What to Do After a Car Accident

If someone hit your parked car, you should file an accident report with the police, even if an officer can't come to the scene. A police report is not always required to file a claim, but it does make the process easier and might come in handy if there is more damage than you initially think.

If the person who hit your car left a note, their insurance company should pay for your expenses with property damage liability insurance. But if the incident was a hit-and-run, you or your insurance company will end up footing the bill.

What to Do After Someone Hits Your Parked Car

1. Document the accident at the scene as much as possible.

Take photos of the note left by the other driver, if there was one. Photograph any damage to your car and the overall scene, including a view of the roadway, the position of your vehicle, and any wreckage or skid marks. If possible, get information from witnesses, including names, contact details, and a brief statement. Note the date, time, location, weather conditions, and any other relevant details, too.

2. Contact the police to file an accident report.

An officer might be dispatched to the scene to investigate and write a report, or you might be asked to provide details to your local district in person or online.

3. Begin the claims process with your insurance company.

Your insurance company will guide you through the claims process and contact the other driver's insurance provider on your behalf, if the person who hit your car left a note. If someone hit your car and didn't leave a note, you'll have to file a claim using your own collision coverage or uninsured motorist protection, assuming you carry these coverage types.

4. Insurance to Use If Your Car Is Hit While Parked

If your car is hit while parked, you can use your collision insurance or uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage to pay for the damage. Both types of coverage typically have a deductible, though, which means you'll probably pay something out of pocket to get your car fixed. You'll also be subject to your policy limits, so you'll be responsible for any cost that exceeds your coverage terms.

Finally, it's important to note that uninsured motorist property damage coverage is not available in some states. And in other states where it is available, you might be unable to use it if the at-fault driver is unidentified. 

After a car accident that's not your fault, first make sure you're safe and check everyone in your car for injuries. Next, call the police, take pictures of the scene, and exchange insurance information with the at-fault driver so you can file a claim for any injuries or property damage with their insurer. You should also report the accident to your insurance company in case you need to file a collision, personal injury protection, or MedPay claim with your own policy.

What to Do After a Car Accident That's Not Your Fault 

1. Move your car away from oncoming traffic and address any injuries.
2. Call the police and file a report.
3. Get the other driver's insurance information.
4. Take pictures of the scene and damage to the cars.
5. Report the accident to your insurance company.
6. Document any accident-related expenses.
7. File a property damage and/or bodily injury claim with the other driver's insurance company.

Filing an Insurance Claim When You're Not at Fault

If an accident is not your fault, you can file a claim with the at-fault driver's liability insurance. This will cover the cost of vehicle repairs and medical bills up to the limits of the driver's policy.

Because it can take a long time for an insurance adjuster to officially determine fault, however, you can initially file a collision or personal injury claim with your own insurer to cover vehicle repairs and medical expenses, regardless of fault. Once fault is determined, your insurance company will recover the expenses from the at-fault driver's insurer, and your deductible will be refunded. 

Keep in mind that in no-fault states, most medical expenses are paid for by your own insurance policy, regardless of who is at fault. And if the driver is uninsured or doesn't have enough insurance to cover your costs, you can file a claim with your uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage, if you have it.

Yes, someone can sue you for a car accident even if you have insurance. Unless you live in a no-fault state, you can easily be sued for financial and personal damages in car accidents that you cause. If you have a liability insurance policy (which is required in most states), your insurance company will likely pay for an attorney to defend you in court. However, there are certain situations where they aren't obligated to do so.

When Insurance Doesn't Have to Pay for a Lawyer

• You did not notify the insurance company within a certain timeframe, which can be anywhere from 5-30 days, depending on the specifics of the policy.
• The cost of the other driver's damages exceeds the limits of your policy.
• You intentionally caused the accident.

If you have car insurance and you're sued after a car accident that you caused, it's likely for one of two reasons: either you don't have enough insurance to cover all of the other driver's expenses or the insurance claim process is taking a long time. If the first applies to you, your insurance company is under no obligation to help you once they've paid up to the limits of your policy.

However, the rules for filing a lawsuit after a car accident are different in no-fault states. No-fault states require drivers to carry personal injury protection (PIP) insurance, which provides coverage for minor injuries sustained in an accident. This eliminates the need for small personal injury cases to go to court, as every driver is protected by their own insurance policy. In these 12 states, you can only file a lawsuit against the other driver if your injuries are severe or your economic damages have exceeded a certain amount. The specific thresholds for each scenario vary depending on the state.

While you can't control whether or not the other driver will sue you after an accident that you caused, there are steps that you can take to put yourself in the best position possible. The most important things are to notify your insurance company of the accident as soon as possible and to understand the limits of your policy. If you do end up being sued, take the time to understand what exactly you're being sued for and what steps your insurer is taking to help you.

