How to Prepare an Auto Insurance Claim

Photograph all vehicle damage immediately at the scene — from at least four angles (front, rear, driver side, passenger side), plus close-up shots of every point of impact and a wide shot showing the full vehicle in the surrounding environment. Photograph the other vehicle(s) involved using the same approach. These images establish the pre-repair condition of all vehicles and are the primary evidence your adjuster will rely on.

Exchange and record the other driver's full name, address, phone number, insurance company, policy number, and vehicle license plate. Photograph their insurance card and driver's license. If there are witnesses, record their names and contact information. Do not rely on memory — get everything in writing or captured as photos at the scene.

Obtain the police report number if law enforcement responds. If a report is filed, note the department, the responding officer's name, and the date. You can request a certified copy of the report from the issuing department, typically within a few days of the incident. Some insurers require this document before processing liability claims.

If your vehicle has a dashcam, preserve the footage immediately. Most dashcams overwrite older footage automatically — copy the relevant clip to a separate storage device or upload it to cloud storage before the loop erases it. Note the date, time, and location of the incident so the footage can be matched to your claim record.

Collect repair estimates from at least two licensed repair shops. Your insurer may have a preferred repair network, but you are entitled to choose your own shop in most states. Estimates provide a baseline for the adjuster's assessment and help you identify whether the insurer's settlement offer is adequate.

Notify your insurance company as soon as reasonably possible after the accident — most policies require notification within 24 to 72 hours, and some specify even shorter windows. Check your declarations page or policy documents for the exact notification requirement. Late notification can give the insurer grounds to deny coverage, even if the underlying claim is valid.

If injuries occurred or the other driver disputes fault, call 911 at the scene. A police report documents the official account of the incident, which is particularly important when liability is contested. In many states, you are legally required to report accidents above a certain dollar threshold to the DMV or local authorities — check your state's vehicle code for specifics.

Contact the other driver's insurance company only to confirm coverage. Provide basic facts — date, location, and your contact information — but do not give a recorded statement to the other insurer without first consulting your own insurer or an attorney. Statements to adverse insurers can be used to reduce your settlement.

If your claim is denied or you believe the settlement offer is inadequate, contact your state's Department of Insurance to file a complaint or request mediation. The DOI is the regulatory body overseeing insurer conduct in your state and can compel insurers to respond to complaints within a set timeframe.

After you file the claim, your insurer will assign a claims adjuster. The adjuster's role is to investigate the accident, assess the damage to all vehicles, and determine the settlement amount. You will typically receive an assignment notice within one to three business days of filing.

The adjuster will schedule a vehicle inspection, usually within five to ten business days. Some insurers use photo-based estimates submitted through a mobile app rather than in-person inspections for minor damage. Major accidents, disputed liability, or total-loss claims almost always involve in-person inspection.

Once the adjuster completes the assessment, they will provide a damage estimate and a settlement offer. For repairable vehicles, the offer represents the cost to restore the vehicle to its pre-accident condition. For total-loss vehicles — where repair costs exceed a percentage of the vehicle's actual cash value, as determined by state law or insurer policy — the offer will be based on the vehicle's market value at the time of the loss.

If you accept the settlement, payment is typically issued within five to ten business days. If your vehicle is at a repair shop, payment may go directly to the shop. For total-loss settlements, the insurer will coordinate the title transfer. If you disagree with the offer, you have the right to negotiate, provide counter-evidence (additional estimates, comparable vehicle listings), or invoke appraisal provisions in your policy.

Liability determination — deciding who is responsible for the accident — is separate from the damage assessment. If the other driver is at fault, your insurer may pursue subrogation (recovering the claim cost from the at-fault driver's insurer) after paying you. This process does not affect your claim timeline unless liability is actively disputed.