When To Report a Car Accident, When Not To and The Consequences [Updated]

Do I have report an accident that only involved my own car and a fence which was not damaged. However my car is totaled?

The collision centre is closed on sunday and monday is a holiday is it ok to report on tuesday?
i have already called the insurance company.

I had an accident in a parking lot which was covered in ice, is the landlord liable at all? Over $3000 damage to two vehicles

What happens if an accident isn’t reported for several days?

What can happen if an injury is reported by the other driver (accident under $1000) to their insurance company, despite private arrangements to settle the slight damage? (no police report)

Noelle – most parking lot accidents are deemed 50/50 at fault unfortunately, as they are considered private grounds. Better speak to your broker/insurance provider for more details.

for an accident that happened 2 weeks ago, minimal to no damage on either car we swapped info but accepted t as a lucky day and left, how long after can you report damages unnoticed?

Hi if my bike was stolen and then recovered . But only have third party cover do I have to report it to the insurance?

I recently got in a minor accident when a car stopped short and my licence plate put a small indentation in the bumper of the car in front of me. We decided not to call the police and not go through insurance. We exchanged information.
He received an estimate a week later. Can he or myself still file an insurance claim? Does he reserve the right to get the police involved to repair the damages?

Hello Douglas,

Yes, either party may still report the incident. If one party makes a claim, it is likely that the other party’s insurance company will be notified.

I hope this helps.

Hello,
Was in a MINOR fender bender on Friday. The car in front of me had a green light, started to move then slammed her breaks on. I had some time to stop but did TOUCH her bumper. We pulled over and She and I both looked and saw NO damage. She even said there was NOTHING there. I took her info anyways and gave her mine.
the police were not called, insurance companies were not called. I had a friend in the car as a witness of statements and how light the bump was
A day later her byfriend called to say the bumper was BROKEN! There is no damage to my car at all, and the night of there was no damage. The boyfriend told me he wanted $630 cash to fix it, and also said he got a quote from a body shop in town. I called the body shop to see if the bumper was in fact broken, as I found this story VERY hard to beleive and the owner told me it was NOT broken but there were some superficial scratches.
I am now doubtfull that my car or this TINY bump created these scratches and if im just getting taken for a ride.
Do I have to pay for these damages that i may or may not have made on this car???
Im tossing around the idea of offering half, in case my car may have made some damage, but im even doubting that too.
Thanks!

Hello John,

Technically, you should always report any collision. Depending on the circumstance, another driver could report it to their insurance company and likely your company will be notified.

Hello,

You should be seeking legal counsel for this situation as driving without insurance is illegal and you will need to be represented appropriately.

Hello,
Earlier this afternoon I was in the outer left lane turning onto the cross street by my house. I started my turn on yellow and before I was finished it was red. As I was continuing, I noticed a car going straight in the opposite direction, before his/her light had turned green. I arrived home within a few minutes and a second car had followed me to my house and informed me that the first car had swerved around me as he was driving and ended up hitting a curb and “stalling” out. That driver told me that he had my license plate number and that he was an off duty patrolman who was advising me to go back as I, in his opinion, caused an “accident.” He drove off, stating that he was going to head back to where the other car was apparently stalled, and I followed shortly after to avoid having my license plate/car reported for fleeing a scene. When I arrived, neither the “stalled” car, nor the guy who followed me home were there. I circled the area twice, saw no one and noticed no skid marks or damage to the curb. What should I do?

I hit a man’s car with the back right side of m car on his back left side, scratching his gas tank door a little, I stopped my car and tried not to freak out (first accident, 17 yr old driver) I showed remorse as best I could without being preoccupied with myself and handed the man my license I agreed to pay any damages as soon as he knew how much it would cost for repairs.. I gave him my phone number and he wrote doown my information… What do I do now? I just wait for him to call me so I can pay? will it end there? I hope not to implicate my parents so as to not give them a hard time please tell me what I should do next, or if I did well ? D:

Hi, my question is if someone accuse you of scratching their car while backing out of a parking spot and you know you did not hit it but they called the cops; and now it’s a he said – she said issue; and it was reported to the police but they issued a non-reportable report. Does the insurance company have to be notifiied. There is a scratch on this persons car and they were trying to say it was me….and it wasn’t. BTW, looking at the scratch it could be rubbed out with a cloth. I don’t know if this person needed a scapegoat when telling their dad that the BMW had a scratch on it. I don’t think this person will even pick up the report from the police station. I think they really just needed a reason to tell their dad there was a scratch on his car.

I hit a parked car in a parkinglot and we agreed to pay out of pocet, but I cant afford it. Should I report it to my insurance?

Hello Cathy,

Typically the driver in the moving vehicle is considered at fault. If you go through your insurance company this is likely what they will say. You can speak to your insurance professional or claims adjuster. Ask if you have accident forgiveness on your policy… this may allow you to avoid a rate increase on your first accident.

Hello

You will have to decide for yourself whether or not you want to pay for the damage but keep in mind that even though you may pay for the damage, there is no guarantee that the other driver will not make a claim anyway.

Hello Greg,

You should call your insurance professional (broker/agent) and find out what your coverage is for your specific policy. Depending on your history and your policy, you may have an endorsement called accident forgiveness which will cover your first accident without increasing your rate. Each company is different, its best to speak to your insurance professional.

I was involved in a minor accident where I hit someone in the back while we were waiting at a red light. I released my foot off the gas by accident and so it caused me to hit him in the rear bumper. However, there was a scratch about 2 centimeters long on his rear bumper. So we exchanged information and everything. So now my question is do we both go to the collision center or just one of us?

hey; i parked my car on street parking in downtown and came back from work it hd a big scratch on bumper and it came out from driver side , but this was my first time i didnt know wat to do its been almost more than a week past since this happened. i got a estimate of 2600$ from the body shop recommend by insurance company. wat should i do now cauze i came to know u should report a accident in 24 hours to get a police report?

Actually, 2 questions:
1. Who determines the estimate for the damage in an accident? If it can be fixed for $500, but some body shop counts it >$1000, should this accident be reported to the police?
2. In a “typical” front-to-rear hit accident due to a stop short, will police issue a ticket to the “rear” driver upon reporting to collision center? No speeding, just did not break as good as the front car…

Thanks for your help here!

