If you’ve been in an accident and your car was damaged, it’s best to contact your insurance company right away. Insurance policies typically include language that requires you to inform your insurer of any accidents or losses as soon as possible, in order to avoid situations where you might end up not being covered. But regardless of what your policy says, it’s always best to be upfront about things — not only so that you can take advantage of every dollar due to you under law, but also because insurance adjusters are trained professionals who have seen every excuse in their time. They know when something sounds fishy (or like typical customer BS), and if they think there’s something funny going on, they’ll investigate even further.