Drivers usually have 30 days to report a car accident to their insurance provider. Policies don't always give a specific timeframe, though, and could simply state that a driver needs to report the accident “promptly.”

You should almost always report accidents to your insurance as soon as possible, since waiting too long could jeopardize a future claim or cause an at-fault driver to lose certain protections. There are certain situations where it might not be necessary, however.

When You Can Skip Notifying Insurance (All Must Be True)

1. The accident happened with just your vehicle.
2. It was on your property.
3. There were no injuries involved.
4. The only damage was to your property.

Reporting a Car Accident vs. Filing a Claim

A common misconception is that reporting a car accident to insurance is the same as filing a claim. While filing a claim means you're making a formal request to an insurance company for compensation, reporting an accident simply means you're notifying your insurer that it happened.

In most cases, you'll want to report an accident as soon as possible in order to get the claims process started. But even if you don't initially plan on filing a claim, you should notify your insurance company just in case you discover additional damage or change your mind.

What Happens If You Delay Reporting a Car Accident?

If you wait too long to report your accident to insurance, it could cause problems down the road. For example, if you don't initially report but realize later on that you need to file a claim, the insurance company has no way of knowing whether the damage is the result of the accident or something else that happened later. Or, if the accident was your fault and the other driver files a claim against you later on, your insurance company might deny you certain protections because you failed to promptly report.

Even if you don't think you need to report the accident, it's always in your best interest to do so. Many insurance companies have mobile apps and 24-hour hotlines to make the reporting process as quick and easy as possible. Also, keep in mind that even though you're not legally obligated to notify your insurance company after a car accident, most states will require you to at least report it to the police if anyone is injured or if there is a certain amount of property damage.

When you hit a deer, you should move your car to a safe location and call the police to report the incident. You should also check your vehicle for damage after hitting a deer and call your insurance company as soon as possible if you need to file a comprehensive insurance claim.

No matter what, you should not approach the deer, since it can still injure you even if it's wounded. You should not leave the scene after hitting a deer, either, since it could potentially be injured further or become a hazard for other drivers.

What to Do When You Hit a Deer

1. Move your car away from traffic.
2. Call the police to remove the deer from the road and file a report.
3. Check your vehicle for damage and call for a tow if it's undriveable.
4. Document the accident scene, damage to your car, or any injuries.
5. Call your insurance company to report the incident.
6. File a comprehensive insurance claim, if your vehicle is damaged.

In order for the damage to be covered by your comprehensive insurance, your car must make physical contact with the deer. If you swerve to miss the deer and hit another car or object, you will need to file a claim with your collision insurance. Because hitting a deer is usually considered to be a random event, it will not significantly affect your insurance rates.

If you're in an accident without insurance and you are at fault, you will need to pay out of pocket for any damage or injuries you cause. You will also face your state's penalties for driving without insurance, which could include fines, a suspended license, and even jail time. If you are uninsured and the other driver is at fault, however, their insurance will cover your bills up to their policy limits.

Almost every state requires car insurance, with the exceptions of New Hampshire, Virginia, and remote parts of Alaska. In every other state, driving without insurance will result in steep penalties. Additionally, police officers can legally have your vehicle towed if you don't have insurance. And even if insurance is not required in your state, you will still be financially responsible for any damage you cause.

Causing an accident without the financial safety net of a car insurance policy also leaves you vulnerable to lawsuits. In no-fault states, each driver's insurance pays their basic medical bills, but drivers can sue for serious or particularly expensive injuries. However, fault laws do not affect property damage, so you will still be responsible for any damage you cause to other cars, buildings or mailboxes, for example. And in tort states, which use fault as a factor in determining who pays, you can be sued for expenses due to injuries or property damage. Even if you don't have enough money to pay for the destruction you cause, courts can seize your assets or garnish your wages.

If you caused an accident without insurance and want to continue driving, you should purchase a car insurance policy immediately. Be aware, however, that drivers with a lapse in coverage will pay more for insurance since they are considered high-risk. A history of at-fault accidents will also increase your premium. With that in mind, WalletHub has ranked the cheapest car insurance companies for drivers with accidents, for your convenience.

Cheapest Car Insurance for Drivers with One At-Fault Accident

• AAA - $715 annually
• Geico - $900 annually
• Esurance - $1,103 annually
• USAA - $1,154 annually

If you didn't get the other driver's insurance information after a car accident, you should file a police report and report the accident to your insurance company. If you have the other driver's personal information like their name and license plate number but not their insurance info, the police will be able to help you track it down.

Although not having the other driver's information can make the insurance claims process more complicated, especially if you're not at fault, you still might be protected by your policy.   

What To Do If You Don't Get The Other Driver's Insurance Info

• Call the police and file a report. You're only required to do this if there are injuries or significant property damage, but a report is always important when filing a claim.

