Accident Report to Insurance – Deadline, Format & Guide

When must the accident report reach the insurance?

Deadlines depend on the type of insurance:

• Liability insurance: Report within one week recommended.
• Comprehensive insurance: Contractual deadlines often 3–7 days.
• Legal protection insurance: Report as soon as possible if legal support is needed.

General rule: Report every accident within one week. Late reports can delay processing or lead to claim rejection.

What the insurance company needs

For fast claims processing, your insurer needs:

• Completed accident report (structured PDF from unfallbericht.at)
• Photos of all damage
• Photos of the accident scene
• Police report (if police attended)
• Repair cost estimate
• Witness statements (if available)

The more complete your submission, the faster the processing.

Send the accident report as PDF directly

The big advantage of the digital accident report: You can send the finished PDF to your insurance immediately – directly from the accident scene.

Options:

• Email to your insurer's claims department
• WhatsApp or Messenger (many insurers offer this)
• Upload via your insurer's customer portal
• Attach to online claims form

With the paper form, you'd need to scan and mail it. The digital report saves days.

Liability vs. comprehensive: Different reporting paths

Which insurance is responsible depends on who caused the accident:

• If you caused the accident: Report to your liability insurance.
• If the other driver caused it: Report to their liability insurance, plus inform your own.
• If the cause is unknown (e.g. parking damage): Report to your comprehensive insurance (if available).

What happens after the claim is filed?

After your report, the claims process follows:

1. Review: Insurance examines the report and documents.
2. Assessment: For larger claims, an adjuster inspects the damage.
3. Decision: Insurance determines the reimbursement amount.
4. Payment: Amount is transferred to you or directly to the repair shop.

A complete, clear accident report significantly speeds up the process.

Common mistakes when filing claims

Avoid these mistakes:

• Reporting too late: Stick to the deadlines.
• Incomplete report: Missing data leads to follow-up questions.
• No photos: Without photos, evidence is weak.
• Admitting fault: Let the insurance determine liability.
• Repairing without approval: Wait for insurance approval.
• Only verbal reporting: Written reports are always better.

How do I send the digital accident report to my insurance?

After completing and signing the report on unfallbericht.at, a Structured PDF based on the European Accident Report is generated automatically.

• Fastest method: Send the PDF by email to your insurer's claims department.
• Alternatively: Upload via the customer portal or share via WhatsApp.

The report is also saved in your account on unfallbericht.at and can be re-downloaded at any time.

Frequently asked questions about insurance claims