What to Do After a Car Accident in Connecticut: An Insurance Checklist

Short answer: Stop, make sure everyone is safe, and call 911 if anyone is hurt. Connecticut law requires a driver involved in a crash that causes injury or property damage to stop and give their name, address, operator's license and registration information. Call police for any crash with injuries or significant damage, photograph everything, do not admit fault, and notify your insurer the same day. You choose where your car is repaired.

At the scene: what Connecticut requires

• Stop and stay. Leaving the scene of an accident involving injury or damage is a crime in Connecticut. If you hit an unattended vehicle or property, you must make a reasonable effort to locate the owner or leave your information and report it to police.
• Exchange information. Names, addresses, license numbers, plate numbers, registration and insurance company and policy number for every driver involved.
• Call the police when anyone is injured or damage is more than minor. Police investigate crashes involving injury or property damage over $1,000 and file a report with the state; that report is often the most important document in a disputed claim. Ask the officer for the case number.

Document it before the cars move, if it is safe

• Photos of all vehicles, plates, damage, the road, traffic signals, skid marks and weather
• Names and phone numbers of witnesses; they are hard to find later
• A short written note of what happened, made the same day while memory is fresh
• Any dashcam footage, saved somewhere other than the camera

Be polite, but do not apologize or speculate about fault. Connecticut is an at-fault state with a comparative negligence rule, and statements at the scene are used to allocate fault later.

Within 24 hours: notify your insurer

Every auto policy requires prompt notice of an accident, including one you believe was the other driver's fault. Late notice can complicate or jeopardize coverage. Report it even if you plan to pay a small loss yourself; you can discuss whether to pursue a claim afterwards. If the other driver was at fault, you can claim against their insurer, but using your own collision coverage is often faster, and your insurer then pursues the other carrier to recover your deductible.

Repairs: your right to choose the shop

Connecticut law (C.G.S. 38a-354) gives you the right to choose the licensed repair shop that fixes your vehicle, and insurer appraisals and estimates must state that right in bold type. An insurer can recommend a shop in its network, but it cannot require you to use one or claim that another shop will cause delays or lack a repair guarantee. Damage appraisals in Connecticut are performed by licensed motor vehicle physical damage appraisers. If the estimate seems low, ask your chosen shop to submit a supplement to the insurer once the car is disassembled.

Injuries: get checked and keep records

See a doctor promptly, even for soreness; some injuries appear days later, and a gap in treatment is often used to dispute a claim. Keep every bill and record. MedPay, if you carry it, pays early medical costs regardless of fault. If the other driver was uninsured or carries too little, your uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage responds. For serious injuries, talk to a Connecticut attorney about deadlines; the general limitation period for negligence claims is two years.

Mistakes that cost Connecticut drivers money

• Settling an injury claim before treatment is finished
• Giving a recorded statement to the other driver's insurer without understanding your coverage first
• Not using rental reimbursement coverage you already pay for
• For a financed or leased car that is totaled, not checking for gap coverage
• Driving for a delivery or rideshare app at the time of the crash without the right endorsement; see rideshare, delivery and rental car coverage in Connecticut

If you are a client, call your New England Insurance advisor before you call anyone else; we help you file and follow the claim. If you are not and want your coverage reviewed before the next accident, contact our Bridgeport office or request a review.

This checklist is general information, not legal advice.