Hi,

I was in a minor accident in Ontario. I hit a car from behind. We exchanged info.

We both checked each others car and saw NO damage of any kind and
certainly no personal injuries. He said he will call me if there is
something next day. No police report was made and no witnesses. Its
been 5 days and he hasnt called.

Assuming he doesnt call in the next few days,
should I talk to my Insurance Agent anyway, even if he or me dont make a claim?

Will reporting to insurance company without making a claim increase my premiums?

What if he calls and asks to settle privately, or I hear from only after
many months or later claiming other damages like personal injury?

Should I call my insurance agent anyway to be on the safe side, yet risking higher premiums?

Is there a time limit for accidents by which I have to inform my
agent or police in Ontario, else they may not honor the claim?

Thanks

I was in an accident in my driveway, where someone was pulling in and side swiped my quarter panel and scratched my front bumper. I was in the vehicle but it was not started and it was stationary. What should I do?

Hello Nick,

Typically, in this situation, the driver in the moving vehicle is considered at fault. Take a look through the IBC’s fault determination rules if you like here: http://www.ibc.ca/en/car_insurance/documents/brochure/on-fault-determination-rules.pdf you can also speak to your claims adjuster as they will be the ones determining fault.

I hope this helps!

hi. i backed into a parked car that was on the road, right behind my driveway. it happened on a wednesday. I didnt expect the damages to be more than 800. i gave my info and said i’d pay it out of pocket as the damage was minimal. looking back, it would have been smart to take pictures. a long weekend happened and i hadn’t heard from them until the tuesday, where the first quote is about 1900. I’m going to call my insurance company tomorrow to notify them of the accident. am i going to get reemed out for waiting so long? how much more do you see my insurance going up? I’ve been driving 10 years and 3 years with the current insurance provider, no accidents or tickets.

I was involved in a parking lot incident when I had parked my car and exited(my car parked and switched off on a legal parking space), someone came and hit me. He promised full compensation if settled outside insurance, but after a day changed word and now offering lesser than 1/2 of the quote for my car. I feel pissed off since I was not at fault but still need to spend money to repair. Shall I report this to insurance? Will they rule the 50/50 by default and I be at fault?

I do see the insurance forgiveness in my policy. Is it safe to talk to insurance broker about minor accident and accident forgiveness? What if they report it to the insurance company. Are the premiums actually protected from increase on 1st accident? Does it affect upon renewal or company change?

A driver backed into me in a parking lot. I followed him into the parking lot from the main street. He was driving down the aisle looking for a parking spot and braked suddenly when he noticed an empty spot to his left. When he stopped, I stopped. He put on his reserve lights to back up as he was too far ahead and couldn’t drive in from his position. When I saw his reverse lights come on, I placed my car in reverse to back out of his way, but before I could move, he didn’t check his mirrors, stepped on the gas and backed into me. I was not moving at the time of the collision. I had no time to move. How does insurance determine fault? Is it still 50/50 because we are in a parking lot, or does it make a difference that I was not moving – my speed was 0 at the time?

Hello Ioric,

Typically, the driver in the moving vehicle is considered at fault, however, your claimjs adjuster will be the one determining fault so you can check with them to see what the details are of the investigation.

I was in an accident about 4 months ago we did not exchange insurance info but just swapped licience and phone info, he is now coming up to me with quotes for his car even though it was not reported, do I still need to pay it? What will happen if I don’t?

Hello Phil,

What you choose to do is a personal choice. If the other driver does make an insurance claim, it is likely that your company will be notified.

Hello, a few weeks ago my boyfriend was driving my van, and got sideswiped by a car trying to get over in the other lane, and somehow missed my big red van. They exchanged numbers, and her insurance info, and now she won’t return our phone calls or texts. We do have her address as well so we can go there, but the only problem is my registration had just expired, and I believe my insurance had as well. Is she still responsible and have to pay for the damages, or am I screwed because of the registration being out of date?

I met with an accident last week where my car skid and came to contact with another resulting some minor fender bender, we agree to settle this outside of the insurance and swapped phone numbers but his phone number seems to be wrong and he never call me. I have his insurance details though. Is there anyway I can contact his insurance to seek if the matter can be solved privately? Worried about insurance rate hike if he goes to insurance.

If you give a person permission to drive your car is he insured under your policy?

If an oncoming vehicle in the wrong lane hits you ( he was approaching a designated lane for turning but decided to get a head start before the lane was available) who is at fault or how would the insurance company process this collision. No one was charged at the seen.

Hi there, I was backed into my friends car a few months ago. We decided not to go through insurance and I paid for the damage on her car. I left mine because I could not afford to at the time. This week, another driver rear ended my car and I filed a police report and decided to go through insurance. Now I’m wondering what happens with the damage previously done to my car by me backing in to my friends car? There’s damage on the bumper from that AND the new accident. What do I tell my insurance company happened? I absolutely can’t afford my insurance going up but I would like the damage that wasn’t my fault fixed?

Hello Mom,

I would suggest speaking to your local police department as well as your broker/agent and claims adjuster as to what the best way to go about this is. Without having all the details, they will be best equip to help you.

If I was in my husband’s truck and backed into our neighbour’s vehicle, whose insurance is affected? We are on each other’s insurance policies with 2 separate companies. He has collision on his truck but I don’t have collision on my car. He has had several tickets and accidents in a 2 year span. I have one ticket and one accident from 2007 on my record. The damage to the neighbour’s vehicle may or may not be over $1,000. We saw they reported it (there’s a sticker near the damage) but they do not have either of our insurance info yet. We’d like to avoid going through insurance and are concerned about whose insurance & rates will be affected. Any ideas?

Hello Snarktacular,

I’m sorry, but a hypothetical question such as this might be best discussed with your broker directly.

If you would like to review the fault determination rules you can do so here:
http://www.ibc.ca/en/car_insurance/documents/brochure/on-fault-determination-rules.pdf

Hi Greg,

You should be fine to file a claim. Talk to your insurance professional (broker/agent). Typically you have up to two years to file a claim.

