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Can I still file a claim for hitting an animal if I didn't file a police report?
I hit a deer, but wasn't able to call the police at the scene. I took a picture of the damage and have full coverage. It happened a few hours ago; can I still file a claim?
Emily Maracle · Updated on
Reviewed by Shannon Martin, Licensed Insurance Agent.
You can still file a claim under your
comprehensive insurance
if the accident happened a few hours ago.In general, you should always try to call the police
after an accident
since this ensures that the police can help provide your insurance with an accident report to verify what happened. But if you didn’t have a cell signal or you were too shaken up to make the call, you can still report the accident if it’s within a reasonable time frame.What to provide: Contact the insurance company with your photographs and a description of the incident. Anything that verifies the date will be helpful, too.
What to expect: If you recently added comprehensive coverage, note that the insurance company will be extra concerned with verifying the date of the accident to confirm that you had valid coverage for the date of the loss. For instance, if you just added this coverage last week and you’re now reporting a comp claim with no police report to verify the date, the insurance company may be suspicious and require more investigation.
If you
file a claim
, the company may send an adjuster to estimate the damages or they may recommend an approved repair shop. If your claim is approved, you must pay the deductible
, and your insurance will cover the rest.View full answer
- Gregory R.
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