TL;DR: You do not have to wait for the police report before contacting your insurance company. You can notify your insurer using the crash details you already know and provide additional evidence when it becomes available. Review your policy’s notice requirements, track your pending report, and check any separate law enforcement or Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) reporting obligations. These requirements do not depend on when the police report is released.
No, you do not have to wait for the police report before contacting your insurance company after a car accident in California. You can provide the date, location, information about the vehicles involved, and other available facts while the report is still being processed. If you do not know certain details, tell the insurer they are unconfirmed rather than guessing.
A pending police report does not automatically extend insurance notification or California’s separate reporting deadlines. Depending on the investigating agency and the circumstances, a collision report may take days or weeks to become available. Some collisions may not result in a formal police report.
Table of Contents
California State Bar #249405
Admitted 2007
California Personal Injury Attorney
- October 2026
My Collision Report Is Not Ready, and I Am Unsure About Contacting Insurance. What Information Can I Organize Now, and What Requirements Should I Check Separately?
You can contact your insurer before the collision report is ready. Gather the crash date, location, driver information, photos, and details of known injuries or damage. You can provide missing documents later.
Insurance notification, police report requests, and California’s legal and DMV reporting requirements are separate tasks. Each may have different deadlines. Review your policy and applicable requirements promptly, even while waiting for the report.
Key Facts About Contacting Insurance After a California Crash
- Insurance notice requirements vary. California Insurance Code § 551 allows notice within 20 days after an accident, injury, or death under covered policies and invalidates shorter notice requirements. It does not set a universal deadline for filing insurance claims.
- Injury and fatal crashes may require a separate written report to law enforcement. Drivers of vehicles covered by the general rule must make or cause to be made a written report within 24 hours, subject to the statute’s specific provisions (California Vehicle Code (CVC) § 20008).
- Certain collisions require an SR-1 report to be filed with the DMV. A qualifying accident must generally be reported within 10 days, independently of insurance notification or a police report (California Vehicle Code § 16000).
- Certain hit-and-run uninsured motorist claims have additional requirements. These may include physical contact, prompt law-enforcement reporting, and a sworn statement to the insurer (California Insurance Code § 11580.2).
Why You Should Not Wait to Contact Your Insurance
You should contact your insurance company promptly because waiting for the police report can delay your claim and risk missing applicable notice requirements. Your insurer can begin reviewing available information, explain your coverage, and tell you what documents to submit while the report remains pending.
Here are the main reasons not to wait:
- Your insurer can begin reviewing the claim. The insurance company may open a claim file, review available information, and begin investigating the collision without a completed police report.
- You can meet applicable notice requirements. Review your policy rather than assuming every insurer requires notification within 24 to 72 hours. California law provides a 20-day notice period for policies covered by California Insurance Code § 551 and invalidates shorter notice requirements within its scope.
- You can help preserve important evidence. Early notification may allow the insurer to inspect vehicle damage, contact witnesses, or review available records before evidence becomes unavailable.
- You can ask about available policy benefits. Depending on your coverage, the insurer may arrange a vehicle inspection or explain available rental reimbursement, collision coverage, or medical payments benefits.
- You can avoid unnecessary delays. Waiting for the police report may postpone parts of the insurance investigation. Delayed notice may also create coverage disputes depending on applicable law, policy terms, and the circumstances.
You can provide the basic crash details you know and explain that the police report is pending. Ask how to submit the completed report and other supporting documents once they become available.
Insurance notification does not replace any required report to law enforcement or the California DMV. These obligations have separate requirements and deadlines.
What Should You Do if You Contacted Your Insurer Late?
You should still notify your insurer if you have not reported the accident, even if the police report remains pending. Provide the crash details you know, explain the reason for the delay, and identify any documents that are not yet available.
Late notification does not automatically mean your insurance claim will be denied. Whether it is too late to file an insurance claim depends on applicable law, your policy’s notice requirements, the type of coverage, and the circumstances of the accident.
If your insurer raises concerns about delayed reporting, review your policy and ask which requirements may affect your claim.
If you need to confirm your next step now, Arash Law’s team is available 24 hours a day. Call (888) 488-1391 for a free case evaluation.
What to Review While a Collision Report Is Still Pending
While the collision report is pending, review your insurance policy’s notice requirements, separate law enforcement and DMV reporting deadlines, and available crash evidence. Confirm how to request the report and submit later updates. You can notify your insurer and organize supporting documents before the completed report arrives.
