How to File a Car Accident Claim A car accident can be stressful. You must know the steps to follow when you are planning to file a claim, regardless of whether or not it was your fault. The first step is to contact the police to make a report of the incident. A police report will help your insurance company determine who was at-fault. 1. Contact the Police If you're involved in a car crash, it's important to call the police as soon as you can. This will allow you to collect important information, such as witnesses' statements as well as insu