Last week, I was sitting at a red light, minding my own business… and bam! — I got rear-ended. Lately, my husband and I seem to be on a streak of bad luck with our cars. Just a week earlier, he was rear-ended in his own vehicle. I even wrote a blog about his accident — check out the post on uninsured drivers within our blog page to read the full story.
Thankfully, no one was hurt, but as I pulled over and started the usual post-accident routine — checking for damage, exchanging insurance info, taking pictures — I was reminded of something I’ve seen too many times in my career:
If you skip calling the police, you’re setting yourself up for a he said / she said nightmare later.
Here’s the thing most people don’t realize:
- Insurance adjusters will always ask for a police report.
- Without one, there’s no official determination of fault — which means the other driver could change their story later. Especially, if the other driver stops responding to their own insurance company — like in my case this week — the adjuster has no statement from them and must rely heavily on the police report to prove fault.
- Without that report, the process can drag on for weeks (or even months), delaying your repairs and your settlement.
The police report doesn’t just document what happened — it’s a third-party, unbiased account. When things get messy, it’s the document your insurance company can lean on to settle things faster and more fairly.
So, my advice from both personal experience and a lot of years in the insurance business:
- Always check for injuries first.
- Exchange contact and insurance information.
- Take pictures of everything — vehicles, the scene, license plates.
- And call the police, even if it feels like “no big deal.”
Because when it comes to protecting yourself after an accident, a little extra effort in the moment can save you a lot of headaches later.
Author: Judy Sivy