How to file a car insurance claim, step by step

To file a car insurance claim, report the loss to your insurer (or the other driver's insurer) as soon as you can by app, website or phone, give the basic facts, and get a claim number. An adjuster then reviews the damage, decides what the policy covers and issues payment, usually to you or your repair shop, minus any deductible. The steps below take you from the scene to the final check, with what to gather at each stage.

Before you call: what to have ready

Your insurer will ask for the same core facts whether you call or use the app. Collecting them first makes the first report faster and more accurate. The after-accident checklist and information form has a printable version.

Step by step

1. Make the scene safe and get help. Check for injuries, call 911 if anyone is hurt or the road is blocked, and move vehicles out of traffic if it is safe and legal to do so. Whether you must call the police or file a state accident report depends on your state and the circumstances; see do you need a police report after a car accident?.

1. Document everything before vehicles are moved, if possible. Photograph the cars from all sides, the positions of the vehicles, license plates, the other driver's insurance card and the surrounding area. Avoid arguing about fault at the scene.

1. Decide whose insurer you are claiming against. If the other driver caused the crash, you can file a third-party claim with their insurer, file a first-party claim with your own insurer, or both. Your own policy usually still requires you to report the accident even if you plan to claim against the other driver. The trade-offs are covered in first-party vs third-party claims.

1. Report the claim promptly. The first report is called the first notice of loss. Most policies require "prompt" notice of any accident or loss, and late reporting is one of the avoidable reasons claims run into trouble. Use the app or website if your insurer offers it; you can upload photos at the same time.

1. Write down the claim number and your adjuster's name. The claim number is how every document, payment and phone call is tracked. Ask how to reach the claims adjuster directly and how they prefer to receive documents.

1. Arrange the inspection or estimate. Depending on the damage and the insurer, this may be a photo estimate through the app, a drive-in inspection site, an appraiser who visits the car, or an estimate written by your chosen repair shop. Under the NAIC's model claims regulation, an insurer that settles a partial loss from its own written estimate must give you a copy of that estimate (NAIC Model Regulation 902).

1. Choose a repair shop. You can use the insurer's network shop or one you pick; several states bar insurers from requiring a particular shop. See choosing a repair shop: direct repair programs and your rights.

1. Line up transportation. Rental reimbursement on your policy, or loss-of-use payment from an at-fault driver's insurer, can cover a rental. Confirm the daily limit and how many days are allowed before you pick up a car.

1. Review the settlement. For a repair, the insurer pays the estimate minus your deductible on a first-party claim. If the shop finds hidden damage, it sends a supplement for approval. If the car is totaled, the process changes; see what happens when your car is totaled.

1. Get paid and close the file. Payment may go to you, to the shop, or jointly to you and your lienholder if the car is financed. Keep copies of the final estimate, repair invoice and payment records. If the other driver was at fault and you paid a deductible, your insurer may try to recover it from their insurer through subrogation.

How long insurers have to respond

States set minimum response times for insurers, though the exact deadlines differ. The NAIC model regulation, which many states have adapted, calls for an insurer to acknowledge a claim within 15 days and to accept or deny a first-party claim within 21 days after receiving proof of loss, or explain in writing why it needs more time. California's rules (10 CCR 2695.5 and 2695.7) require acknowledgment within 15 calendar days and a decision within 40 days of receiving proof of claim. The full picture, including Texas's business-day deadlines, is in how long does a car insurance claim take?.

Common mistakes that slow a claim down

• Waiting to report. Even if you are not sure you will claim, report the accident; you can decide later whether to pursue payment.
• Guessing about facts you do not know. It is fine to say you are not sure about speed or distances.
• Authorizing repairs before the insurer has seen the damage, unless the insurer agrees. Emergency steps to prevent further damage, such as covering a broken window, are generally expected.
• Letting the car sit at a tow yard. Storage fees can add up quickly; ask the adjuster to move it.
• Signing a release before you understand it, especially if anyone was hurt.

When to stop and get help

If the insurer denies the claim, delays without explanation, or offers far less than your estimate, ask for the reasons in writing and the policy provisions it relies on. You can escalate within the company, file a complaint with your state insurance department, or, for value disputes, use the policy's appraisal clause. Serious injury claims are where a consultation with a licensed attorney is most often worthwhile.

Not sure whether the claim is worth filing at all? Run the numbers with the Should I file a claim? calculator or read should you file a claim or pay out of pocket?.

Key takeaways

• Report accidents promptly to your own insurer, even if the other driver was at fault.
• Gather policy details, the other party's information, photos and the police report number before you call.
• Get a claim number and your adjuster's direct contact, and keep every estimate and invoice.
• You are entitled to a copy of the insurer's estimate in states following the NAIC model, and many states let you choose the repair shop.
• If you hit a wall, ask for the decision and the policy provision in writing before escalating.