Every TLC driver in New York City knows an accident is a matter of when, not if. What separates a bad afternoon from a bad month is what you do in the minutes, days, and weeks afterward. Handle it in the right order and your TLC insurance claim moves; miss a step, and you can end up with a denied claim, a suspended license, or weeks off the road you didn't need to lose.
This guide walks through the TLC insurance claim process in order — at the scene, in the first 24 hours, and through the deadlines that follow.
At the Scene: The First Ten Minutes
Stop and stay. Under New York law, leaving the scene of an accident before exchanging information is a crime — even for a minor scrape. Pull over safely, turn on your hazards, and stay put.
Check for injuries. If anyone is hurt, call 911 immediately. New York requires you to notify police right away when there's an injury or death, and getting medical help on the way comes before anything else.
Call the police if you need them. For property-damage-only collisions in NYC, the NYPD generally does not respond and you're not required to report to them. But call if you can't move your vehicle, if you hit a parked car and can't find the owner, or if the other driver is uncooperative or leaves.
Don't admit fault. Be polite, be calm, and stick to facts. "Are you okay?" is fine. "I'm sorry, I didn't see you" is a statement that can follow your claim for months. Fault is determined by the insurers and, if needed, the courts — not at the curb.
Look after your passenger. If you had a fare on board, make sure they're unhurt and get their contact information. They're a witness, and they may need to file their own claim.
Gather Everything You'll Need for the Claim
Your insurer will want documentation, and the best time to collect it is before anyone drives away. Get:
The other driver's name, phone number, driver's license number, license plate, insurance company, and policy number
Vehicle details for every car involved — make, model, color, and plate
Witness names and phone numbers, including your passenger
Photos of all vehicles from multiple angles, the damage up close, the street and intersection, traffic signals, skid marks, weather and lighting, and any visible injuries
Dashcam footage, saved and backed up before it gets overwritten
The police report number, if officers responded
If the other driver refuses to share information, note their plate and call the police. Don't argue, and don't follow them.
The First 24 Hours: Who to Notify
An accident in a TLC vehicle triggers more notifications than an accident in a personal car. In roughly this order:
Your base or your app. Most bases require drivers to report any accident, and Uber and Lyft have in-app incident reporting. Do this promptly — it creates a timestamped record and, depending on the platform and what you were doing at the time, may open a second layer of coverage.
Your TLC insurance carrier — or your broker. Your commercial policy is generally the primary coverage while you're working. Insurers require prompt notice of any accident that could lead to a claim, whether or not you think you were at fault, and whether or not you plan to file. Late notice can complicate or jeopardize coverage. If you work with a broker, one call to them can get this started.
The vehicle owner, if you don't own the car you drive. The policy is in the owner's name, and they'll need to be involved in the claim.
Your own records. Write down what happened while it's fresh: time, location, direction of travel, what each vehicle did, what was said. You'll be asked to repeat it more than once.
The Deadlines Most Drivers Don't Know About
Two New York filing rules trip up drivers every week — and neither is handled by your insurer automatically.
The DMV crash report (MV-104): 10 days. If anyone was injured or killed, or if the accident caused more than $1,000 in damage to any one person's property — including your own vehicle — you must file a Report of Motor Vehicle Crash (form MV-104) with the New York DMV within 10 days. This applies even if police responded and wrote their own report. Because repair costs can exceed $1,000 quickly, do not assume a minor-looking collision is below the threshold. Reporting the accident to your insurer or broker does not replace this DMV filing requirement. If you don't file when required, the DMV can suspend your driver's license and/or registration until the report is filed — which would also prevent you from legally driving for-hire.
The no-fault claim notice: 30 days. If you or your passenger was injured, New York's no-fault system may pay for medical bills and a portion of lost wages, regardless of who caused the accident. Written notice of the claim must be given to the applicable no-fault insurer within 30 days of the accident unless there is a clear and reasonable justification for delay. A completed Application for Motor Vehicle No-Fault Benefits (form NF-2) is the standard application and can satisfy this written-notice requirement. The notice can be submitted by the injured person or on their behalf, including with help from an attorney. This applies to drivers, not just passengers.
Put both dates in your phone the day of the accident.
