Many drivers involved in auto accidents panic when the police dispatcher tells them, “if no one was injured, then we won’t come out.”
If it’s you involved in the accident, what does this mean for your auto insurance claim?
The answer, quite simply is, probably nothing.
Police reports are extremely valuable for your auto insurance claims department for several reasons.
The first reason is that it provides the claims office with a report that contains the contact information for the other driver or drivers for multi-car accidents, including their insurance policy information.
Police reports also contain accounts of any witnesses to the accident who stuck around for the police to arrive. Often, in the case of red-light disputes, or other disputed liability situations, this information is invaluable to the claims office.
And, police reports will often contain a diagram of the accident, also helping the claims department.
But, in circumstances when the police won’t come out, the claims department will still handle your claim. Most auto insurance policies require a police report only if the vehicle has been stolen or if it was a hit and run accident.
If the police won’t come to the accident, there are a few things you can do.
First, you should get the other drivers information including name, address, phone number, drivers license number, and insurance information. If the owner of the vehicle is different than the driver, you should obtain this information for the owner of the vehicle, too.
You will also want to write down the license plate of any vehicles involved in the accident.
If there are witnesses, it can be useful to obtain their contact information, too.
If your cell phone has a camera, or if you happen to have a camera with you, pictures of the accident scene can sometimes also be helpful for the claims department.
Sometimes, it’s also useful to write down your personal account of what happened while the details are still fresh in your mind.
Being involved in an accident is never the best part of your day. If the police won’t come out to investigate, don’t panic... your policy will still cover you.
If you have questions, or need more information regarding your personal insurance needs, please contact us.