Yes, it is still possible to file a claim even when you do not have complete documents. In the moment of an accident, you are in shock, maybe injured, and incapable of thinking or functioning logically. You may fail to take photos of the damage to your car and the other car or forget to get the insurance details of the other driver.

The only documents you need to file an insurance claim (bodily injury or property damage) are:
• your insurance policy details
• insurance policy details of the other driver
• name, address and phone number of all the people in the incident, including witnesses, passengers, and police officers who responded
• driver’s license and license plate numbers for all drivers
• police report or DMV car accident form
• medical report if you sustained any injuries
• photos of the damage to the vehicles and of the accident scene

Having a police report is not a requirement, but it will help speed up the investigation from your insurance company and will affect the speed and value of your insurance payout. If you were unable to take photos of the accident or failed to get all the details of the other driver, the police report can provide all of these as these are required parts of the report. The police report also serves as an unbiased documentation of the accident.