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Even when a car accident seems to be minor, with no apparent injuries and little in the way of visible vehicle damage, it's still important to take a few key steps, including:
The answer to this question depends in large part on:
Many states require you to report any accident that involves an injury. Even for accidents involving only vehicle damage, some states still require drivers to report the accident if the damage is over a certain amount, typically $1,000 or $2,500.
Depending on the law in your state and the location of the accident, a report may need to be made to:
For example, in California, drivers of any vehicle involved in a car accident must make a written report of the crash to the California Highway Patrol or local police within 24 hours, if the crash resulted in injuries or death. And the accident must be reported to the California DMV within ten days if any injuries or death resulted, or if the crash caused more than $1,000 in property damage.
People who are involved in minor collisions often try to avoid reporting these types of accidents to their car insurance companies for two reasons:
It's important to understand that every single automobile insurance policy in the country requires policyholders to immediately report any accident in which they are involved when the incident could trigger coverage. Failing to report an accident to your insurance company may result in:
The only time it might be reasonable to avoid reporting an accident to the insurance company is:
For example, let's say you backed your truck into your sedan in your driveway, but the damage was minor, and the sedan is over ten years old. In that situation there's no dispute with another person about fault for the accident, and no possibility of a dispute about the cost of repairs. (It's not like hitting a parked car that's owned by someone else, in other words.) This is all assuming you have no intention of making an insurance claim for damage to the sedan.
Let's say you agree with the other driver at the accident scene that you'll just "work things out" and not file insurance claims. What happens if the other driver gets home and realizes the damage was more severe than she first believed? Or, maybe any injuries don't become apparent until days or weeks after the accident?
If, after several weeks or months the other driver makes a claim for unnoticed vehicle damage, or for injuries that have cropped up, your insurance company might deny certain protection to you because you failed to promptly report the accident. So, your attempt to avoid a possible increase in your insurance premiums may result in even greater monetary losses down the road.
When it comes to vehicle damage after a minor car accident, if the other driver is clearly at fault, their insurance company has accepted responsibility, and you can file claim directly with their insurer (called a "third party car insurance claim"), it usually makes sense to do so.
The only time it probably doesn't make sense to file an insurance claim for vehicle damage after an accident is when:
In some instances your own insurance company might turn around and recover money from the other driver's insurer (if the other driver is at fault for the accident), and they might also recover your deductible for you. But this kind of action (called "subrogation") isn't usually guaranteed.
If your car accident was truly minor, and you're comfortable doing so, it's probably safe to handle your car accident claim on your own. But if things get more complicated than they initially seemed, it might make sense to discuss your situation with an experienced legal professional. Learn more about how a lawyer can help with a car accident claim.