Car accidents in Nebraska: what to do and who pays

At the scene and reporting a crash in Nebraska

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

Nebraska law doesn't say you must call police for every crash. You must stop, give your name, address, phone and license number to the other driver or property owner, and help anyone hurt (Neb. Rev. Stat. §§ 60-696, 60-697). If you hit an unattended car or property, leave a note with that information and report it to police without unnecessary delay (§ 60-696(2)). If a peace officer investigates, you don't need to file your own report.

Damage amount

$2,000

Report to the state

If no law enforcement officer investigated, and anyone was hurt or killed or any one person's property damage is $2,000 or more, every driver involved must file a Driver's Motor Vehicle Crash Report with the Nebraska Department of Transportation within 10 days. You can file it online at NDOT's Driver Crash Reporting website or by mail. (On Oct. 24, 2026, NDOT said the online form was down for maintenance; the mail form still works: Highway Safety, NDOT, P.O. Box 94759, Lincoln, NE 68509-4759.)

Deadline for your report

10 days

Law

Neb. Rev. Stat. §§ 60-696, 60-697, 60-699

Official text

Read the official text

First 24 hours after a crash in Nebraska

Tick the boxes as you go, or print the list and keep it in your glove box.

Insurance system in Nebraska

Nebraska 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

No PIP required. Nebraska has no no-fault law: the driver who caused the crash (and their liability insurer) pays for others' injuries and damage.

Law

Neb. Rev. Stat. § 60-310 (liability policy); no no-fault statute found

Official text

Read the official text

Compare every state in the no-fault states table.

Who pays: comparative fault in Nebraska

Rule

Modified (50% bar)

What it means

In Nebraska, 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

Neb. Rev. Stat. § 25-21,185.09: you're barred if your negligence is equal to or greater than the total negligence of those you sue; otherwise your damages are reduced

Compare every state's rule in the comparative negligence table.

Who pays in Nebraska: 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 Nebraska

Liability minimum

25/50/25

Uninsured / underinsured motorist (UM/UIM)

Required: uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage of at least $25,000 per person / $50,000 per accident must be included in every policy. You can ask for higher limits, up to $100,000/$300,000.

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 Nebraska

An officer's crash report is public in Nebraska. Buy a certified copy from NDOT for $13 plus tax, online, by mail or in person. By mail: NDOT Highway Safety, P.O. Box 94759, Lincoln, NE 68509 (call 402-479-4645 for the tax amount). https://dot.nebraska.gov/safety/crash-reporting/

You can also ask by mail with our free police report request letter.

Filing a claim and insurer deadlines in Nebraska

How fast insurers must act

Neb. Rev. Stat. § 44-1540 makes it an unfair claims settlement practice to fail to acknowledge claim communications with reasonable promptness or to fail to adopt standards for prompt investigation. The statute sets no fixed number of days.

Put your claim in writing. Our free insurance claim letter lists your damages and asks for a written answer.

If the other driver has no insurance in Nebraska

Every Nebraska policy includes uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage for bodily injury (at least 25/50). If the at-fault driver has no insurance, you can make an injury claim under your own policy. Car damage from an uninsured driver is covered only if you have collision coverage.

Read what to do if you are hit by an uninsured driver.

Deadlines to sue in Nebraska

Property damage (your car)

4 years

Injury

4 years

Notes, including claims against a government

Claims against a city, county or other local government: give a written claim to its governing body within 1 year, and sue within 2 years (Neb. Rev. Stat. § 13-919). Claims against the State: give a written claim to the State Risk Manager within 2 years (§ 81-8,227).

Law

Neb. Rev. Stat. § 25-207(2) (injuring personal property), (3) (injury to rights not arising on contract, which covers personal injury)

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 Nebraska

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 Nebraska

Small claims limit

$7,500 since July 1, 2025 (not counting interest and costs).

Nebraska 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 Nebraska

If an insurer delays, underpays or denies a claim without a good reason, you can file a complaint with the state insurance regulator:

• Nebraska Department of Insurance, Insurance Complaint Division · 877-564-7323 (in Nebraska) or 402-471-0888

Free help in Nebraska

• Nebraska Department of Insurance · 877-564-7323
• NDOT crash reporting · 402-479-4645
• Nebraska Judicial Branch: Small claims

Good to know in Nebraska

• Officers' crash reports are public records in Nebraska, but driver-filed reports are not (Neb. Rev. Stat. § 60-699(4)).
• If you are 50% or more at fault, you recover nothing (Neb. Rev. Stat. § 25-21,185.09).
• Both property and injury claims have 4 years (Neb. Rev. Stat. § 25-207).

Free letters

Questions about car accidents in Nebraska

Other states