What Requirements Should You Check Separately?
Check your policy’s notice and cooperation requirements, law enforcement reporting duties, and DMV filing obligations separately. Also confirm attorney authorization, the investigating agency’s report-request process, and how to submit later evidence.
| Task | What to Review or Do |
|---|---|
| Insurance Notification | Check the applicable policy’s notice and cooperation provisions. Provide the insurer with the available facts and keep a record of the contact. |
| Attorney Authorization | If you hire a lawyer, confirm their authority to request records and communicate with insurers on your behalf. Representation does not automatically eliminate policyholder obligations. |
| Requesting the Police Report | Identify the investigating agency, record the incident number if available, and check the agency’s process for requesting a copy. |
| Providing Later Evidence | Ask how to submit the completed report, new medical records, photographs, repair estimates, and other documents. |
| Law Enforcement Reporting | Determine whether the collision requires a written injury or fatal crash report within 24 hours (California Vehicle Code § 20008). |
| DMV Reporting | Determine whether an SR-1 is required within 10 days due to injury, death, or qualifying property damage (California Vehicle Code § 16000). |
Car accident lawyers can help you review these obligations and determine which requirements apply to your case.
Each requirement should be reviewed separately. For example, reporting an accident to your insurer does not replace an SR-1 filing with the DMV. Similarly, requesting an existing collision report is different from making a legally required report to law enforcement.
What Information Can You Organize Now and Add Later?
While waiting for the police report, you can start organizing information about the crash date, location, driver and insurance details, photos, witness contact information, and initial injury details. Add the completed collision report, updated medical records, repair estimates, and other evidence as they become available.
| Organize Now | Add When Available |
|---|---|
| Crash date, time, and location. | Completed collision report. |
| Names and contact information of the involved drivers. | Additional witness statements. |
| Vehicle and insurance information. | Updated medical records and bills. |
| Scene photographs and available dashcam footage. | Additional surveillance or dashcam recordings. |
| Witness names and contact information. | Repair estimates and final invoices. |
| Responding agency and incident number, if known. | Corrections or supplements accepted by the reporting agency. |
| Insurance notification date and claim number, if assigned. | Additional documents requested by the insurer. |
| Initial notes about injuries, damage, and events. | Newly confirmed accident details. |
Your initial notification can include known facts, such as when and where the crash happened, who was involved, and any injuries or damage. If certain details remain unclear, identify them as unconfirmed rather than guessing.
As new information becomes available, you can supplement your claim with additional evidence, newly confirmed facts, or corrections to earlier statements.
Ask your insurer how to submit these updates and whether additional statements or documents are required under your policy. Continue to follow applicable notice and cooperation requirements. Keep copies of everything you submit and record when you provided it. If a detail is unknown, mark it as unconfirmed rather than guessing.
You can also keep separate records for medical treatment, vehicle expenses, missed work, and other crash-related losses. These records may help document your claim as the investigation continues. You may still be able to file a car accident claim without a police report using other available evidence.
How Can You Track a Pending Collision Report?
You can track a pending collision report by recording the investigating agency, report request, and follow-up dates. This helps you know when to check its status and provide the completed report to your insurer.
First, identify the agency that investigated the crash. If the California Highway Patrol (CHP) handled it, eligible parties can request a report through its online Crash Portal or submit Form CHP 190 in person or by mail. If a local police department or sheriff’s office investigated, check that agency’s records procedures instead.
Next, use this log to track the request and its progress:
| Stage | Information to Record |
|---|---|
| 1. Identify the report. | Investigating agency, crash date and location, and incident number. |
| 2. Request the report. | Request date, method used, and confirmation number, if provided. |
| 3. Check its status. | Current status, last contact, and estimated availability, if provided. |
| 4. Schedule follow-up. | Next follow-up date and agency contact information. |
| 5. Receive the report. | Date received and any factual errors requiring review. |
| 6. Update your claim. | Date the report was provided to the insurer and confirmation of receipt, if available. |
You can continue to communicate with your insurer and respond to claim-related requests while the police report is pending. In the meantime, check the report’s status and follow the appropriate steps to obtain a traffic accident report in California so you can provide it to your insurer when it’s available.
What if You Hire an Attorney While the Report Is Pending?