Hello Johnny,

You can always visit your local collision reporting centre at any time to report an accident after the fact, or you could wait for her to contact you… I’m sorry, I cannot advise you what to do here as this is your personal choice to make.

Hello hector,

Typically the driver of the moving vehicle is considered at fault, so you should be able to submit a claim and pursue this. Driving without insurance is illegal and that would be an issue for the police as well. Give your insurance professional a call to discuss how to proceed.

Hello Joseph

Yes, you should report this to your insurance company.

Thanks

Hello
I am sorry to hear about the accident. This is something that you are best to discuss with your insurance company regarding who would be at fault in this case.

Hello

You can report the incident to a collision reporting center. If you have the other drivers licence plate number you can provide that you the police and your insurance company.
Thank you

Hello

That sounds odd. You can check into it further with the insurance company ombudsperson. You will be able to find that on the company website.

Thanks

Hello

It is likely that your insurance company will consider this an “at fault” loss if you do not have police report indicating that it was a hit and run.
Thanks

Hello

Go to the collision center asap and let them know .
Thanks

Hello

You can follow up with the adjuster to see if any progress has been made. Ask the adjuster if you should proceed with the vehicle repairs and if you will have to pay a deductible.

Thank you

Hello
If the accident happened in Ontario the other driver will have gone to his own insurance company to have the vehicle repaired. They will likely contact your insurance company and there will be an at fault loss registered against your daughter. Check with your insurance professional to be sure.

Thanks

Hello

That is a financial decision that you will have to make. You should discuss the options with your insurance professional. They will be able to help you make the right decision for you.

Thank you

Earlier today I was backing out of a driveway and backed up into a car parked on the street and hit his car door. The damage was minimal (when looking very close you could see a shallow dent) but I felt awful and since I didn’t know who’s car it was I left a note with my contact information. I offered to pay outright for the damages, thinking it would just be a paintless dent removal which isn’t too expensive, however he got back to me saying he’s going to have to get his door replaced and a paint job, which I can assume is going to cost a lot more money then I have, so I said we’ll have to go through insurance and gave him all my insurance information. Do I need to contact my insurance company, or do I wait for him to make his claim and then they will contact me?

Hello
Anytime there is a collision both insurance companies should be advised.

Thank you

Hello

You are best to report the damage to a collision reporting center and your insurance company. If the accident is not your fault, your rates will not increase.

Thank you

Hello
In most provinces you must notify the police if the damage exceeds $1000.

Thank you

Hello

You should contact your insurance broker to see what their advice is to you as I don’t know the province you are speaking about.

Thank you

Hello

Yes, you may be liable since you rear-ended the other vehicle.

Thank you

Hello

I am sorry I misunderstood. Either way, you will be considered at fault for the damage to your vehicle.

Thank you

Hello

If you reported the accident to your insurance company they may pay the $500.00.

Thank you

I have a problem that I need help. I just got into a car accident yesterday morning. He hit me from the back getting off the freeway right when I stoped at the stop sign. Ok my problem is we exchange insurance but me at the time was so nervous I didn’t know it was expired. For some reason he also gave me his registeratiom form from the dmv having his vin #, licsen plate, name and his address. I reported to my insurance lady and now we have nothing in the other party but just his dmv registration. What can I do next? Can I call the police after the accident ? My BMW is probably over 1000 of damages and now I have back pains..

Hello

Yes. Your father should report the accident to the police.

Thank you

Hello

You can contact the ombudsperson who represents your insurance company. You can usually find their contact information on the company website. They may be able to help you.

Thank you

Hello

It depends on your province. In Alberta, is unlikely that you will see a premium increase in Ontario you might see an increase if your insurance company is notified.

Thank you

Hello

It is likely that since you rear ended the other driver that you will be at fault for the damage.
Whether or not your licence will be suspended will depend on your driving record.

Thanks

Hello

The accident is likely your fault. If you want your insurance company to pay to repair your vehicle, you will have to pay any collision deductible and you may see an increase in your insurance premium.

Thanks

Hello

If you had given permission for your friend to drive your vehicle, you likely do not have coverage for the damage to your car if your friend was impaired.

Thanks

Hello

If you were stopped waiting to make your turn, the other driver might be at fault.

Thanks

Hello

I was talking about Ontario Canada. I was told by a police officer that a collision reporting center does not contact the insurance company.

You should double check with your city for your laws.

Thanks

The rule is that you should notify your insurance company.
It would likely be in your best interest as oftentimes an injury presents itself after the accident.

Thank you

Received a call that my car was involved in a car accident. Car is driven by my daughter who at the time of the alleged accident was a work. Supposedly the car was being driven by a young male, not of my ethnicity. How do I respond to the insurance company?

Hello

Yes you can still report the incident to the police.

Thanks

Hello

If the only damage was to your vehicle there is no need to report it to the police.

Thank you

Hello

Most of the time, the driver who is reversing is considered to be 100% at fault.

Thank you

Hello. I rear-ended a driver yesterday when merging into a highway. The gas was not accelerated, just foot lifted off when I thought he merged, but didn’t at the last minute as I was trying to see past a truck to see if I could merge. When we pulled over, there were a few minor scratches on both vehicles, nothing major. The man stated he had a family emergency and when I offered him my phone number, his hands were shaking and he could barely write it down. He gave me his number while I gave him mine. No other information was exchanged. Afterwards, he took off in a hurry for his “family emergency” and nothing was reported that I know of to police. Should I be worried about anything I didn’t do that I should have done? I was honest and gave him my number, but still no phone call. Anything I should do now or just wait?

Hello

You should visit a collision reporting center and then you can report that he hit you while you were parked.

Thanks

Typically when you are hit while parked, there is no increase in your insurance rate.

Hi, I recently hit a guard rail with my car. Being that my car was the only car involved do I need to file a police report ? And if so how long do I have to do so ?

Hello

If the other driver rear ended you, you can report it to your insurance company and provide them with the other driver’s information.
If the other driver rear-ended you then they would be at fault-not you.

Thank you

Hello

I am sorry but I can’t answer that for you. Except to say that that would be a reason for your son to have contacted the police on his own after the accident. Then each party could give their story to the police.

Thanks

Hi Chris

Did they call you?

