Car Accidents

What is the law for reporting an accident in Indiana?

Learn about your legal obligations for reporting a car accident in Indiana and how you can access an accident report.
Letha Maier

TGL Attorney

Letha Maier

what is the law for reporting an accident in Indiana

What is the law for reporting an accident in Indiana?

According to car accident laws in Indiana, drivers must report an accident to the police if it involves injury, death, or entrapment. To fully understand your obligations after a crash, contact Team Green Law.

If there are no injuries, reporting the accident may not be legally required. However, filing a report is strongly recommended if you plan to seek compensation for damages. If you have questions about Indiana law, it’s best to speak with an experienced car accident lawyer.

Do you have to call the police after an accident in Indiana?

Under Indiana accident reporting requirements, drivers must report a car accident to the police if there is an injury, death, or entrapment involved. This ensures that the proper documentation is made and authorities can assess the situation. If you’re unsure whether the situation meets the criteria, it’s always wise to err on the side of caution and contact the police.

However, if there are no injuries and no property damage that requires immediate attention, the law in Indiana does not require you to file a police report. While it’s not a legal requirement to call the police in these situations, reporting the accident to law enforcement is highly recommended if you want to pursue compensation for any damages, injuries, or property loss you may have suffered.

How do I report an accident to the BMV in Indiana?

If you are involved in an accident in Indiana, and there is property damage exceeding $1,000, or if anyone is injured, Indiana law mandates that you report the accident to the Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles (BMV). To report an accident, you need to complete an Indiana BMV accident report form, which can be found on the Indiana BMV website or at your nearest BMV branch office. This report is necessary for ensuring that your vehicle’s registration remains valid and for meeting the state’s insurance requirements.

How long does it take to get a crash report in Indiana?

Typically, a Indiana crash report will be available within 7–10 business days. The Indiana State Police holds all car accident reports, and they are made available online for a fee through the BuyCrash.com

website. In some local municipalities, you can also request a crash report directly from the local police headquarters. Having access to a detailed accident report can be helpful when filing claims with your insurance company or seeking compensation from the at-fault party.

Can you file a police report after an accident?

Indiana law mandates that you report accidents involving injury, death, or entrapment immediately to law enforcement. However, you can report an accident to police after the fact, especially if you discover injuries or other damages later on.

If the accident wasn’t reported at the scene, you should contact the police as soon as possible and provide all relevant details. If you file the report promptly, it may still be used for insurance claims or legal proceedings.

It’s crucial to understand that in some cases, delays in reporting could affect your ability to pursue a claim, so it’s best to act quickly. To learn more about how filing a police report can impact your case and the time limits that apply, consider speaking with an experienced car accident attorney with Team Green Law.

Can you file an insurance claim without a police report?

In Indiana, you can file an insurance claim without a police report. While a police report is not mandatory when making an insurance claim, it can greatly help in proving the details of the accident, especially if you need to establish liability or document property damage or injuries.

In cases where you’re filing a claim against another driver’s insurance, having a police report can make the claims process smoother and help protect your interests. Without a police report, your insurance company may have to rely on other evidence, such as witness statements, photos of the scene, and your own testimony. This can sometimes lead to disputes or delays in processing your claim.

What are the car accident laws in Indiana?

Indiana has specific laws governing car accidents that define the responsibilities of drivers in various scenarios. These laws ensure that victims of car accidents are compensated for their losses while holding responsible parties accountable. Indiana follows a comparative fault system, which means that if you are partially at fault in an accident, your compensation may be reduced based on your degree of fault (as long as you are not more than 50% at fault).

Indiana also has strict laws for driving without insurance, and drivers involved in accidents without coverage could face serious penalties, such as fines, license suspension, and other consequences. If you’re unsure about the details of Indiana’s car accident laws, it’s always best to consult with a legal professional who can advise you based on the specifics of your case.

Team Green is a different kind of law firm. We’re not going to make you promises we can’t deliver on. This is our promise to you: ​​we will guide you through the legal process, working with you through straight talk and personal attention, and we’ll work for you with smart, aggressive representation to get the settlement or judgment you deserve. Other lawyers show their case results on their websites, but not only does that imply results they can’t guarantee — it’s against the Indiana Rules of Professional Conduct (Rule 7.1 [2] (2)).  But you should know that the results of one successful case does not tell us what will happen with you. We will work with you to set realistic expectations of the timeline and money that could be recovered for your unique case.