Car accidents in Vermont: what to do and who pays

At the scene and reporting a crash in Vermont

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 or property other than your own vehicle is damaged, you must stop, help as needed, and give your name, address, license number and the owner's name to the injured person, the property owner and any police officer. Leaving the scene can bring a fine of up to $2,000 or up to 2 years in prison.

Damage amount

$3,000

Report to the state

If anyone is hurt or total property damage is $3,000 or more, send a written crash report (form VC-004, Crash Report, Operator: Motor Vehicle) to the DMV Commissioner within 72 hours. Email it to [email protected] or mail it to Driver Control, Vermont DMV, 120 State Street, Montpelier, VT 05603. Within 5 days, the owner and driver must also give the injured person or property owner the names and addresses of their liability insurers and the policy numbers.

Deadline for your report

3 days

Law

23 V.S.A. §§ 1128, 1129

Official text

Read the official text

First 24 hours after a crash in Vermont

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

Insurance system in Vermont

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

Law

23 V.S.A. § 800 (liability insurance); 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 Vermont

Rule

Modified (51% bar)

What it means

In Vermont, your damages are reduced by your share of the fault, and you can't recover at all if you were more than 50% at fault (51% or more).

Law

12 V.S.A. § 1036: you can recover if your negligence was not greater than the defendants' total negligence; damages are reduced by your share

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

Who pays in Vermont: 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 Vermont

Liability minimum

25/50/10

Uninsured / underinsured motorist (UM/UIM)

Required: uninsured/underinsured/hit-and-run motorist coverage of at least $50,000 per person / $100,000 per accident for injuries, plus up to $10,000 for property damage (with a $150 deductible in some cases).

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 Vermont

Police crash reports come from the Vermont DMV, not the State Police. Fill out the DMV Record Request form (VG-116) and mail it to Department of Motor Vehicles, Driver Improvement Unit, 120 State Street, Montpelier, VT 05603. A certified copy of a police crash report costs $22; insurance information for a crash costs $10 (form VG-116). Reports are available 30 days after the crash. Questions: DMV, 802-828-2000. https://dmv.vermont.gov/enforcement-and-safety/driving-records-requests

No confirmed online way to order a report in Vermont? Ask by mail with our free police report request letter.

Filing a claim and insurer deadlines in Vermont

How fast insurers must act

8 V.S.A. § 4724(9) makes it an unfair claim settlement practice to fail to acknowledge and act reasonably promptly on claim communications, among other practices, when done often enough to be a business practice. 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 Vermont

Every Vermont policy must include uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage of at least $50,000/$100,000, which is higher than the liability minimum. It also covers up to $10,000 of property damage caused by an uninsured or hit-and-run driver. Driving without insurance can bring a civil penalty of up to $500.

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

Deadlines to sue in Vermont

Property damage (your car)

3 years

Injury

3 years

Notes, including claims against a government

Suing the State of Vermont or a town has special rules; ask the court clerk first.

Law

12 V.S.A. § 512(4), (5)

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 Vermont

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 Vermont

Small claims limit

$10,000 (raised from $5,000 in 2023).

Vermont 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 Vermont

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

• Vermont Department of Financial Regulation, Insurance Division (Consumer Services) · 802-828-3302

Free help in Vermont

• Vermont DFR consumer services · 802-828-3302 (toll-free 833-337-4685)
• Vermont DMV: Crashes · 802-828-2000
• Vermont Judiciary: Small claims

Good to know in Vermont

• Uninsured motorist coverage must be at least $50,000/$100,000, double the liability minimum (23 V.S.A. § 941).
• Within 5 days you must give injured people and property owners your insurers' names and policy numbers (23 V.S.A. § 1129(c)).
• The crash report deadline is 72 hours (23 V.S.A. § 1129).

Free letters

Questions about car accidents in Vermont

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