Thanks

Hi, hope I’m writing this in the correct spot. I live in ontario. Two days ago the guy to my left drifted into my lane and hit my car doing damage starting from the rear of my driver side door and continues back to over the rear wheel well. I reported it then got a call from other driver giving me heck for reporting. Now he is claiming that I hit him. Is it my word against his? What can I do to protect my self? Paul

If the other person decides to go through insurance, does Shay have to report it to her insurance company or just wait for her own insurance company to contact her?

Hello

If you pay for the damage out of your own pocket, there is no guarantee that the owner of the vehicle will not try to make a claim anyway.
Talk with your insurance broker or agent and get their advice on this.

Thanks

hello

Do you have witnesses?

hello

He should go through is own insurance to have his vehicle fixed.

Hello

You do take a chance when you settle outside of insurance. It is your decision.

If there is no damage to either vehicle then there is nothing to report.

Thanks

Hello

If there was no damage then there is no need to report to the city.

Thanks

Hi, i hit a parked car in my neighborhood while i was reversing, i damaged the mirror and the front door. The total price of fixing is $1200 so i told the owner that i hit it. Do they shar the blame for being parked on the side of the street? And is it the etiquitte for me to pay for a rental car while their car is being fixed

Hello

It might. In the interest of protecting yourself and since you are not at fault, you should let the insurance companies handle it.

Hello

Since the insurance companies are now aware of the incident, you might not be able to withdraw a claim. It may still go on your record and affect your premium.
Check with your insurance broker as in some provinces you may be allowed to reimburse them for any payout to avoid and increase.

If you rear ended her, then you are likely at fault.
Your insurance company may pay to repair her vehicle (depending on the law where you live)

Hello

If you are in Ontario, you can go to a collision reporting center. They will take your report there.

Hi,

I was making a left at a light and there was also a car infront of me making a left also so we were partially in the intersection when the light was turned from amber to red and the car infront proceeded as did I to clear the intersection but then all of a sudden a car coming towards us on the opposite side of the road ran the red causing the car infront of me to hit the brakes abruptly and I ended up rear ending the car infront of me as the guy who ran the red took off. Who would be at fault? would it just be me as the car who rear ended the car or would it be shared with the car I rear ended? I am concerned as the person I hit wanted to settle without insurance but assumes I will pay for my own damages and hers. Please advise?

Hello

You can pay for his damage outside of insurance but you should know that he can still make a claim and your insurance company could still find out. It’s a bit of a risk.

Hello

You can file a police report yourself and the police can advise you of what to do next.

Hello

If no claim is made, then it will not affect his rate. Even if you make a claim it is likely that there will be no coverage for damage to the vehicle as your fiance had violated the policy conditions by leaving the scene and drinking.

Good day,

I was driving home from work this morning when out of nowhere a deer started to run across the highway towards me. I am a paramedic, and as such i have received advanced drivers training. With that being said i attempted to drive around the deer and nearly avoided him, but the bugger ran into the side of my vehicle. At least i avoided hitting him head on. Anyway, he damaged my drivers side fender with his body, bumper and headlight with his head and hood with his antler. This may be expensive, however im wondering if claiming this through insurance will increase my rates? Ive already spoken to police and i know i dont have to report anything so im not breaking any laws here. ive been given the option to meet the police officer tomorrow and file the report if i want to claim it. I have full coverage and understand the comprehensive aspect to things. My issue is i have two collisions in the past and was threatened that any more and i was cut off insurance. This is clearly not my fault, so my question is if i claim this will i get cut off? I should also note that im a 22 yr old male living in ontario, canada.

I have a motorcycle registered under my name and insured under me, as I am waiting to take a motorcycle training class. My boyfriend, who doesn’t have a motorcycle license and is not under my insurance, borrowed it yesterday and someone cut him off and hit their brakes instantly. My boyfriend hit his brakes quickly but the front tire of the bike still tapped under the person’s bumper. They both pulled over and assessed that there was no damage to the car or the bike, so the other driver told him there was no need to call the police. He asked for my boyfriend’s phone number and took a picture of the license plate. My boyfriend left after this. The person then called him 30-45 minutes later telling him he had called the police and was trying to file a report but the police did not believe him because there was no damage to his bumper and requested my boyfriend go back to the scene of the accident to explain to police that he did in fact hit his car and file a formal report. My boyfriend did not go back, as per our understanding you don’t have to file a report if there is no damage. I have not called my insurance yet. What should I do? I am very scared as he is not under my insurance and neither of us have a motorcycle license.

Please Help to determine,

My wife was driving my car during the heavy snow fall and weather was really bad and roads were covered with black ice.. She was driving very carefully but one driver decided to change his mind at the last minute to get into express lanes exist from collector and he/she hit my wife’s car on the front right corner and my wife’s car hit the car to her left. The driver who hit my wife’s car ran away and my wife or the other car driver doesn’t have any information about that vehicle. The car which was left to my wife’s car doesn’t have any damage but most of the damage has happened to our car.

I would like to know what happened in this scenario? How insurance company determines the fault? I have full coverage on my car with 1 Accident Forgivness but my wife is not listed on my policy.

What right to have to see what ticket the other driver received. I received a ticket after being hit at the rear of my vehicle during a turn. However, i noticed that the officer also handed the other driver a ticket. Do i have a right to know what ticket the other driver received? its not on the accident report.

4 months ago i bumped someone’s bumper in a parking lot in alberta. I waited for them for over half an hour but they never came so i left mt number. They waited 4 months to contact me with an estimate. What should i do?

I had an accident due to the weather I hit my front bumper with the remaining snow that wasn’t flowed on the street while parking on the side. What can you suggest or recommend me to do?

Hi,

I was pulling out of my condo building’s parking lot. My car was on the sidewalk and I slowly rolled it onto the road to see passed a large snowbank and a snowplow that was driving by. My car was at a complete stop when my neighbour’s car rear-ended me. She wasn’t paying attention and didn’t notice that I had stopped. Will my insurance company consider her at fault for the accident or can she claim 50/50 responsibility since her car was still partially on our condo parking lot (private property)?

