I have written about this before, but it has been some time. So, I thought I would do it again.
Q: I have been involved in a car accident. Must I report it to my insurance company?
A: The simple answer is yes. Your insurance policy says that any accident must be reported. The policy is clear that you do not have to report a claim, but rather anything that may lead to a claim. So, if your car is vandalized, it must be reported. If you hit a mailbox, it must be reported.
But, the reality is different. If you have a small ding from someone hitting your car in a parking lot, you may elect to repair it yourself. If you have a small accident where you hit your neighbor’s mailbox, you may decide to pay for it out of pocket.
Why? Because if you have an at fault accident and the insurance company pays out $750 or more, your rates will go up.
So, yes, technically you have to report every accident, but in reality no one does.