After wrecking your vehicle, you can usually tell just by looking at it that it is totaled. When the cost to repair your car exceeds its current market value, it is a total loss. After you have totaled a car, it is important to make the right calls right away. Continue below to learn the top 3 authorities you should notify after totaling a car or truck.

Who to Contact After a Major Auto Accident

Police

If it is unsafe to exit the vehicle, stay inside until paramedics and police arrive. If you can safely exit the vehicle, wait nearby in a hazard-free location. Contacting the police after a car accident is required by the law if there are other parties involved. In the case that you totaled your car but there is no other driver involved or property damage, you can choose to skip this step; however, it is not recommended, especially if you plan to make a claim through your insurance company later on. Police reports are significant pieces of evidence used to assign fault, value, and more to a case. Always be sure to get a police report to document your accident.

Insurance

If your car is insured, you are required under your policy terms and conditions to notify the insurance carrier within a specific period of time. You must notify your insurance company even if you do not plan on making a claim. Failure to notify your insurance carrier could result in loss of coverage and fines. If you have comprehensive or collision coverage, the insurance company will pay you the pre-scrap value of the vehicle, minus whatever your deductible is set at. If your car is not insured, you are exempt of this step.

DMV

Whether or not you are required to report your car wreck to the state’s department of motor vehicles depends on your insurance carrier. In most cases, the insurance company is the party that contacts the DMV after a person makes a claim. However, you may be required to notify your state’s DMV if the insurance policy decrees it in your terms and conditions. Check the details of your policy to learn your role in contacting the state’s department of motor vehicles after a car wreck.