My car was side swiped when someone in his truck came from behind and pulled out in front of me to go into a drive thru. I was driving past the parking lot to the drive thru, if he would have waited 5 seconds it would have been his turn. He got out of his vehicle and asked me to pull forward to a clear spot to exchange information. He gave me his name and cell phone number and I gave him mine as well, he also said that it was his company’s truck, then he told me to get an estimate and get back to him so I said ok. It wasn’t until later that I learned that I should have gotten his insurance and driver’s license. I got the estimate which was around $1900, and when i called to tell him, he said that was pretty expensive for something he considered both of our fault. He said he was going to contact his HSE manager and call the police to file a report. His HSE manager called me and said that after their “investigation” they decided that I was at fault and would not cover the damage. I called my insurance company to report the incident and have been waiting for the adjustor to do their investigation, I know this isn’t my fault and I feel like I’m being bullied by this company. My friends are telling me to contact the manager of the company and to file a police report myself. In Alberta, a report does not have to be made if the damage is under $2000 and it’s been a couple of weeks now. Can I make a report still and would it even make a difference?

Hello,

Last night I was headed to a family friends house I was driving down his street and when I came near his house I had noticed I had just slightly passed his house as the area was dark. I then reversed not realizing there was a car behind me and I had just tapped his car lightly. I checked his car and my car for damage there was minimal damage a minor scratch to both our cars that could easily be buffed out. He wanted insurance information claiming it was his friends car at first then saying it was his parents car, however I preferred not to go through insurance and decided we would settle it with some cash. We didn’t exchange any information other than license plate numbers as he was leaving he mentioned that he would give the money to his parents and if it was not enough he has my license plate numbers. So I am not sure what that means if he does go to a collision center how would I know if he did?

Your friend is covered under your insurance while you let him drive your vehicle.
Having said that, typically the left turning driver is at fault so you can relax ;)

IF you don’t have any contact information for the other driver and he seemed hesitant, you can play it safe and go report it anyway to the collision centre.
If you think that the damage to BOTH cars is under $1000, no reporting is required.

In trying to decide to fix on own our report to insurance. I backed up into friends car parked in my driveway; no damage to my truck but $1500 to her car
How much% increase can I expect in policy? I have clean record I’m over 50 no claims…..

It happened in Ontario BTW

Hi I had a collision just now I was at the gas station in line there’s a long line of cars waiting for other cars to finish filling gas..after 5 minutes waiting the SUV in front of me reversed back to me..and bumped my car..he came out and checked my car and he said there’s no damage I came out and checked it and no scratch ..he said he’s back is plastic so there can’t .be damage I said OK..I came back to my car to get my phone to take picture of his license number just in case but when I looked back hes gone he drove away..should I report it to o.p.p in case he report it to police and tell different story maybe just in case.or should I leave it alone

I was in an accident which I think I wasn’t at fault about 3 years ago. No charges were laid but the other driver and myself were found 50% at fault according to the insurances. After getting my insurance renewal, my rates went up. When I searched for lower rates, I was told that I was now found completely at fault. Shouldn’t I have been advised of this in any way?

My wife stopped at a red light on a uphill slope and was front-ended by a car that stopped in front of her. The driver of that car was very apologetic and suggested moving to the nearest parking lot for information exchange. My wife reported the accident to our insurance company and provided all data in regards to the party at fault. In several days our insurance company informed her that the second party blamed her for the accident (rear-ending).
As a result we paid half of the deductible for the repair an d my wife’s driving record was blemished. So, don’t be gullible, people. And, by the way, can we complain to any agency and release the name of this liar? Any comments are appreciated.

You were at fault but the ‘victim’ went away. What more can you ask for? At times, some experienced drivers, based on the feel of the impact that the vehicle did not sustain significant damage or maybe the bump was not in such a good shape anyways, so they don’t care as much. You were so lucky they did pull a fast on you.

Witness for what? For you were at fault?

We all have a lesson to learn. If that person had alcohol in his breath, regardless, call the police. This is not hard-hearted, if he continued driving under the same condition, someone might get hurt.

The other vehicle comes out from a private road to a public road, of course the other car is at fault.

Don’t you know you have an absolute responsibility not to hit anything in the line of your traveling direction?

This is my story where I work I was in a rush getting there i park yeah, the way I parked it was a little out the line, this was on a Tuesday, now its Friday and they said “i hit a car” let me refresh my memory i know i didn’t hit a car scratch a car or anything, what i want to know before i go to HR is why are they telling me something now if it happened days ago. Is this right because it pisses me off that my car has no scratches or nothing on it, but this person i assume hit i don’t know them i haven’t seen this car i only spoke to a guy who takes reports. . . Can someone give me info on this or opinion

From phoenix az

What if both parties didn’t report a minor accident to the collision centre within 48 hours. Would the driver at fault be still responsible for any cost of damages to the other party? No exchanges of insurance involved, just names and phone numbers.. Thanks!!

I am an insurance agent and answer these questions daily. Yes you can still report this to your insurance company. Technically you are supposed to report an accident to your insurance as soon as you can. The reason you gave is understandable. The other party said they wanted to pay. You waited and now it appears they are not willing to pay for damages. Go ahead and call them. In Ontario your own insurance company pays anyway. It does not affect your insurance rate if your parked car is hit by a third party. If you identify the person, you do not have to pay your deductible.
The most important part of this issue is that the other person is driving without insurance. This is a very serious offence and you should do your part and help getting this driver off the road. It is up to a $5,000.00 fine and from what I have seen, this is the amount the court sets even for the first offence. I hope I have helped.

I think most people would agree with you that the accident was the taxi drivers mistake and was due to his carelessness and impatience. I am an insurance agent and agree with you. HOWEVER, your insurance company is correct. In fact they have actually helped you out by finding fault at 50/50. Most accident scenarios are covered in “Fault Determination Rules” and in your case as much as it sucks, Fault is with you. Here’s why. Basically the other vehicle has the right to overtake you he has changed lanes to pass and then you turned entered the lane turning left in front of them. Almost the same as turning left into the lane of an on-coming vehicle. Who the heck looks into their mirror when turning left into a driveway. it is unfortunate but it is the way it works. Just like the person who is waiting to turn left and the light turns yellow. Looks like everyone is stopping so you proceed. Someone not paying attention to the yellow proceeds through the light and hits you. You were at fault for turning into the path of the dummy who ran the yellow. Here’s another one to very careful of. You want to pull out onto a road and turn left. someone stops and waives you out. maybe its three lanes wide, A truck stops in the second lane for you and waives you out. someone is approaching the back of the stopped truck and enters the third lane to pass it. Guess what, you just entered that lane and get hit. Your fault! Just be aware of these potential issues. It doesn’t matter if the police charge you or not… its your fault.

