Does your car insurance company report accidents to the DMV?

Your car insurance company does not generally report accidents to the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV). However, depending on your state of residence, either you or the police are probably required to file a report with the DMV, regardless of whether your insurance company gets involved. In addition, your insurance contract likely requires you to alert your insurance company about any collision you are involved in, even if you do not make a claim.

In many states, a DMV report is required following any accident you are involved in, regardless of who is at fault. This requirement is often subject to a property damage threshold that dictates which collisions are accidents that require reporting and which are simply "fender-benders." For example, in New York, all drivers involved in collisions that cause at least $1,001 in collective property damage are required to report to the DMV.

If someone is injured or killed in a collision, it must be reported to the DMV regardless of your state of residence. In most cases, accidents that meet your state's reporting criteria require the aid of the police or other emergency services. When the police are involved, they are required to make a DMV report. Your state may require you to submit a report first if the police cannot do so in a timely manner.

If the accident is not severe enough to require the aid of emergency personnel and there is no police report made, the DMV is generally not aware of the incident, even if you make a claim on your insurance.

The primary reason your insurance company notifies the DMV about your driving activity is if your insurance does not meet certain standards. In the United States, drivers are required to carry a minimum amount of liability insurance, even if they do not carry insurance to cover damage to their own vehicles. If you allow your insurance policy to lapse, your car insurance company notifies the DMV, which may suspend or revoke your license until you are fully insured.

In addition, if you are convicted of a serious driving offense, such as driving while under the influence, your insurance company is required to submit monthly paperwork proving you carry the minimum necessary insurance.