An attorney can help manage insurer communications, request records, and review reporting obligations after you authorize representation. Your lawyer may also coordinate the submission of additional evidence once it becomes available.
Hiring an attorney does not automatically fulfill your insurance notification or cooperation requirements. Your insurer may require authorization to communicate with counsel, and some policy obligations may still require your participation.
If you hire a car accident attorney, confirm who will handle the insurance notification, police report request, and follow-up submissions. This helps prevent missed communications or duplicated requests.
What California Reporting Requirements Apply While the Police Report Is Pending?
California has separate reporting requirements that may apply even before the completed police collision report becomes available, including a written law enforcement report and a separate DMV SR-1 filing.
| Requirement | When It Applies | Deadline |
|---|---|---|
| DMV SR-1 Filing | The crash caused injury, death, or more than $1,000 in property damage, subject to applicable exceptions. | Generally within 10 days. File with the DMV (California Vehicle Code § 16000). |
| Written Report to Law Enforcement | The collision caused injury or death and falls under the applicable reporting law. | Generally, within 24 hours, report to the CHP or appropriate city police department (California Vehicle Code § 20008). |
The SR-1 requirement applies to drivers regardless of who was at fault, and a report made by the responding officers does not satisfy it. If an SR-1 is required and you do not file it, the DMV may suspend your driving privilege. Check the DMV’s current SR-1 criteria and filing instructions, and file within the deadline even if the police report is still pending.
A required written report to law enforcement is different from a request for a copy of the completed police investigation report. Confirm whether any required reporting has already been completed.
What Evidence Should You Preserve While the Police Report Is Pending?
You should preserve crash-related evidence that could be lost or changed before the police report becomes available. Photographs, witness details, video footage, and medical records may help your insurer investigate the collision.
Some evidence needs prompt attention:
- Dashcam and Surveillance Footage: Save available recordings and ask relevant businesses about preserving footage. Retention periods vary, and some systems automatically overwrite recordings.
- Vehicle Damage: Photograph damage before repairs or disposal, when reasonably possible.
- Witness Information: Record contact details while witnesses are still reachable.
- Medical Documentation: Keep treatment records, bills, and recommendations as your care continues.
An attorney may help identify additional evidence and request that relevant records be preserved. However, a preservation request does not guarantee that footage exists, remains available, or will be released voluntarily.
Evidence collected independently of a police report can also help clarify disputed details. In Arash Law’s $6,500,000 wrongful death recovery involving a tractor-trailer rear-end collision on a California freeway, the CHP found the truck driver responsible. Our investigation uncovered additional evidence, including company records initially withheld, that challenged the defense’s account and helped secure the settlement.
This case illustrates why preserving evidence early can matter, whether or not a police report is available. You can organize available records and provide them to your insurer without waiting for the official report. Arash Law’s attorneys may also send preservation requests to businesses and public agencies to help prevent the loss of relevant footage.
Our case results provide additional examples of California accident claims involving evidence investigations.
Past results do not guarantee future outcomes. Every case depends on its specific facts and circumstances.
Frequently Asked Questions About Police Reports and Insurance in California
Does a Police Report Automatically Go to My Insurance Company?
No, you should not assume that the investigating agency will automatically send the police report to your insurer. You, your attorney, or the insurer may request the report, depending on the circumstances.
Ask your adjuster whether the insurance company will obtain the report or expects you to provide it. Confirm who will handle the request and follow-up.
Does Waiting for a Police Report Affect My Deadline to File a Car Accident Lawsuit?
No. Waiting for a police report generally does not extend California’s legal filing deadlines. These deadlines are separate from notifying your insurer and depend on the type of claim:
- Personal Injury Claim: Generally, two years from the date of injury to file a lawsuit (California Code of Civil Procedure § 335.1).
- Property Damage Claim: Generally, three years from the date of damage to file a lawsuit (California Code of Civil Procedure § 338(c)(1)).
- Government Claim: Generally, six months to present a personal injury or qualifying property damage claim to the responsible public entity. For lawsuits, separate deadlines apply (California Government Code §§ 911.2 and 945.6).
You can contact your insurer while the police report is pending, but you should track these separate legal deadlines. Exceptions may apply.
How Long Does It Take to Get a California Police Report After a Crash?
A California police report may take days or weeks to become available, depending on the investigating agency and the complexity of the crash. There is no single processing timeline that applies to every CHP, police, or sheriff’s department investigation.
