Updated October 16, 2026.
Calling an insurer after a collision does not necessarily complete your DMV or police reporting responsibilities. Keep a separate record for each agency or company you contact, including the date, reference number and documents submitted. This avoids a common misunderstanding: assuming that someone else’s report completed your own required step.
Address immediate safety and emergency needs
Stop safely, obtain emergency help when needed and follow responders’ directions. Do not leave simply because you exchanged a phone number, and do not put yourself in traffic to document the scene. Reporting duties depend on the circumstances; ask the responding agency how to complete any required follow-up.
Our after-accident guide helps organize the next steps once immediate needs are addressed. Describe events truthfully without guessing about fault, speed or injuries you cannot assess.
The DMV SR-1 is a separate report
The California DMV accident-reporting page states that an SR-1 is required within ten days when someone is injured, someone dies or property damage exceeds $1,000. The DMV filing is separate from reports to police and insurers.
Use the DMV’s current instructions and keep your submitted copy and confirmation. If damage is still being evaluated, do not assume the absence of a final repair bill removes the need to check the requirement. If you missed a deadline, seek guidance promptly rather than creating an inaccurate date.
A police report has its own agency and reference number
Record who responded and the incident number provided. The CHP report-request page explains how to seek its crash records. A city police department or other agency may have a different process.
A report can contain statements, observations and information collected later. It does not guarantee a particular civil-liability result. If you find a factual error, ask the agency about correction or supplemental-information procedures and preserve the documents supporting your concern.
Notify the insurer and track its requests
Identify your insurer’s reporting and cooperation requirements from the policy and current instructions. Record the claim number, assigned representative and any response date. A claim with your own insurer should not automatically be treated like a claim against another driver.
Keep the entire message or letter, including attachments. When asked for a statement, authorization or signature, identify who is requesting it and what it covers. Ask about unclear duties before refusing, signing or providing an estimate as an established fact.
Reconcile inconsistent entries without rewriting history
Compare dates, names, plates, location and policy information across the records. Flag differences and explain how you know the correct information. Keep original copies rather than silently changing an earlier account.
Separate property damage from injury records, even when one insurer handles both. A repair payment, an injury release and a DMV filing serve different purposes. None should be assumed to extend a lawsuit deadline or resolve every issue arising from the collision.
Get help when the process is unclear
Contact Fairmont Law Firm for a free case review at (800) 324-7666. Intake assistance is available 24/7 in English and Spanish. Bring confirmations, claim correspondence and the report number so missing steps can be identified without guessing.
General information, not legal advice. Additional reporting requirements may apply to your circumstances.