What Happens If You Don’t Report Your Car Accident?

The majority of people know which steps to take when they have been involved in a car accident of major proportions, but what should you do under far less severe circumstances? Are there consequences if you neglect to report your accident? How should you report a minor accident? Read on to get answers to all of these questions.

Knowing When To Report An Accident To The Police

Unfortunately, it is widely believed that calling in an accident with the police is entirely a matter of personal preference, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. In reality, there are rules regarding this matter.
In Canada specifically, these rules regard the estimated amount of damages. So if an accident can be gauged to have resulted in damages of a certain dollar amount or over, it definitely needs to be called in, and vice versa. In order to make the right choice in your province, you will need to check these set dollar amounts for your area online.
As a result of these laws having been put in place, you will be faced with severe consequences if you neglect to call in certain accidents. These consequences come in the form of a police charge for leaving the scene which comes with its own set of further consequences, ranging from increased car insurance payments, over high fines, all the way to actual jail time.To avoid such consequences, you should carefully assess the damage an accident has caused so you can make sure that your behavior abides by the laws set in your province.

Knowing When To Contact Your Insurance Company

In general, all insurance companies will want you to call in and all car accidents, regardless of severity and property damage. While too many drivers are under the impression that them paying for minor damages is simply easier, the reality is that your insurer wants and needs you to report all accidents.
However, if you do neglect to report your accident, it can result in a majorly uncomfortable situation in which the other involved driver reported the accident to their own insurance company which in turn reached out to yours. Once the other driver’s insurer has done this in an effort to settle the newly filed claim from their insured, your own insurance company will get wind of your negligence. Thus, it really doesn’t help. Instead you should report the accident and contact a personal injury lawyer in Sault Ste Marie to assist you with the intricacies of the claim. Trying to do it all on your own is difficult and that is why you need the expertise of a lawyer.