• Write down as much as you can remember about the details of the accident and the driver's car. This includes the make, model and license plate number.

• Report the accident to your insurance company as soon as possible. Even if you're at fault, you need to let them know in case the other driver files a claim.

Filing a police report is crucial because the authorities might be able to locate the other driver based on what you remember. If they're identified, then their insurance will pay for the damage if they were at fault. But if not, your insurance will have to pay. If you carry collision coverage, uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage, or personal injury protection (PIP) coverage, then your insurer will pay for your costs. However, this will likely cause your premium to increase slightly.

Finally, it's important to point out that it's possible the other driver might outright refuse to share their information with you. If you find yourself in this scenario, then you need to keep calm and wait for the police to arrive. Escalating the situation will only make things worse, and the police will take down everyone's information to include in the report.  

Yes, you can switch car insurance after an accident, or any time you choose. You don't have to wait until your policy is up for renewal to switch car insurance companies, and you can even change insurers if you have an open claim.

What Happens If You Switch Insurers After an Accident?

There's no penalty for switching car insurance companies after an accident, in particular, but you may face cancellation fees from your current insurance company for stopping your policy early. You're also less likely to save money switching car insurance companies right after you have an accident, as your rate will include your latest mishap on the road. In other words, you can't switch insurance companies to avoid being held accountable for the accident.

Also, keep in mind that if you cause an accident, the insurance provider you had at the time of the accident will still be responsible for handling the claim, even if you cancel their coverage and switch companies. You can't switch insurance providers after an accident to have a new company manage the claim.

What to Do Before Switching Car Insurance Companies

Switching car insurance providers on the same day you have an accident might be viewed as suspicious by some insurance companies, so it's best to wait at least until the claims process begins before switching. You might even want to wait until the process is complete, so you don't have to deal with two car insurance companies simultaneously.

In addition, if you decide to switch car insurance providers, be sure to have your new policy in place before canceling your old policy. It's better to have an overlap of policies for at least a day than it is to have a gap of even one day between auto insurance policies. A gap in your insurance history will be viewed poorly by insurance companies, and it's against the law to drive without adequate insurance coverage.

Yes, car insurance can be cancelled after an accident, but insurance companies usually won't do so unless the driver has multiple infractions on their record or the accident was caused by a serious violation like DUI. If the insurer does cancel the policy, they will likely wait until it expires and decline to renew it. However, if your license is suspended or revoked after the accident, some states like California and Texas will allow your insurer to drop you mid-policy.   

The good news is that if your insurance company decides not to renew your policy, they are legally required to let you know, usually 30 days prior to the policy's expiration.

Although it's not as common for a policy to be cancelled before it expires, most states allow insurers to cancel a new policy for any reason within 60 days of it going into effect. After that point, if your insurance company decides to cancel your coverage mid-policy, you will be notified anywhere from 10 to 100 days in advance, depending on the state.

This will give you plenty of time to start looking for a new policy elsewhere. It's essential that you avoid a lapse in coverage, which will only make you seem more high-risk.

On that note, if your insurance company decides to drop your coverage after an accident, you need to find an insurer who will sell you a high-risk policy. While several major insurers offer high-risk policies, you should also consider getting quotes from nonstandard insurance companies that specialize in insuring high-risk drivers. If you're still struggling to find coverage, then you might need to temporarily enter your state's assigned-risk pool while you work to improve your driving record.

After an accident with an uninsured motorist, you should file a police report, take pictures of the scene, and swap contact information with the other driver immediately. You should also let your insurance company know about the accident and file a claim under your uninsured motorist coverage if you have it. Remember not to admit fault at the scene, and do not accept a cash settlement from the other driver or agree not to report the crash. 

What to Do After an Accident With an Uninsured Motorist

1. Make sure you and your passengers are safe and uninjured
2. Call the police and file a report
3. Take photos of the scene and the damage to your vehicle
4. Get the other driver's contact information
5. Report the accident to your insurance company
6. File a claim with your own insurance policy

When the at-fault driver in an accident is uninsured, your best bet for having your expenses covered is uninsured motorist (UM) insurance. But if you don't have this coverage, your options vary depending on your state and the types of car insurance you carry.

In no-fault states, your medical bills will automatically be covered up to your policy limits by your personal injury protection (PIP) insurance, and MedPay coverage plays a similar role in other states. Health insurance can also cover your medical expenses, though it usually requires higher out-of-pocket costs. And if you have collision insurance, you can file a claim to pay for any damage to your car.

If you do not have uninsured motorist coverage, PIP, MedPay, or collision insurance, you will probably be left paying for your own expenses. You do have the option to sue the other driver for the cost of the damage or for any amount that exceeded your coverage limits. But a driver who does not have insurance likely does not have enough assets or income to pay for the damage they caused.