subject: Accidents And Auto Insurance Requirements [print this page] When involved in an accident, one of the first things a driver should do is secure the auto insurance information of the other driver. Certain accidents will require a response from local law enforcement, but which department responds will be based on the jurisdiction in which the accident happened.
In several instances, it is necessary to file a police report. These would include, but are not necessarily limited to, the following:
Any accident in which someone is injured
Any accident where one or more drivers flee the scene
An accident where there is serious damage to either or both vehicles
These circumstances can be traumatic and collecting all the information needed may be difficult. Also, if anyone is injured, drivers will want to have a record with some details of the injury. The police report forms allow an officer to cover most possible details that would be required for the police department, courts, and certainly, the adjuster. The officer is also able to verify some information that a driver may not be able to provide at the scene.
What if a police officer is not on the scene?
Additionally, the insurance company may require anyone involved staying and reporting the accident. Or they may accept a counter report. A person may physically go to the nearest law enforcement office and complete an accident report, and secure a copy to provide to their insurance company.
Officers may respond to the scene, but if no injuries are reported and the vehicles appear to be safe to drive,they may advise those involved to go to the nearest station and complete a counter report, or they may provide the form at the scene.
It may be helpful to have a police response and a report made even if they dont meet the criteria above; these could include:
An individual admits blame but insists on offering cash as payment and will not provide his/her contact information, including insurance information, stating that they dont want to have a negative report with their carrier. If they appear to be leaving the scene, jot down the license number and details of their vehicle.
The other driver admits that he does not have any insurance coverage but offers to pay cash for damages incurred. They may not be truthful with contact information, but the police may be able to locate some information.
The police report provides a very orderly form to collect all the important data, including some crucial details. Its not unusual, in an already stressful setting, to forget which details to secure.
Most importantly, even if an officer has collected contact information for everyone involved, its best to also secure that information right at the scene. It can sometimes take weeks, or even months, depending on the jurisdiction, for an adjuster to secure a copy of the report.
by: KellieM.Atkinson
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