After a collision, put people and safety first. Then preserve information and make the required reports. A police report, notifying your insurer and deciding whether to claim repair costs are related but separate steps.

This guide combines A-Z Insurance's accident-response and collision-reporting articles for Ontario drivers.

1. Check for danger and call 911 when emergency help is needed

Check for injuries, fire, leaking fuel or other immediate danger. Call 911 when urgent help is needed and follow the operator's instructions. Do not stand in traffic to take photographs or risk your safety to place warning equipment.

If nobody needs urgent help and the vehicles are safe to drive, move them to a safe place out of traffic when possible. If they cannot be moved, protect yourself and your passengers according to the situation and police instructions. Do not move an injured person unless remaining there poses an immediate danger or emergency personnel instruct you to do so.

Source: MTO Driver's Handbook

2. Contact the police service responsible for the location

The MTO handbook says a collision must be reported to police if anyone is injured or the combined damage to vehicles and other property exceeds CAD 5,000. That means all involved vehicles and property together, not a separate threshold per vehicle or only two vehicles.

Suspected impaired driving, other criminal activity, a hit-and-run, damage to public property and other circumstances can also require police involvement. Use 911 for emergencies. Otherwise, contact the responsible police service to confirm whether an officer should attend, you should visit a Collision Reporting Centre, or an eligible online process is available.

There is no universal Ontario rule that every collision can or must be reported online within 24 hours. Local eligibility, procedures and deadlines vary. York Regional Police, for example, requires an incident number before an eligible online collision report is submitted. A reporting centre is not the first stop when someone needs emergency care.

Toronto Police reporting guidance; York Regional Police reporting guidance

3. Record the facts safely and exchange information

Record the time and location, driver and vehicle details, names, addresses, phone numbers, driver's licence information, licence plates, vehicle registration and insurer/policy information. Obtain witness contact details where possible.

If it is safe, photograph:

• The overall scene, vehicle positions, lanes, markings and signs.
• Licence plates and damage to the vehicles.
• Relevant marks, debris and the surrounding area.

Describe what you actually observed and did. Do not conceal facts, guess or agree to take all responsibility just to end the discussion. Photographs and other evidence can support an investigation, but do not guarantee a fault or claim outcome.

4. Notify your insurer without waiting for the police report

FSRA says an accident involving injury or property damage must generally be reported to your insurer within seven days, regardless of fault. If you cannot report within that time, do so as soon as possible.

Notify the insurer first, then provide the incident number, photographs, other driver's information and further documents as they become available. Not yet having a police report number is not a reason to delay insurance notification. Do not wait until renewal or postpone notification while considering a private settlement.

Reporting an accident is separate from deciding whether to seek payment. Discuss repair estimates, coverage, deductibles and the treatment of the incident with your insurer or broker. Being below a police damage-reporting threshold does not remove your insurance notification responsibilities.

Source: FSRA notification guidance

5. Seek medical advice based on your health needs

The purpose of medical assessment is your health, not simply creating an insurance record. For serious symptoms or a medical emergency, call 911 or obtain emergency care. For non-emergency questions, contact your healthcare provider or call Health811 for advice from a registered nurse. Health811 does not replace 911.

Follow professional advice about assessment and follow-up. Keep accurate records of relevant treatment and expenses.

Source: Ontario Health, Health811

6. Cooperate with the insurance investigation and repair process

Police investigate and enforce the law. Insurers assess insurance fault under the applicable Fault Determination Rules. A charge does not automatically mean full insurance fault, and no charge does not guarantee no fault.

Ask the adjuster which coverage applies, what deductible is payable, how repairs will be arranged and what documents are needed. Any future premium impact depends on fault, coverage and applicable rating rules; it cannot be guaranteed in advance.

If you disagree with an assessment, ask which Fault Determination Rule was applied. Use the insurer's complaint process if the disagreement remains unresolved.

