Police Reports and Auto Insurance Coverage Maryland MD
Reader’s Question:
I was recently involved in a fender-bender in Maryland where my car sustained minor damages. I haven’t filed a police report yet. Will my auto insurance company cover for the costs of repairs?
Anthony
Bethesda, MD
Maryland is one of the states that observe the no-fault act. This means that if Maryland motorists ever get involve in any car accident, then they will be covered by their own auto insurance company. This essentially means that all motorists need to carry the Personal Injury Protection (PIP) insurance in their policy to pay for medical care, funeral expenses if needed, and a month’s worth of lost wages. In addition to PIP, minimum liability has to be purchased. This safeguards the insured if he or she causes an accident and the other motorist’s coverage was used up. The insured’s liability insurance takes care of the remaining amount.
Now, in your case, filing a police report is unnecessary if the damages sustained to your car do not exceed $500, although it is always smart to report any accident to the police just in case a dispute comes up. But whether or not you filed the police report, you should still be covered by your auto insurer regardless of who was at fault in the accident.
Before calling the auto insurance company, though, it would be good to consider the severity of the damage. If you can shoulder all the cost incurred for repairs without considerable difficulty, then filing small claims should be the last thing in your mind. Car insurers keep track of inquiries for possible claims and may use this information to raise your rates in the future.
Tags: auto insurance claims, car insurance rate, liability insurance, no-fault