Arkansas · Car accident rules · Updated Oct 2026
Car accidents in Arkansas: what to do and who pays
When to report a crash in Arkansas, how insurance works, who pays when both drivers share the blame, minimum coverage, how to get the police report, deadlines to sue and where to get help, in plain English from official sources.
At the scene and reporting a crash in Arkansas
Always stop and help anyone who is hurt. Leaving the scene of a crash is a crime in every state.
- When to call the police
- If anyone is hurt, call 911. The Arkansas Insurance Department's auto brochure says your policy usually requires you to report all accidents to the police.
- Damage amount
- $1,000
- Report to the state
- If anyone is hurt or killed, or any one person's property damage is over $1,000, file an Arkansas Motor Vehicle Accident Report (form SR-1) with the Safety Responsibility Section, P.O. Box 1272, Little Rock, AR 72203, phone (501) 682-7100. File it within 30 days of the crash.
- Deadline for your report
- 30 days
- Law
- Arkansas DFA, Safety Responsibility Section, form SR-1 (Motor Vehicle Accident Report)
- Official text
- Read the official text
First 24 hours after a crash in Arkansas
Tick the boxes as you go, or print the list and keep it in your glove box.
Safety first
Call for help
Exchange information
Photos and witnesses
Report the crash
Arkansas: If anyone is hurt, call 911. The Arkansas Insurance Department's auto brochure says your policy usually requires you to report all accidents to the police. Report to the state: If anyone is hurt or killed, or any one person's property damage is over $1,000, file an Arkansas Motor Vehicle Accident Report (form SR-1) with the Safety Responsibility Section, P.O. Box 1272, Little Rock, AR 72203, phone (501) 682-7100. File it within 30 days of the crash.
Insurance and health
General safety and information steps, not legal advice.
Insurance system in Arkansas
Arkansas is a fault (tort) state: the driver who caused the crash, through their liability insurance, pays for the other people's injuries and damage.
- System
- Fault (tort)
- PIP, benefits and when you can sue
- Arkansas is a fault state: the driver who caused the crash (and their liability insurer) pays for others' injuries and damage. By law you must buy only liability insurance. Insurers offer personal injury protection (PIP): medical payments, lost wages and death benefits. If you don't want any part of it, you must reject it in writing.
- Law
- Arkansas Insurance Department, Automobile Insurance brochure
- Official text
- Read the official text
Compare every state in the no-fault states table.
Who pays: comparative fault in Arkansas
- Rule
- Modified (50% bar)
- What it means
- In Arkansas, your damages are reduced by your share of the fault, and you can't recover at all if you were 50% or more at fault (as much as or more than the other side).
- Law
- Ark. Code Ann. § 16-64-122
Compare every state's rule in the comparative negligence table.
Who pays in Arkansas: fault and payout explainer
If both drivers share the blame, your state's comparative-fault rule decides whether you can recover and how much. Enter your share of the fault and your total damages to see what the rule means. This is an illustration, not a prediction: insurers, juries and judges decide the percentages.
Minimum insurance in Arkansas
- Liability minimum
- 25/50/25
- Uninsured / underinsured motorist (UM/UIM)
- Insurers must offer uninsured motorist coverage. It is included in your policy unless you sign a statement rejecting it. Uninsured motorist property damage has a $200 deductible. Underinsured motorist coverage is also sold; it pays when the at-fault driver's insurance is too low for your injuries.
- Official text
- Read the official text
Numbers like 25/50/25 mean $25,000 for injury to one person, $50,000 for all injuries in one crash and $25,000 for property damage. Compare every state in the minimum insurance table.
Getting the police report in Arkansas
Arkansas State Police keeps all crash reports in the state. Buy a copy online at crashreports.ark.org. The fee is $25 per report. Most reports are ready within 10 business days. For crashes with juvenile occupants, call the Crash Records Section at (501) 618-8130. https://crashreports.ark.org/
You can also ask by mail with our free police report request letter.
Filing a claim and insurer deadlines in Arkansas
- How fast insurers must act
- Arkansas Insurance Department Rule 43 (Unfair Claims Settlement Practices): insurers must acknowledge a claim within 15 working days. They must finish their investigation within 45 calendar days unless that's not reasonably possible, and then they must tell you why they need more time. On a claim under your own policy, they must accept or deny it within 15 working days after receiving proof of loss, or explain in writing why they need more time.
