Whenever you’re in a car accident that causes any damage to a car or injures a person, you should report it to the police. This helps ensure that road safety is maintained, and helps you and the car insurance companies build up an official version of what happened. Informing the police helps protect innocent victims, and also helps the insurance companies cope with claims in the timeliest manner.

Sometimes car insurance companies ask for specific further information when you’re involved in an accident. They may want to know which station the responding police officer is assigned to so that you and they may follow the progress of the accident report more closely. Assuming nobody is injured, they may want you to take photographs and gather other information at the scene of the accident, such as names and addresses of witnesses, and notes about any pertinent weather conditions.

While it may seem like a hassle to contact the police for a minor “fender bender” accident, it’s a precaution that will help the insurance companies do their jobs as quickly as possible. Any car insurance comparison should include researching the insurance company’s reputation for handling claims and customer service. Savings on premiums mean little if you have to take time off work to straighten out a claims process.  It’s a good idea when you compare car insurance to check with the companies as to what the standard procedure is when you are involved in an accident as well.