The 5-step at-the-scene + post-scene checklist.
| Step | What you do | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Safety + photos at the scene | Hazard lights on. If safe and the cars are drivable, move out of traffic. Photograph: all damage on both vehicles, both license plates, the scene from multiple angles, the road conditions, any injuries (your own or visible on others), and a wide shot showing both cars relative to lane markings. | The photo set is the evidentiary backbone of the claim. Skid marks, debris pattern, and final-resting-position photos are nearly impossible to recreate after the cars move. |
| 2. Police report | Call 911 if anyone is injured or there is significant property damage. Otherwise call the non-emergency line for the city you're in (Mesa 480-644-2211, Gilbert 480-503-6500, Scottsdale 480-312-5000, Phoenix 602-262-6151) and request a report. Stay at the scene until the officer arrives or you've been told you can leave. | The police report is one of the cleanest pieces of liability evidence the at-fault carrier will accept without dispute. Without one, liability is sometimes contested even on obvious rear-ends. |
| 3. Exchange info with the at-fault driver | Name, phone number, driver's license number, insurance company name, policy number, license plate, and VIN if you can read it through the windshield. Take a photo of their insurance card if they have a paper copy. Don't argue fault, don't apologize, don't say you're "fine" if you're shaken. | Anything you need to file the claim with their carrier without having to track them down later. Photos beat handwritten notes — fewer transcription errors. |
| 4. File the claim with the at-fault driver's carrier | Call the at-fault driver's carrier directly with the claim — not yours. Reference the police report case number if you have it. They'll assign an adjuster within 24-48 hours. If the at-fault driver is uninsured or underinsured, file under your own policy's UMPD (Uninsured Motorist Property Damage) or UIM (Underinsured Motorist) coverage instead. | The at-fault carrier is responsible for paying. Filing through your own carrier instead works (with subrogation) but adds 60-180 days of recovery time and risks deductible exposure if subrogation hits a snag. |
| 5. Bring the car to OAB for a free written estimate | Drive in or schedule a drop-off at Mesa, Gilbert, or Scottsdale. We write a free appointment, photograph the damage in detail, and coordinate directly with the at-fault carrier's adjuster from there. You can also start with a photo estimate if the car isn't drivable. | Right-of-choice in AZ: you pick the shop, not the carrier. ARS §20-468 protects this. Once we're on the file we handle estimate, supplements, and supplement-approval directly with the adjuster — no daily phone calls from you. |
Whose insurance pays — and why it's not yours. In Arizona, the at-fault driver's bodily-injury and property-damage liability coverage pays for damage they cause to others. Rear-end collisions are presumptively the rear driver's fault under traffic law (you're required to maintain a safe following distance per ARS §28-730), so the at-fault carrier is on the hook unless very unusual circumstances apply (you backed into them, brake-checked, etc.). You file the claim with their carrier, they pay your repair, and your own carrier never gets involved. The exception: if the at-fault driver was uninsured, you file under your own Uninsured Motorist Property Damage (UMPD) coverage; if they were underinsured and the damage exceeds their policy limit, you file the gap under your own Underinsured Motorist (UIM) coverage. AZ DIFI's minimum-coverage guide walks through exactly when each kicks in.
Will my premium go up? No. Under standard insurance industry practice in Arizona, your premium does not go up for a not-at-fault claim. Not-at-fault claims are filed against the other carrier; your own policy is not used for property damage at all (unless UMPD/UIM applies). Your insurer will see the claim on your CLUE report, but Arizona carriers do not surcharge for not-at-fault losses. The only ways a not-at-fault rear-end could affect your rates are: (a) you have a pattern of frequent claims and the underwriter flags risk regardless of fault; (b) your insurer tightens rates at renewal for unrelated reasons; or (c) you also had a passenger-injury claim against your own MedPay/PIP coverage. None of those are the rear-end itself raising your rate. If you're being surcharged for a not-at-fault claim, that's reportable to Arizona DIFI.
Diminished value — the part most people miss. Even after a perfect repair, your vehicle is worth less on the open market because the accident is now on its Carfax / AutoCheck record. That gap — between what your car was worth before the wreck and what it's worth post-repair with an accident on the record — is called inherent diminished value. On a not-at-fault claim in Arizona, the at-fault carrier owes it to you on top of the repair cost. Most carriers won't pay it unless you ask. We provide a free DV appraisal packet on every not-at-fault rear-end repair — see our diminished value page for AZ DV calculation methodology and the documentation we send to the carrier.
Should I get an attorney? Most rear-end repairs don't need an attorney for the property-damage side — clear liability, the at-fault carrier pays, we handle the supplements with the adjuster. Attorney value shows up if there's injury (neck, back, or anything that needs more than urgent care), if the at-fault carrier is delaying or lowballing, or if the at-fault driver is uninsured/underinsured and your own carrier becomes the de facto defendant. If you've already hired an attorney, we coordinate with their firm directly — see our attorney coordination page for the document distribution and case-file workflow.
What we do once the car is here. Initial inspection and free written estimate same-day in most cases. Photo set for the carrier and (if needed) the attorney's case file. Supplements written as hidden damage is found behind the bumper cover (impact bar, foam, parking sensors, ADAS bracket, exhaust hangers — rear-ends almost always need at least one supplement). 4-wheel alignment check on the rack — rear-end impacts often shift thrust angle even when the front of the car looks untouched. ADAS recalibration on rear-bumper-mounted blind-spot radar and parking sensors. Final delivery with all documentation in the customer packet. Lifetime workmanship warranty on the repair. Call Mesa at (480) 844-4858, Gilbert at (480) 656-9202, or Scottsdale at (480) 590-3135. Background reading: BBB tips on choosing a body shop.