I am not sure if you are in Ontario or not. This answer is basically the same no matter which province you are in. In Ontario we have what is called ” No Fault Insurance” what that mean is that your insurance company pays to fix your car or cover minor personal injuries no matter who’s fault the accident was. So the other person should call their insurance to have and damages repaired. The person who is not at fault will not have their premiums increase nor do they have to pay for any collision deductible when their car is fixed. If the you are in another province, you still don’t have to pay for the other guys vehicle repairs if you are at fault. Their insurance will fix their car and collect from your insurance company if you are at fault. This is called subrigation. ( Not sure if I spelled that properly) Again i’m not sure if there are other issues around this accident because you mentioned waiting for a police report. I will guess that you both are blaming each other for the accident. if this is the case, if one of you does not have collision coverage’s your insurance company will not authorize the repair of the vehicle until fault can be determined.

I rear ended someone while driving a rental. I was using the rental full coverage insurance as I didn’t have any insurance. I am now in the process of buying my 1st car and i want to know if the accident will be on my record and do i have to report it when applying for a quote?

I was recently involved in an accident where I was rear ended, but the damage to both vehicles were very minor. I informed the insurance company regarding this, but the other driver says he’s willing to settle. Should I still report it to a collision centre?

Also, what is a “Rare” hit? Do you mean a Rear hit? Grammar people.

I had a small incident in Washington DC, One jeep hit me
just the front left side corner of my car which damage my front bumper and
small dent in my car. Police reported the incident. As the other driver
explained the incident to the police that I hit him. So police said that they
were not able to decide the fault and DC is no fault state. Your own insurance
will take care of your vehicle and insurance can talk each other if they want
to. Police report will only describe that there was an incident.

Now I took an estimate from body shop. It is costing me
1500$. And a local body shop told me he can do that in 350$ he will not replace
the bumper as it is in good condition he will fix that.

My deductible is 1000$, I am now confused whether should I
report to insurance or not. I think if I go through insurance it will increase
my insurance premium.

I already had an accident 6-7 month before with my fault,
which already increases my insurance premium. Now I need suggestion should I go
to insurance or repair by my own. Will it
increase my premium for a small amount of 500-600$?

Please suggest?

Hello

Since there is no actual fault on the report, it is likely that you will be considered 50% at fault and may see another increase as a result.

ok so last night i got in to a car accident i was on the freeway on a rainy night…a woman decided to stop in the middle of the freeway on the fast lane. i tried to hit the brakes but the slippery tires slipped… and i hit her car. once i hit her another car hit me from the back as well :(…..ok the problem is i only have liability the car is under my name and the car is insured the only problem i am not in the list of drivers for this vehicle and since im the one who hit her car would the damages be coverd since the car has insurance altho im not in the policy>>>???

Just this morning I was backing out of my parking space and I did not see this car behind me and I guess I hit the cars side door. To me it did not seem like I hit the car but they kept saying there was a dent and I gave them all my information because it was a real minor accident and I had work in 10 mins. Must I report it to the police? And report it to my insurance company?

Hi, I recently bought a truck from a guy. 3 days after I had gotten it I was at a machanic guys house/shop and we had to push the truck out of the driveway for it did not have reverse. The guy told me to turn the wheel and I did so as he instructed me to do. The truck turned and went back down the hill and we all lost control. As It left from my grip the door smacked me in the back and almost knocked me over so I couldn’t get in to press the brake. It hit a lady’s car and I offered to pay cash, and her father in law accepted. But, the next morning she called me and told me that she is gonna file it on insurance and that I need to get insurance asap to keep me out of trouble. I had just gotten the truck and have not yet gotten insurance. What is gonna happen yo me?? Am I going to jail?? Am I going to lose my truck?? Can I just pay it off to her??

it was raining, could not see too well out the back window, was trying to parallel park on the side of a street, and i lightly backed into the front bumper of a guy’s care…he was sitting in the driver seat…i thought my right rear wheel bumped into the curb… i saw him get out of his vehicle (like a 2013 Jeep Cherokee), we both agreed there was no damage, did not call police, …we exchanged no information, nothing, not even phone numbers…and we walked away. Do i have anything to worry about?

Question.
While driving, someone honked their horn beside me causing me to take my eyes off the traffic infront of me for a second or two, I then looked ahead and the guy in front of me slammed on his brakes, I slammed on mine, however I couldn’t stop in time and I rear ended him. He got out, we exchanged words and agreed to pull off the road to avoid police. We pulled into a parking lot, assessed both vehicles, his vehicle looked unscathed, mine had very very minor damage. We exchanged information, including insurance, he said he would add me on facebook, at the time he said there was no damage to his vehicle. We did not report it to police, my insurance was not notified.
Several days later he contacted me stating there is now some cosmetic marks and a slight crack on his rear bumper and wants to work something out…What should I do?
As far as I know the accident has gone unreported, could he still report the accident or file a claim against me? I have no problems helping him out, whether it be with money or helping repair the vehicle, I just don’t want this to come back and bite me later on in the event he wants other things fixed or replaced on his vehicle.
As previously mentioned there was no damage to his vehicle that we observed at the time, it was a clear sunny day and nothing seemed damaged at all. I wont be giving him a cent until I see the damage myself.

I was involved in a motor vehicle accident, which was my fault. I rear ended the vehicle from a sudden slam on brakes. I have damage but the other vehicle stated that she doesn’t see any damage. No information was exchanged, nor was the authorities called for a police report, but the other vehicle did take a picture of my license plate. I reported a claim to my insurance carrier would they make me just pay the deductible or entire vehicle?

