| Georgia | Immediately | Personal Report of Accident: https://dds.georgia.gov/sites/dds.georgia.gov/files/ related_files/document/accidentreport_dds_190_rev0116.pdf |
Death, injury, or property damages worth more than $500 |
| Hawaii | Immediately | State of Hawaii Motor Vehicle Accident Report: https://www.nhtsa.gov/sites/nhtsa.gov/files/ documents/mvar_final_combined_pages.pdf |
Death, injury, or property damages worth more than $3,000 |
| Idaho | Immediately | Crash Reports: https://www.accessidaho.org/secure/itd/ohs/crashreports/search.html |
Death, injury, or property damages worth more than $1,500 |
| Illinois | 10 days | SR-1050: https://policeepi.uic.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/751/2020/09/ Illinois_PoliceSR1050_2013.pdf |
Death, injury, or property damages worth more than $1,500 (if all drivers are insured) |
| Indiana | 10 days | Report of Incident:
https://forms.in.gov |
Death, injury, or property damages worth more than $1,000 |
| Iowa | Immediately | Iowa Accident Report: https://iowadot.seamlessdocs.com/f/IowaAccidentReport |
Death, injury, or property damages worth more than $1,500 |
| Kansas | Immediately | Online Accident Report: https://www.kansas.gov/accident-reports/ |
Death, injury, or property damages worth more than $1,500 |
| Kentucky | 10 days | Request copy of accident report from Kentucky State Police Headquarters: https://kentuckystatepolice.org/civilian-collision-reports/ |
Death, injury, or property damages worth more than $500 |
| Louisiana | Immediately | Louisiana State Driver’s Accident Report Form DA 2041: http://www.dnr.louisiana.gov/assets/docs/intranet/Forms/ Driver%20Safety%20Accident%20Report.pdf |
Death, injury, or property damages worth more than $500 |
| Maine | Immediately | Maine Crash Reporting Online: https://www1.maine.gov/online/mcrs/ |
Death, injury, or property damages worth more than $1,000 |
| Maryland | 15 days | Motor Vehicle Accident Report: https://mdsp.maryland.gov/Organization/Pages/SupportServicesBureau/ Central%20Records%20Division/CRD-Document-Page.aspx |
Death, injury, or property damages over any amount |
| Massachusetts | 5 days | Motor Vehicle Crash Operator Report: https://www.mass.gov/doc/motor-vehicle-crash-operator-report/download |
Death, injury, or property damages worth more than $1,000 |
| Michigan | Immediately | Traffic Crash Report: https://www.mass.gov/doc/motor-vehicle-crash-operator-report/download |
Death, injury, or property damages worth more than $1,000 |
| Minnesota | Immediately | Minnesota Crash Record Request Form: https://www.mass.gov/doc/motor-vehicle-crash-operator-report/download |
Death, injury, or property damages worth more than $1,000 |
| Mississippi | 10 days | Mississippi Crash Report: https://www.ms.gov/dps/crash_reports? |
Death, injury, or property damages worth more than $500 |
| Missouri | 30 days | Motor Vehicle Accident Report: https://dor.mo.gov/forms/1140.pdf |
Death, injury, or property damages worth more than $500, or if an involved party doesn’t have liability insurance |
| Montana | 10 days | Crash Release Form: https://media.dojmt.gov/wp-content/uploads/Crash-Release-Form-Fillable.pdf |
Death, injury, or property damages worth more than $1,000 |
| Nebraska | 10 days | Driver’s Crash Report: https://ecmndotportal.nebraska.gov/NDOT-CRASH-REPORTING5 |
Death, injury, or property damages worth more than $1,500 |
| Nevada | 10 days | SR-1: https://dmvnv.com/pdfforms/sr1.pdf |
Death, injury, or property damages worth more than $750 |
| New Hampshire | 5 days | Motor Vehicle Accident Report: https://www.nh.gov/safety/divisions/dmv/forms/documents/dsmv400.pdf |
Death, injury, or property damages worth more than $1,000 |
| New Jersey | 10 days | SR-1: https://njdot.prod.simpligov.com/prod/Portal/ ShowWorkFlow/AnonymousEmbed/a24cb054-6900-4ab2-97c8-67f1f64ae7a0 |
Death, injury, or property damages worth more than $500 |
| New Mexico | 5 days | Vehicle Accident or Vandalism Form: https://www.generalservices.state.nm.us/transportation-services/ online-forms/report-a-vehicle-accident/ |
Death, injury, or property damages worth more than $500 |
| New York | 10 days | Report of Motor Vehicle Accident: https://dmv.ny.gov/forms/mv104.pdf |
Death, injury, or property damages worth more than $1,000 |
| North Carolina | Immediately | Crash Report: https://www.ncdot.gov/dmv/downloads/Documents/TR-67A.pdf |
Death, injury, or property damages worth more than $1,000 |
| North Dakota | Immediately | Request for Crash Report Information: https://www.dot.nd.gov/forms/sfn04901.pdf |
Death, injury, or property damages worth more than $1,000 |
| Ohio | Immediately | Crash Report: https://publicsafety.ohio.gov/static/bmv3303.pdf |
