If you’re in a car accident in Arizona, you’ll need to report it to the police and your insurance company. You can claim damages through your insurer or personal injury lawsuit depending on your level of fault.

Car accidents can be traumatic, and it’s hard to remember what to do when you’re standing on the shoulder looking at a smashed car. That’s why it’s crucial to know your state’s car accident laws before you have to.

Here to walk you through Arizona’s car accident laws is the

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Jerry

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Arizona car insurance costs

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What to do after a crash: Arizona car accident reporting laws

The

first thing to do after a car accident

is to make sure everyone in your vehicle is safe. Check for injuries and call 911 if anyone is hurt. Move your car to a safe spot away from traffic, if possible.

Documenting the scene

After the dust settles, it’s crucial to document the accident in whatever way you can, like taking photos or taking note of any road conditions or signage that could have contributed to the incident. It’s also important to exchange information with the other driver and any other witnesses. This will generally include the following:

Name, address, and contact information

Driver’s License number

License plate number and state

Car insurance information

MORE: How much do car accidents cost?

Filing a report

What’s next? In Arizona, you don’t have to submit a report to the state yourself—law enforcement officials are required to file a written report if the accident resulted in:

An injury

A death

Property damage exceeding $1,000

A citation was given to any driver

Even if the accident is minor, it’s always a good idea to call the police to the scene of a crash. If you don’t call law enforcement and you leave the scene, you could be charged with a hit and run.

It’s also important that the police investigate the scene to cover all of your bases, even if the other driver doesn’t think it’s necessary. This way, you’ll have a record in case you or the other driver discovers more serious damage or injuries than initially assessed. This could also protect you in the event of a lawsuit.

After you take care of everything at the scene, you’ll want to report the incident to your car insurance company. Many insurers require you to report accident claims as soon as possible—sometimes within 24 hours. It’s a good idea to check what your insurance provider requires in the event of a wreck.

MORE:

What do I do if my car accident claim was denied?

Financial responsibility and coverage minimums: Arizona’s insurance laws

Nearly every state requires drivers to carry a certain amount of insurance no matter what. So how much does Arizona require, and what happens if you get caught without it?

Under Arizona law, every driver has to have a liability insurance policy that complies with

Arizona minimum insurance requirements

. In Arizona, you have to have 25/50/15 liability coverage, or:

$25,000 of

bodily injury liability

coverage per person

$50,000 of bodily injury liability coverage per accident

$15,000 in

property damage liability

per accident

Those caught driving without insurance or proof of insurance in Arizona will face a minimum fine of $500 and a

license suspension

of three months—and that’s just for the first offense. You’ll also be on the hook to pay for any damage you cause without coverage.

Even with these requirements, some Arizona drivers still lack the minimum liability coverage. In 2019, a study by the Insurance Information Institute (III) reported that 11.8% of Arizona drivers aren’t insured at all.

If you’re in the 88.2% of insured drivers, you could hit quite a few snags when claiming damages in an accident with an uninsured driver. Most insurance companies in Arizona provide

uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage

, so it’s a smart idea to have it in your back pocket.

MORE:

Claiming damages after an accident: Arizona’s personal injury laws

In some situations, you might want to do more than just file an insurance claim after an accident—you might want to file a personal injury lawsuit and collect damages. According to Arizona’s personal injury laws, collecting damages will fall into three categories:

Economic damages: medical bills, loss of income, lost employment or business opportunities, loss of use of property, and burial expenses

Non-economic damages: pain and suffering, mental suffering, inconvenience, and humiliation

Punitive damages: punish a defendant if they intentionally harmed the victim or knew their behavior could cause harm

Arizona’s statute of limitations on car accident lawsuits and personal injury claims is two years. This time generally starts on the date of the injury or accident. However, sometimes injuries are only discovered after the accident, so the period could start later in some cases.

Damage caps

Many states set limits on the amount of compensation someone can collect in damages. Unlike most states, Arizona’s Constitution forbids the court to set any limits on damages. However, if the ratio of punitive damages to compensatory damages is more than 9:1, it will likely be held unconstitutional.

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Who’s to blame: Arizona’s pure comparative negligence law

After a car accident, one of the main problems to solve is the question of who’s at fault. If James hits Mandy’s car while speeding, but Mandy was texting and driving, who’s to blame? And who collects the damages?

Arizona follows what’s known as pure comparative negligence, meaning each driver collects damages that are proportionate to their level of fault—unless they’re 100% at fault.

Using the previous example, James and Mandy both broke traffic laws, so neither will be 100% at fault. If Mandy is found to be 35% at fault and James is 65% at fault, Mandy will be responsible for just 30% of James’s damages. James or his insurance company, however, will have to cover 70% of Mandy’s vehicle repairs or medical bills.

Arizona is one of just 12 states that follow pure comparative negligence, otherwise known as pure comparative fault. These rules are likely to change if you’re in an accident across state lines, though.

MORE:

What happens if you’re deemed at fault in an accident without car insurance?

How to save money on car insurance in Arizona

If you’re found at fault in a car accident in Arizona,

your insurance premium could increase

by an average of 54%. Finding a cheaper rate doesn’t have to be a headache, though—not when you use

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