If you don’t claim it, you’ll have to pay for damages yourself. Your options are to go to your dealership and get a quote. If it’s a lot of money , or over 1000 you’ll have to report it. This wasn’t an at fault accident so you should be fine. You would get cut off insurance if this was your fault. If the damage is quoted at under 1000 I would just pay out of pocket yourself.

Well if you want to be a stickler about it, it’s actually a spelling mistake.

I was changing to the left lane on a local high way from the right and I suppose the car behind me is doing the same thing so we collide into each other. But there is barely any damage to either one of our car, beside a bit of red stain from my car on his, and a few scratches on mine. He said he is willing to just walk off, so we kinda just walk away together. I am not sure whose faults is it though? I mean I would not report it because I hate getting into troubles and there is all those insurance ba la la~~ but I am just scare he might report it even thought that person say he wont. His front right corner hit my in the mid of my car on the left side, so i am not totally sure whose at faults. I suppose since I am in front of him and I did put on my signal light, and I did increase my speed when I change lane, he should have look out for me instead of me looking out for him but the spot that our car collide just seems like it is my faults for being too slow? Please help

It is my understanding once you call your insurance adjuster to even ask a question about an accident you are deemed to have had an accident claim even if they don’t pay out. Chances are, your insurance will be affected anyway. My friend learned this the hard way as her insurance was subsequently cancelled even though nothing was paid out. Be very careful!

My son was involved in an accident tonight. He hit the car in front of him (at a very low speed) so it would seem that he is at fault. The drivers exchanged information and left with the understanding that the other driver will get a quote for the repair and send it to my son. The damage to the other vehicle sounds to be minor (less than $1000) but of course even minor damage can end up costing more than might be expected. I am reluctant at this point to notify our insurance company because I fear that we will pay higher premiums as a result of an at-fault accident even if we settle the claim ourselves (our son is an insured driver on our insurance policy and we own the vehicle). There is no damage to our vehicle (except for the license plate and some minor scratches). Fortunately we have not had any auto claims in the 12 years since moving back to Canada so the reason for not notifying the insurance company is to keep that clean record. The information I have read tonight seems to indicate that you should always notify your insurance company. Are we making a mistake by not notifying our insurance company and waiting to see if we can in fact settle directly with the other driver? If the other driver decides tomorrow to notify their insurance company, will our insurer find out anyway?

If there was no damage I wouldn’t worry about it.

Yes. it will likely impact your insurance rate as it would be considered to be at fault regardless of the damage.

My husband and I were waiting at the light and we’re rear ended by this guy. We both pulled over and got out and he was clearly intoxicated. When my husband asked for his insurance he (the drunk) tried to convince him to take 100 bucks instead of going through insurance. I immediately called the police as he was loaded and they ended up cuffing him and taking him in. We did all the necessary steps and have both seen doctors and are beginning treatment. I called his insurance company and he has yet to report it. How long does he have to report in Calgary, AB?

Hi, I parked my car in parking lot of a shopping mall and when I came out, found a dent in rear bumper of my car. I checked around on both of other two cars parked beside me but was not sure if any of those hit me. my question is:
1. is there any way to find out who hit my car? does the public parking lot have any camera?
2. how early I should claim to insurance company? would it increase my insurance?
3. it would not take more than $500 to fix the damage. does it worthy to still involve insurance company?

I reported my car accident to my insurance, but the other driver has not, even though it’s been 12 days since the accident, and I am the one at fault. What could happen to the other driver for not calling their insurance about this? And what reason could they have for not reporting this accident sooner?

I had pulled up beside a Jeep to parallel park behind it, there was an Escalade approximately a vehicle length behind me. So I started to back up and she ended up pulling forward and then tried to go around me, which resulted in both of our bumpers rubbing. Literally only paint scratches. The woman driving could barely speak English so she called her husband. He said he didn’t want to make a big deal out of it and just asked for my name and number. Now 2 weeks later he’s called saying he wants me to pay $1850 to replace his bumper. Either I can claim that on insurance, pay for it myself or he’ll go to the police.

In ontario, it is now 2000$, what if the damage is under that, do you have a limit of days to report it?

you hope your mother gets hit by a car for hitting a deer.

Internet people. Just stfu if you can’t answer his question out of common sense. Correct me too, jaf;ajkfkjajkfkjdakdjfjkdajjkajlkjkajsk.

Glad to say that the police finally paid her a visit and my vehicle is fixed.
Lesson learned-get the police to come to the scene if the damage exceeds $1000.
NEVER trust anybody’s word. She had been drinking and didn’t want the police to come.

HI THERE i JUST HIT A CAR FROM THE BACK , BUT MY CAR DIDN’T GET DAMAGED, AND THE OTHER CAR FRONT OF ME ALSO DID NOT GET DAMAGED. THAT CAR ALSO HIT ANOTHER CAR , AND THAT OTHER CAR ALSO HIT A ANOTHER CAR. THERE ARE TOTAL 4 CARS IN THE COLLISION. i WAS AT THE END . i GAVE MY INSURANCE INFO, MY NAME AND PHONE NUMBER TO THE DRIVER AT THE FRONT CAR. SHE ALSO GAVE HER INSURANCE INFO TO ME. ALL DRIVERS DROVE AWAY FROM THE SPOT OF THE COLLISION. I did not visit the local collision reporting center yet.

IN THAT SITUATION CAN YOU PLEASE TELL ME WHAT I SHOULD DO?

Hi,
I was involved in at fault collision. The Other car is a company car, so the driver said he has to call police for collision report. Both car’s damage is very minimal. (Other car’s bumper cover will most likely be replaced, due to 2inch crack)
So, since his car is a company car I’m guessing he will want to go through insurance. Assuming the other party is willing; Is there a way to avoid the insurance claim, and pay the body shop directly? Even though the collision report has been filled out?

Second question, if the collision report is filled out, but a claim is not attached to it, will it affect the at fault persons insurance, assuming insurance company does not have a ‘first at fault forgiveness policy’?

Also, police were not on scene, both parties were told to visit the collision centre to give information.

Thank you in advance.