Death, injury, or property damages worth more than $400 |
| Oklahoma | 20 days (death); 30 days (collision with no injuries or death) | Collision Report Form: https://oklahoma.gov/dps/forms/computer-fillable-collision-report-form.html |
Death, injury, or property damages worth more than $300 |
| Oregon | 72 hours | Oregon Traffic Accident and Insurance Report: https://www.oregon.gov/ODOT/Forms/DMV/32fill.pdf |
Death, injury, or property damages worth more than $2,500 |
| Pennsylvania | 5 days | Driver’s Accident Report: https://www.dot.state.pa.us/public/PubsForms/Forms/AA-600.pdf |
Death, injury, or property damages over any amount |
| Rhode Island | 21 days | Accident Report: https://risp.ri.gov/safety/vehiclesafety/accident.php |
Death, injury, or property damages worth at least $3,000 |
| South Carolina | 15 days | Collision Report: https://www.scdmvonline.com/SCTRNS/Public/Transactions/Info.aspx |
Death, injury, or property damages worth more than $1,000 |
| South Dakota | Immediately | Crash Report: https://www.safesd.gov/ |
Property damage worth more than $1,000, any injuries or deaths, or $2,000 of total losses per accident7 |
| Tennessee | 20 days | Crash Report: https://www.tn.gov/safety/driver-services/crashreport.html |
Any injury or fatality, or property damages over $1,500 |
| Texas | Immediately (injury or death); 10 days (property damage) | Crash Report: https://cris.dot.state.tx.us/public/Purchase/app/home |
Death, injury, or property damages worth more than $1,000 |
| Utah | 10 days | Crash Report: https://highwaypatrol.utah.gov/traffic-accidents-faqs/#Report%20Copy |
Death, injury, or property damages worth more than $1,500 |
| Vermont | 72 hours | Report of a Motor Vehicle Crash: https://dmv.vermont.gov/sites/dmv/files/documents/VA-004-Operator_Crash_Report.pdf |
Death, injury, or property damages worth more than $3,000 |
| Virginia | Immediately | Request Crash Report: https://www.dmv.virginia.gov/webdoc/pdf/crd93.pdf |
Property damages, injury, death |
| Washington | 4 days | Request Collision Report: https://fortress.wa.gov/wsp/wrecr/WSPCRS/ |
Death, injury, or property damages worth more than $700 |
| West Virginia | Immediately | Report of Motor Vehicle Accident (AR-13): https://transportation.wv.gov |
Death, injury, or property damages worth more than $1,000 |
| Wisconsin | Immediately | Wisconsin Driver Report of Crash DT4002: https://wisconsindot.gov/Pages/safety/crsh-rpt/default.aspx |
Death, injury, or property damages worth more than $1,000
Government property damage of more than $200 |
| Wyoming | Immediately | Accident Release Form: https://www.dot.state.wy.us/home/ driver_license_records/formsapplications/page.html |
Death, injury, or property damages worth more than $1,000 |
Should I File a Claim?
If you’ve been in a car accident, you might want to file a claim. We’ve compiled a few pros and cons of filing a claim.
Pros
The cost of damages might be higher than your deductibles.
Your insurance provider can help cover expensive damages or injuries as soon as possible.
It might help you avoid going to court.8
Recap
If you’re worried about high-cost accidents, notify your insurance company of the incident as soon as possible. Maintain communication with your provider to find out if your policy covers damages, injuries, or other losses.
Citations
Someone Hit My Car, Whose Insurance Do I Call? J.D. Power. (2021, Apr 29).
https://www.jdpower.com/cars/shopping-guides/someone-hit-my-car-whose-insurance-do-i-callAccident Forgiveness. Allstate.
https://www.allstate.com/auto-insurance/accident-forgivenessWhat is the Difference Between a Fault and No-Fault State for Car Crash Claims?. Roden Law. (2020, Mar 3).
https://www.rodenlaw.com/blog/fault-vs-no-fault-car-insurance/What states have no-fault insurance?. Nationwide. (2016, Nov).
https://www.nationwide.com/lc/resources/auto-insurance/articles/no-fault-insurance-statesUninsured Motorist Insurance. Progressive.
https://www.progressivecommercial.com/coverages/uninsured-motorist/What Is Medical Payments Coverage?. Allstate. (2017, Oct).
https://www.allstate.com/resources/car-insurance/medical-payments-coverageSouth Dakota Car Accident Laws. Nolo.
https://www.nolo.com/legal-encyclopedia/south-dakota-car-accident-laws.htmlShould I file an auto insurance claim or pay for the damage out of pocket?. Credit Karma. (2020, Nov 18).
https://www.creditkarma.com/auto/i/should-you-file-auto-insurance-claimThe Pros and Cons of Settling a Car Accident Insurance Claim. Vargas Law Office.
https://www.vargaslawoffice.com/pros-cons-settling-car-accident-insurance-claim/Should I File a Claim? Travelers.
https://www.travelers.com/claims/report-claim/should-i-file-a-claim
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