Source: FSRA claims-process guidance

Keep a small information kit ready

Have your driver's licence, registration, proof of insurance, insurer's reporting details, and a pen and paper available. Follow police instructions for providing documents. Do not post identity documents or policy photographs publicly on social media.

Safety first, then accurate records, police reporting as required and prompt insurance notification.

For help understanding your policy or insurance next steps, contact A-Z Insurance at 905-707-2929 or info@azinsure.ca. In an emergency, call 911 rather than waiting for a broker to respond.

This is general information, not a medical, legal or coverage determination for an individual collision. Follow emergency instructions, applicable law and your actual policy terms.

When a young driver starts using the family car independently, insurance arrangements deserve attention alongside the keys. Tell your broker about the licence, actual use and driving frequency before the new arrangement begins. If a collision has already happened, deal with safety, records and reporting before discussing payment.

Is a G2 driver always an occasional driver?

No. Principal and occasional driver assignments should reflect actual use and the insurer’s rules. If your child mainly uses a vehicle, do not describe a parent as its principal driver simply to seek a lower premium.

Explain who lives in the household, who is licensed, which vehicles they use and whether they commute to school or work. Insurers need other-driver information. Inaccurate disclosure can affect underwriting or a claim, but “not listed” alone does not establish that every permitted-borrowing claim must be denied. FSRA’s application and disclosure guidance

What comes first after a scrape?

Stop safely and check for injuries or danger. Call 911 in an emergency. When safe, exchange driver, vehicle and insurance details, photograph the scene and damage, and retain witness information. Avoid rushing into a liability commitment, unfamiliar document or payment just to leave quickly.

Visible damage may not reveal the whole repair cost. Later symptoms or damage found during inspection can change the situation.

Police reporting and insurance notice are separate

The old $2,000 Ontario damage threshold is out of date. Injury or combined property damage exceeding $5,000 can trigger police-reporting requirements. Contact the police service responsible for the location if the amount is uncertain or other circumstances, such as suspected crime or public-property damage, apply. South Simcoe Police’s collision guidance

For eligible non-emergency collisions in York Region, including Markham and Vaughan, call 1-866-876-5423 first to obtain an incident number and confirm online-reporting eligibility. York Regional Police currently requires an eligible online report within 72 hours. Collisions on 400-series highways go to the OPP. Do not automatically travel to an old collision-reporting-centre address. York Regional Police’s current process

Separately, FSRA says to report the accident to your broker, agent or insurer within seven days, or as soon as possible afterward if you cannot. Police reporting does not automatically notify your insurer, and being below the police damage threshold does not remove policy notice requirements. FSRA’s claims-process guide

What about paying privately?

Give the insurer an accurate account first and ask about obligations and options. Photos, estimates, correspondence and payment records are useful, but a homemade receipt or settlement form cannot guarantee that no later injury or other dispute will arise.

Do not use private payment to bypass reporting, or promise that the insurer will reimburse an arrangement it has not approved. Where injury, disputed liability or a release is involved, speak with the insurer and seek legal advice as appropriate.

Adding a driver afterward does not rewrite the past

If the driver information was incomplete, disclose the collision date, actual driver and previous vehicle use truthfully. Discuss future arrangements with the insurer. Adding someone after an accident does not automatically cure earlier disclosure issues or create coverage retroactively.

The cost of adding a G2 driver depends on the driver, vehicle and use; a small increase cannot be promised. Review the licence conditions too, including zero blood alcohol and applicable nighttime young-passenger restrictions. Ontario’s G2 licence guidance

Contact A-Z Insurance with household driving and licensing details before a new driver starts. If an accident has already occurred, explain the facts accurately at the outset.

Phone: 905-707-2929. Email: info@azinsure.ca.

This article provides general information checked on October 11, 2026, not individualized legal or claims advice. Licensing, reporting duties, coverage and premiums depend on applicable law, the policy and the facts.