Put your claim in writing. Our free insurance claim letter lists your damages and asks for a written answer, within 15 working days for Arkansas where our data gives a day count.
If the other driver has no insurance in Arkansas
If the other driver has no insurance, you can claim under your uninsured motorist coverage if you have it. UM property damage has a $200 deductible. That deductible doesn't apply if the same company also covers you for collision, and the uninsured driver is identified and solely at fault. Driving without the required liability insurance is illegal in Arkansas.
Deadlines to sue in Arkansas
- Property damage (your car)
- 3 years
- Injury
- 3 years
- Notes, including claims against a government
- Money claims against the State of Arkansas go to the Arkansas State Claims Commission, not to regular court.
- Law
- Ark. Code Ann. § 16-56-105
The deadline is the statute of limitations. Insurance claims and talks with an adjuster don't stop it. Compare every state in the deadlines table.
Deadline to sue in Arkansas
Every state limits how long you have to file a lawsuit after a car crash. This is the statute of limitations. Choose your state, the type of claim and the date of the crash to see the usual deadline and the last day to file. Nothing you type here is sent anywhere.
Small claims for property damage in Arkansas
- Small claims limit
- $5,000.
Arkansas small claims guide on Small Claims Map
Small claims court can be a way to recover the cost of repairs from the driver who caused the crash. Read how to use small claims for car damage.
Insurance complaints in Arkansas
If an insurer delays, underpays or denies a claim without a good reason, you can file a complaint with the state insurance regulator:
Free help in Arkansas
Good to know in Arkansas
- You must file form SR-1 within 30 days if anyone is hurt or property damage to any one person is over $1,000 (Arkansas DFA, form SR-1).
- Uninsured motorist coverage is included in your policy unless you reject it in writing; to turn down PIP you must also reject it in writing (Arkansas Insurance Department brochure).
Free letters
Insurance claim letter
Ask the other driver's insurer to pay your damages, in writing.
Police report request letter
Ask the police agency for a copy of the crash report by mail.
Questions about car accidents in Arkansas
When do you have to report a car accident in Arkansas?
If anyone is hurt, call 911. The Arkansas Insurance Department's auto brochure says your policy usually requires you to report all accidents to the police. If anyone is hurt or killed, or any one person's property damage is over $1,000, file an Arkansas Motor Vehicle Accident Report (form SR-1) with the Safety Responsibility Section, P.O. Box 1272, Little Rock, AR 72203, phone (501) 682-7100. File it within 30 days of the crash.
Is Arkansas a no-fault state?
No. Arkansas is a fault (tort) state: the driver who caused the crash, through their liability insurance, pays for the other people's injuries and damage.
Can I get money if I was partly at fault in Arkansas?
In Arkansas, your damages are reduced by your share of the fault, and you can't recover at all if you were 50% or more at fault (as much as or more than the other side). (Ark. Code Ann. § 16-64-122)
What is the minimum car insurance in Arkansas?
25/50/25 Insurers must offer uninsured motorist coverage.
How long do you have to sue after a car accident in Arkansas?
3 years for property damage and 3 years for injury (Ark. Code Ann. § 16-56-105).
How do I get a police report in Arkansas?
Arkansas State Police keeps all crash reports in the state. Buy a copy online at crashreports.ark.org. The fee is $25 per report. Most reports are ready within 10 business days. For crashes with juvenile occupants, call the Crash Records Section at (501) 618-8130. https://crashreports.ark.org/
What if the other driver has no insurance in Arkansas?
If the other driver has no insurance, you can claim under your uninsured motorist coverage if you have it. UM property damage has a $200 deductible. That deductible doesn't apply if the same company also covers you for collision, and the uninsured driver is identified and solely at fault. Driving without the required liability insurance is illegal in Arkansas.
Where can I complain about a car insurance company in Arkansas?
Arkansas Insurance Department, Consumer Services Division: https://insurance.arkansas.gov/consumer-assistance/consumer-services/file-a-complaint/ · 1-800-852-5494