Contact the investigating agency for the status of the report and any applicable release requirements. Record the information in your report-status log.
Can I File an Uninsured Motorist Claim Without a Police Report?
Yes, some uninsured motorist (UM) or underinsured motorist (UIM) claims can proceed without a completed police report. Insurers may review photographs, witness accounts, medical records, and other evidence when evaluating coverage and damages.
However, qualifying hit-and-run bodily injury claims involving an unidentified driver are subject to additional statutory requirements. California’s unknown-driver UM bodily injury provisions generally require:
- Physical contact involving the unidentified vehicle.
- A report to the appropriate law enforcement agency within 24 hours.
- A sworn statement to the insurer within 30 days after the accident.
These requirements do not apply to every UM or UIM claim. These statutory requirements are separate from the process of obtaining a finalized police report. Review your policy and seek legal advice promptly if an unidentified driver was involved.
What Should I Do if the Police Report Contains Mistakes?
You can contact the investigating agency to ask about correcting factual mistakes or submitting additional information. Errors may involve names, dates, vehicle descriptions, or other details that you can check against supporting documents.
An agency may have procedures for corrections or supplemental statements. However, it may not change an officer’s findings simply because a driver disagrees.
Keep copies of the original report, your correction request, and any response from the agency. An attorney can also review disputed findings and assess their effect on your insurance claim.
Can I Pursue an Insurance Claim Without a Police Report, and Will It Cause Delays?
Yes. You can notify your insurer and pursue a claim without a police report, although missing evidence may delay fault decisions. If no report exists, preserve photos, witness details, and driver information. Contact the appropriate law enforcement agency about reporting requirements, and check separate DMV obligations. Do not wait for a report that may never be written.
If I Hire a Personal Injury Lawyer, Do I Pay Anything Upfront?
Arash Law handles personal injury cases on a contingency fee basis, so clients do not pay upfront attorney fees. If the firm recovers compensation, the attorney fee is determined by the written agreement.
Under the firm’s stated contingency arrangement, if no compensation is recovered, no attorney’s fee is owed. Review the written agreement for the applicable terms, including how case expenses and costs are handled (California Business and Professions Code § 6147).
Get Help with Your California Car Accident Claim
You can contact your insurer and gather evidence even while the police report is pending. Arash Law’s attorneys can help review insurance requirements, request records, and evaluate your claim. Our firm has recovered over $1 billion for injured clients throughout California.
Call (888) 488-1391 for a free case evaluation. Our team is available 24/7.
Sources
- California Insurance Code § 551 — Insurance Notice Requirements.
https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?lawCode=INS§ionNum=551.- California Department of Insurance — So You’ve Had an Accident, What’s Next?
https://www.insurance.ca.gov/01-consumers/105-type/95-guides/01-auto/hadaccident.cfm- California Department of Motor Vehicles — Report of Traffic Accident Occurring in California (SR-1).
https://www.dmv.ca.gov/portal/dmv-virtual-office/accident-reporting/- California Vehicle Code § 16000 — DMV Accident Reporting Requirements.
https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?lawCode=VEH§ionNum=16000.- California Vehicle Code § 20008 — Written Reports to Law Enforcement.
https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?lawCode=VEH§ionNum=20008.- California Highway Patrol — Request a Crash Report.
https://www.chp.ca.gov/traffic/request-a-crash-report/- California Insurance Code § 11580.2 — Uninsured and Underinsured Motorist Coverage.
https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?lawCode=INS§ionNum=11580.2- California Code of Civil Procedure § 335.1 — Personal Injury Lawsuit Deadline.
https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?lawCode=CCP§ionNum=335.1- California Code of Civil Procedure § 338(c)(1) — Property Damage Lawsuit Deadline.
https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?lawCode=CCP§ionNum=338.- California Government Code § 911.2 — Government Claim Presentation Deadline.
https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?lawCode=GOV§ionNum=911.2- California Government Code § 945.6 — Lawsuit Deadlines Following Government Claims.
https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?lawCode=GOV§ionNum=945.6- California Business and Professions Code § 6147 — Contingency Fee Agreements.
https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?lawCode=BPC§ionNum=6147.Disclaimer
Past results do not guarantee future outcomes. Every case is different. The information on this page is for general educational purposes and does not constitute legal advice. No attorney-client relationship is formed by reading or relying on this content. If you were injured, consult a licensed California personal injury attorney about your specific situation.