Your Timeline at a Glance
When | What | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
Immediately | Stop, check injuries, call 911 if anyone is hurt | Required by law; leaving is a crime |
At the scene | Exchange info, photograph everything, save dashcam | The evidence your claim is built on |
Same day | Report to base/app, insurer or broker, and vehicle owner | Prompt notice is a policy condition |
Within 10 days | File MV-104 with New York DMV (injury/death or more than $1,000 damage to any one person's property) | Failure can suspend your driver's license |
Within 30 days | Give written no-fault notice; return the NF-2 application promptly if anyone was injured | Late notice can jeopardize no-fault benefits |
Ongoing | Respond to the adjuster, keep repair and medical records | Keeps the claim moving |
What Happens After You File a TLC Insurance Claim
Once the claim is open, an adjuster from your carrier will contact you for your account, your photos and footage, the police report if there is one, and the other party's information. They'll inspect the vehicle or send you to an approved shop for an estimate.
What your policy pays depends on what you carry. Liability coverage addresses the other party's injuries and property damage, subject to your limits. Damage to your vehicle is handled under collision coverage, if you have it, minus your deductible. If you carry liability only, repairs to your own car are yours unless the other driver is found at fault and their insurer pays. Some policies include rental reimbursement or loss-of-use coverage that may help while your car is in the shop — ask.
Be responsive. Claims stall most often because the adjuster is waiting on the driver.
The TLC Side: Serious Crashes and Your License
For most fender-benders, the TLC is not part of the picture. But if a crash involves a critical injury or a death — what TLC rules call a "Serious Crash" — the TLC reviews whether the driver remains fit to hold a license once it's notified, and a driver may face a summary suspension while that review happens. If you're in a serious crash, treat your documentation as evidence for two processes, not one: the insurance claim and your TLC license. Get everything in writing, keep copies, and consider speaking with an attorney.
Separately, a vehicle with significant damage may need to be re-inspected before it returns to for-hire service. Check with your base or the TLC before putting a repaired car back on the road.
Mistakes That Hurt TLC Insurance Claims
Waiting to report. "I'll see if the other guy files first" is how drivers end up outside their policy's notice requirement.
Agreeing to settle at the curb. Cash-for-damage deals leave you with no record and no recourse when the other driver's "minor" injury shows up two weeks later.
Posting about it. Photos and comments on social media are discoverable and are routinely used against claimants.
Getting the car fixed before the adjuster sees it. Unless your carrier tells you otherwise, wait for the inspection.
Skipping medical care. Adrenaline hides injuries. If you were hit, get checked — for your health and for the no-fault record.
Giving a recorded statement to the other driver's insurer. You're generally not required to. Talk to your own carrier or broker first.
How Freedom Line Brokerage Can Help
An accident is the moment you find out what your broker is actually for. Freedom Line Brokerage has been a licensed New York insurance broker since 2003, built around TLC and rideshare drivers, taxi and medallion owners, black car and livery operators, and fleet owners — and helping our clients through the claims process is part of the job, not an add-on.
After an accident, we can help you:
Get the claim reported to your carrier promptly and correctly, so a notice problem never becomes a coverage problem
Understand what your policy does and doesn't cover before you talk to an adjuster
Sort out which coverage applies — your commercial policy, the app's coverage, or the other driver's — and in what order
Keep track of the MV-104 and no-fault deadlines
Communicate with the adjuster and follow up when a claim slows down
Understand your deductible, rental or loss-of-use options, and what a total loss would mean for your policy
Handle the paperwork if the vehicle is replaced — new FH-1 certificate, TLC filings, and plates
If the claim exposes a gap in your coverage, we'll tell you plainly and show you what closing it would cost. Quotes are free, and there's no obligation.
The Bottom Line on TLC Insurance Claims
A TLC insurance claim rewards drivers who move fast and keep records. Secure the scene, document everything, notify everyone the same day, and hit the 10-day and 30-day deadlines. Do that, and the claim is a process you manage rather than a problem that manages you.
If you've just had an accident — or you want to know what your policy would actually do if you did — contact Freedom Line Brokerage. We'll walk you through your coverage, help you get the claim moving, and make sure nothing falls through the cracks.
Freedom Line Brokerage · 75-25 31st Avenue, East Elmhurst, NY 11370 · (718) 937-6180 · freedomlinebrokerage.com
This article is for general informational purposes only and is not legal advice. Reporting requirements, coverage, and claim outcomes depend on the facts of each accident, your policy terms, and current New York law. Consult your policy, a licensed broker, or an attorney about your specific situation.