- Honestly, I’ve had insurance drag their feet both with and without a police report. Sometimes it feels like they just want *any* excuse to slow things down.
- That said, if the other driver disappears or denies stuff, having a report does seem to help—like, it’s harder for them to wiggle out of it.
- City vs. small town totally matters. In my area (pretty rural), cops don’t bother showing up for fender benders unless someone’s bleeding. In my cousin’s city? They’ll at least give you a case number over the phone.
- Skipping the report can bite you if the story changes later, or if the other person suddenly claims you hit them instead (yep, happened to a buddy of mine). Otherwise, it’s usually just extra paperwork... unless your adjuster is super by-the-book.
- I kinda hate how inconsistent all this is. Feels like there should be an easier way, but here we are...
“Skipping the report can bite you if the story changes later, or if the other person suddenly claims you hit them instead (yep, happened to a buddy of mine). Otherwise, it’s usually just extra paperwork... unless your adjuster is super by-the-book.”
This is exactly what I was worried about when I bought my first policy. I kept thinking, “What if something simple turns into a mess later?” I had a friend who got rear-ended in a parking lot and figured it was no big deal—just exchanged info and left. A week later, the other driver claimed *she* reversed into him. Total headache.
I get that the paperwork is annoying and sometimes nothing comes of it, but having that official report seems to be like a little insurance for your insurance, if that makes sense. I wish it wasn’t so inconsistent either. Where I’m at, the cops basically shrug unless there’s an injury, so you’re on your own for small stuff. Still, I’d rather have too much documentation than not enough, especially as a newbie dealing with all this for the first time.
It’s stressful, but you’re not alone in thinking the whole process is kind of a mess.
Honestly, I’ve always wondered how much the “official report” actually helps if the cops barely care about fender benders. Like, is it just a box for insurance to check? Still, I’d rather have too much paper than not enough—my luck is never great with these things. Anyone else ever get pushback from insurance for not having a report, even with photos?
I’ve actually had an insurance rep get a bit prickly when I didn’t have an official police report for a minor scrape, even though I had a ton of photos and dashcam footage. They eventually processed it, but it took longer and felt like pulling teeth. For higher-end cars, I just don’t take the risk anymore—if there’s any doubt, I call the cops and get the paperwork. It’s a hassle, but I’d rather have every box ticked than give them a reason to drag their feet or deny a claim.
I hear you—insurance folks can be sticklers for paperwork. Years back, I had a ‘72 Chevelle get sideswiped in a parking lot. Even with photos and witness info, my claim stalled until I got a police report. Ever since, I don’t mess around. It’s a pain, but the hassle upfront beats months of back-and-forth later.
