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How to file a car insurance claim in Texas, step by step

What to do at the scene, how to report the crash, how the adjuster and the estimate work, and what to do if you disagree with the number.

Updated September 8, 2026 · 3 min read · by Gerino Alejos

A person photographing damage to a car bumper with a phone after a collision. — Photograph the scene before anything moves. The adjuster's estimate is an opening number, and you are allowed to disagree with it in writing.

Key points

Make the scene safe, call the police, photograph the damage, and report the crash to your company the same day.
In Texas an officer files a crash report when someone is hurt or killed, or when damage to one person's property reaches 1,000 dollars.
You pick the repair shop in Texas, and you should never argue about fault at the scene.

To file a car insurance claim in Texas, make the scene safe, call the police, photograph the damage, and report the crash to your insurance company the same day. A claim is your request for the policy to pay for the damage. What you do in the first hour affects how the claim goes for the next month, and steps are easy to skip when your hands are shaking.

At the scene

Check for injuries. Move the vehicles out of traffic if they still drive.
Call the police. In Texas an officer files a crash report when someone is injured or killed, or when apparent damage to any one person's property reaches 1,000 dollars, under Section 550.062 of the Texas Transportation Code. The report matters to the claim either way.
Photograph everything. Both vehicles, all four corners, the license plates, the road, skid marks, traffic signs, and the other driver's insurance card.
Get the other driver's name, phone, license number, plate and insurance information.
Get names and numbers for any witnesses, because they leave fast.
Do not discuss fault, meaning who caused the crash. Trade information and let the adjusters sort that out.

How to file the claim

Call your insurance company or use its app the same day if you can. Have the date, time and location ready, the police report number if there is one, the other driver's information and your photos.

You can file with your own company, or with the other driver's company if the other driver was at fault. Filing with your own is usually faster. Your company then goes after theirs to get your deductible back, the amount you pay yourself before the policy pays. See when you do and do not pay the deductible.

The adjuster and the estimate

An adjuster, the person the company sends to look at the damage, inspects the vehicle or reviews your photos and writes an estimate of the repair cost. You choose the repair shop in Texas. A company can recommend one, and it cannot require it.

Shops often find more damage once the vehicle is opened up. That is normal. The shop sends the adjuster a supplement, a request to add the new damage to the estimate. Let the shop and the adjuster handle that between them.

If it is a total loss

A total loss means the company decides the vehicle is not worth repairing. It pays actual cash value instead, which is what the vehicle was worth just before the crash.

If you disagree with that number, send listings for the same year, mileage and condition near you. Documents move the number more often than arguing does.

If you get stuck

Texas has prompt payment rules, which put deadlines on how fast a company has to act on a claim, and the Texas Department of Insurance takes consumer complaints. Before it comes to that, call your agent. Most disputes are a missing document, or an adjuster who has not seen the photos. For hail after a storm, see the hail claim process.

We advocate for our clients

Report the crash the same day, keep your photos and the report number together, and tell us it happened. If you bought the policy through us, call us first and we will get in the middle of it. Call our McAllen office at (956) 687 3334, or use the ZIP form on this page. Se habla español.

Common follow-up questions

Should I file a claim for minor damage?

If the repair is close to your deductible and only your car is involved, the surcharge can cost you more than the claim pays. A surcharge is the extra amount a company adds to your bill after a claim. Damage to another vehicle should always go through the policy.

Does filing a claim always raise my rate?

Not always. Companies treat a not at fault claim, and a comprehensive claim for damage that did not come from a crash, differently from a collision you caused.

How long do I have to file?

Report it promptly. Your policy requires timely notice, and delay is a reason claims get complicated. Texas has longer legal deadlines for lawsuits, but the notice deadline in your policy comes first.

Need a quote?

Enter your ZIP code to get started. Ten questions, about two minutes.

Or call (956) 687 3334, Monday to Friday, 9 AM to 6 PM.

Se habla español