inlarry t1_jefllvf wrote on March 31, 2023 at 5:31 PM

Reply to comment by _DigitalHunk_ in Is this normal after an accident? by Impossible-Cry-495

Police reports mean absolutely nothing when it comes to the insurer.

_DigitalHunk_ t1_jefmqzn wrote on March 31, 2023 at 5:38 PM

Agree. But they are super useful if the other party reports a hit and run.

inlarry t1_jefnf5c wrote on March 31, 2023 at 5:42 PM

If it's on a public roadway, a police report is usually a legal requirement - but it's not going to help with the insurance side. On private property, like a parking lot, cops won't do a report at all 99% of the time because they have no jurisdiction.

madlabsci16 t1_jefq6wm wrote on March 31, 2023 at 6:00 PM

It won't always help with insurance, but it can. I was once hit by a driver who admitted to me and the responding officer that it was her fault. When I spoke with her insurance, they said they weren't going to pay because she stated the accident was my fault. I gave them the report number and told them it would be available in a few days. About a week later, they called me back and asked where I wanted to get my car fixed.

_DigitalHunk_ t1_jefwr0c wrote on March 31, 2023 at 6:44 PM

exactly ... its more of an insurance to ensure that the other party doesn't raise their ugly head..

mystic3030 t1_jefn93w wrote on March 31, 2023 at 5:41 PM

That’s not true. The police report is an official document stating what happened.

inlarry t1_jeg0djv wrote on March 31, 2023 at 7:08 PM

Trust me, I worked in insurance for 5 years. The company determines fault - not the police report. Unless a driver is cited for a violation in regard to the incident, the report means nothing to the insurer when it comes to their determination of fault. I can't tell you the number of people who'd come or call "but the police report says the other person was...", Doesn't matter - the companies decided differently, now pay up.

mystic3030 t1_jeg1y3t wrote on March 31, 2023 at 7:18 PM

Good for you. 🤷‍♂️ No police report I’ve had from an accident stated who is at fault. No one said it did either. It states what happened and if someone was cited for something. The insurance company uses it along with photos and damage assessment to determine fault. They ask for a police report every time you make a claim.