Politely but firmly insist on filing one, especially for incidents involving injury, significant property damage, or disputed facts. A simple “exchange of information” is not sufficient for liability claims. If they refuse, ask for the “incident number” or the name and badge number of the officer you spoke with. Document this refusal. Follow up by going to the police station in person to file a report, as a formal record is crucial for dealing with insurance companies.

The most important factor is evidence of negligence. This means proving that one driver failed to act with reasonable care, directly causing the crash. Evidence includes traffic law violations (like running a red light), distracted driving, speeding, or driving under the influence. The core question is: whose careless action or failure to act created the dangerous situation? Police reports, witness statements, and physical evidence are all used to establish this sequence of events and identify the negligent party.

This provision obligates your insurance company to provide and pay for your legal defense if a claim is made against you, even if the lawsuit is groundless. This is vital because legal defense costs can be enormous and are covered separately from your liability limits in most policies. It means you have expert legal support from the start. Ensure your policy includes this; without it, you could face devastating out-of-pocket legal bills before a settlement is even discussed.