Someone Hits You. Who Reports the Claim?

Posted Jan. 28, 2008, at 7 a.m.

It's no surprise that accidents wreak havoc on your day. Amid the confusion in the aftermath of an accident, you're dealing with several tasks — calling the cops, moving out of traffic, exchanging information with other drivers, etc. So, once everything settles down, who reports the claim?

If someone hits you and it's pretty clear that person is at fault, is it his responsibility to report the claim, or should you report the claim?

According to your auto policy, it's your duty to report all claims to your insurance company, regardless of fault. People often think that they're not required to report a claim to their own insurance company if they're not at fault for the claim. However, this is incorrect. When you purchase an insurance policy, make sure you read the section addressing your duties in a claim to understand what circumstances call for you to report a claim.

So, if you're involved in an accident, each person should report the claim to his own insurance company. If the accident isn't your fault and another company is willing to cover your damage, you can choose to use that company instead of your own, and it should be fairly easy for your own company to close your claim.

What many people don't know is this: You can report a claim to another person's insurance company. If someone rear-ends you, you don't have to wait for that person to report the claim to his company. If you exchanged insurance information, you can report the claim to the other person's company. If he's already reported it, they can provide you with the proper claim information. If he hasn't already reported the claim, you just have.

Often, people wait to hear from another person's insurance company if they think the other driver is at fault. Days pass, and no contact is received. Most likely, that's because the other driver hasn't reported the claim, but you don't have to wait for the other person to report the claim — you're free to call the company yourself.

If you weren't able to get the information at the scene of the accident, it's possible the other person's insurance information is listed on a police report if one was written. You can try to obtain the police report through the police station or through your own insurance company if you already reported the claim, as they often order police reports soon after a claim is opened.

If you're a Progressive customer, we can always give you advice on how to proceed with a claim if you're not sure what to do. We can help you decide if you should use your own insurance or if you should work with another company to cover your damages. Simply contact us for help 24/7 at 1-800-PROGRESSIVE (1-800-776-4737), or report your claim online.

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