Recently I was in a parking lot accident. A truck didn’t take a wide enough turn and we bumped bumpers. He got appraised for $1200 for a 6 inch crease in the metal. I have paint on my bumper that can be buffed out and my vehicle is old so I don’t anticipate repairs. He states I’m at fault, I state I am not. This happened 4 days ago. I am unaware if he reported the accident, but he didn’t call the cops and let me leave. This was my first accident so I was ignorantly unaware of the rules. I just anticipated letting him go deal with his insurance company, or pay it on his own. I’m in Nova Scotia and don’t know the rules or laws. I don’t want to pay more than I have to.

Thank you for any help you can give me :)

When in a car accident how is one to know how much damage is involved? For example if you have been hit in the rear and do not see any dents on the bumper how are you to know that there isn’t damage underneath the car or that the alignment hasn’t been thrown off? Should one just assume that no dents plus no scratches = no damage?

I was just in a little accident. I hit a car from behind when my vehicle would not stop when he (the car in front of me) decided not to merge and instead wait for it to be totally clear. I was far enough away but slid on the ice. His car showed no damage (it was a big BIG truck) maybe a small dent but really, nothing visible. Mine has a baseball size dent on the front bumper. He said he didn’t wanna get police involved but we should exchange insurance info just in case, so we did. What is my next step?

If you don’t know for sure, you can take your car in for an estimate.

No one else was involved, and the passengers were ok. We just swerved to avoid a deer and hit swerved off the road into the woods

Glad you found it helpful!

You folks better update this article. Ontario did increase the property damage threshold for reporting a property damage accident to $2,000.00 on September 1st 2015. See Ontario Regulation 596 Section 11.

Thanks for this. We will update.

What if the other driver was, careless, speeding, reckless, impaired, distracted?

I would like to suggest, take help of lawyer who describe you properly, what to do next?

My car got a hit and run 3 weeks from now. I didn’t report it since I’m afraid that my premium will go up. Just got an estimation from the body shop and it over $1000. Should I report it to my insurer? Does they cover for the damage? and does my premium will go up? The insurer website indicated that the accident had to be reported within 24 hours. Thanks!

If the accident wasn’t reported to the police within 24 hours of the occurrence, it might be considered an at fault accident.

hi yesterday I got into an accident I hit someone from behind due to weather conditions. He hit the person in front of him. The damage was not bad at all. The person in front of him drove away with a small almost unnoticeable scrape. He didn’t report it within 24 hours. He is now saying the damage is $1000 and he’s also saying I have to decide by 10am tomorrow to pay. He is changing his story and will not wait until I have my autobody guy look at the damage at 3:00. I want to know what will realistically happen if he tries now to go through insurance. Because I’m not paying $1000 until I get a second opinion. We don’t believe it is worth $1000 in damage and he’s trying to rip us off saying things are broken that I have picture showing they are not damaged. Will his insurance come after mine and will I have to pay the 1000 deductible please help!!

Hello, similarly I was at fault and was under my mom’s insurance as third party when I hit someone from the back with no major damage. The damage was around 1000$ or under. My mom had a clean record for the last 15 years but her premium still went up by 30$ after that incident.

If you want reliable vehicle information including accident records, obtain vehicle history report at VinAudit for just $4.99.

So someone hit my car about a month ago. They didn’t want to go through insurance so I just got a phone number and photo of their license plate. unfortunitley I waited almost a month before I contacted them and now they aren’t responding. Can I still call the police or my insurance company?

Hi, yesterday I hit this truck on accident. They came out of their street and I was fairly close but I didn’t brake too much cause I was going to make a right but then the truck cut in front of me without turning on their blinker and stopped right in front of me cause he was going to make a u turn. It all happened so fast and I wasn’t fast enough to brake and my car went under his truck and suffered damage to the hood. The thing is I don’t have a license yet and the car isn’t in my name. My uncle gave it to me and besides not knowing how to tell him, the truck driver left the scene. What do I do? I didn’t get a plate number or anything sick I was so shocked and this is the first accident I’ve been in.

Hi, I ran into a car during a traffic jam at the speed of 0, and there was no obvious damage to either car (mine had a little paint flanking, in the size of dust), and I only left my phone number and he took the picture of my car plate. His car looked old and dirty. Two days later he called me using a blocked number saying that I have to give him $1200 for replacing the whole bump, what should I do? I guess he did not tell his insurance company, or the company will contact me right?

How long after the accident can you report a accident that damaged your vehicle…in NS does anyone know? My daughter was in an accident 3 years ago, both were at fault, both cars were damaged beyond fixing….My daughter never filed a claim, can this guy all of a sudden after all this time file a claim on her insurance by saying it was only her fault.

It depends. What province you are in. Were you charged with driving without insurance?

You should check that with the province/state where you have your insurance as that may vary.

So i was driving on a neighbourhood with the right of way and one car was at the retirement home was left, one car on the right stopped at the stop sign, and a black car going the oppositete direction of me and had a stop sign and so he stopped (my point of view). The driver on the left seemed like she stop or wasn’t going to go. I was going 30-40 km/h as the speed limit was 40. I saw her brake and was checking for anyone or car around the area and when i look back towards the left side she drove off trying to cross the street and since i noticed it i tried to brake and turned right or the collision could have been worse. She technically hit me as i was driving forward and no stop sign to stop me. I reported the collision but I’m worried about my insurance since i am a young male driver.

Hi there, a neighbour hit me and said lets not go yo insurance, 4 days later she went to the police and said i was at fault, the accident is non reportable however, the officer is forcing me to give my insurance info. The problem is i have repaired my car and have no claim. Can i refuse to give my info?

So did you guys exchange the insurance cards? Did she claim through her insurance?

No one paed the insurance. Question is , who paid for the damage(s)

Someone backed into my car and took off while I was in the grocery store. There was a small dent in my hood and front grill. I took my car to the collision reporting center. Car repair shops wanted up to $4000 to fix it and my insurance said I had to pay the $1000 deductible since the other driver took off. When I refused to pay $1000 to hammer out a dent and put a dab of poly on the plastic grill my insurance company cancelled my collision coverage. When I got quotes from other providers they wanted triple what I’m paying now because my insurance reported it as being my fault!

I have full coverage and someone scratched the back of my car. Should I just tell the insurance company or do I fix it privately? I’m just afraid that my rate will go up