Insurance Claims

Do not be intimidated in dealing with insurance companies. Your automobile insurance policy is a contract between you and the insurance company. Your insurance company agrees to provide certain services in return for the monthly or annual premiums you pay them. It is your money and your contract with the insurance company. Be persistent. Do not allow your insurance company to minimize the claim situation.

When you contact your insurance company to place a claim for damage to a vehicle in an accident in which you were at fault, you are the "insured." When you contact the insurance company of the driver of another vehicle in an accident for which you are NOT at fault, you are the "claimant."

For more information regarding the requirements of your insurance provider refer to the Insurance Commissioner's home page.

See also, Accident Report Form and the Accident Checklist

Mail your completed report to:

Washington State Patrol
Records Section
P.O. Box 42628
Olympia, WA 98054-2628

Click here to go directly to the Washington State Patrol web site.

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Accident Report Form

In serious accidents, city, county, or state police at the scene will often complete a very involved State of Washington Vehicle Collision Report. The operator or owner of any vehicle involved in a collision within the State of Washington in which any person is injured, including one's self, or in which any person's property sustains damages in the amount of $500.00 or more, is required to complete this collision report form. This includes out-of-state drivers operating their own or a rental vehicle. For convenience, you can link directly to the Washington State Patrol web site for additional information.

Mail your completed report to:

Washington State Patrol
Records Section
P.O. Box 42628
Olympia, WA 98054-2628

Click here to go directly to the Washington State Patrol web site.

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Washington State Laws

Washington State laws protect your rights as the owner of the vehicle. This means that you have the right to have your vehicle repaired at the repair facility of your choice. Even though many insurance companies have contractual arrangements with local repair facilities, you do not have to use their service. You have every right to thoroughly investigate and evaluate repair facilities, and we recommend that you do so.

While state laws do NOT require you to get more than one estimate, you may want to do so for your own peace of mind. However, if you have had a positive previous experience with a collision repair facility and would like to have them do the work, your insurance company must accept that repair facility's reasonable repair estimate, even if it is the only estimate you obtain.

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