Guides / Driving & transport / Fines & accidents
After a car accident in Qatar: police report, Metrash and insurance
What to do in the first minutes after a crash in Qatar, how to report a minor accident in Metrash, when to call 999, and how to get the police report and repair permit your insurer and garage need.
Last reviewed: 13 October 2026
- Injuries or dispute
- Call 999, do not move the cars
- Minor, no injuries
- Photos, move off the road, report in Metrash
- Not moving the cars
- QAR 1,000 fine and 3 black points
- Before repairs
- MOI accident report + repair permit + insurer approval
A car accident in Qatar is stressful, but the system is clear once you know it. For a minor accident with no injuries, you take photos, move the cars off the road straight away and report it in Metrash, the Ministry of Interior (MOI) app; leaving the cars in the road is itself a violation. If anyone is hurt, or the drivers disagree, you call 999 and wait for the police without moving the cars. Either way, the Traffic Department decides who is at fault and issues an accident report and a repair permit. No garage is allowed to repair accident damage without that paperwork, and your insurer will not pay without it. This guide walks you through the scene, the report, the insurance claim and the repairs, plus the awkward cases: hit-and-run, rental and company cars, and serious accidents.
Before you start
- The current Metrash app installed and activated with your QID and a mobile number registered in your name (it replaced Metrash2 in 2025)
- Your QID, driving licence and the car's Istimara (registration card) in the car or on your phone
- Your insurance policy number and your insurer's claims phone number saved in your phone
- A phone with location services switched on and enough battery to take photos
- A hazard warning triangle and a reflective vest in the boot
- If you drive a rental or company car: the rental company's or fleet manager's accident number
- Emergency number: 999 (police, ambulance, fire)
Step by step
Stop, switch on hazards and check for injuries
Stop safely. Never drive away from an accident, even a tiny one: fleeing an accident scene can bring 1 month to 3 years in prison and/or a fine of QAR 10,000 to QAR 50,000. Switch on your hazard lights and check yourself, your passengers and the people in the other car. If anyone is hurt, call 999 at once and do not move the vehicles unless they are in danger. Stay calm and polite; if the other driver is aggressive, stay in your locked car and wait for the police.
Read guide: Emergencies in Qatar: who to call and where to go →Decide: minor or major accident
A minor accident is one with no injuries where both cars can still be driven: scratches, dents, a broken mirror or light. A major accident is one with any injury, serious damage (for example deployed airbags), a car that cannot move, or a driver who disputes what happened. Minor accidents are handled by the drivers themselves through Metrash. Major ones need the police at the scene, because officers want to see where the cars ended up to decide who is at fault. If you are unsure, treat it as major and call 999.
Minor accident: take photos, then move the cars
Before moving, take clear photos of both cars, including one that shows each number plate and one that shows how the cars are positioned. Then move both cars off the road to the hard shoulder, a side street or the nearest car park. Do not wait in the lane for a police patrol: leaving the cars in place after a minor accident is a violation with a QAR 1,000 fine and 3 black points, because it causes traffic jams and further accidents. Photograph only the vehicles, not the people involved.
Exchange details and keep it calm
Swap names, QID numbers, mobile numbers, plate numbers and insurance company names with the other driver; Metrash will ask for the other car's plate and driver details. Do not admit fault or sign anything at the roadside, because the Traffic Department decides responsibility. Do not post photos or videos of the accident on social media: the MOI warned in June 2026 that publishing accident images can bring a fine of up to QAR 10,000. Photos are for the official report only.
Report a minor accident in Metrash
Open Metrash and go to the Traffic section, then the accident service (insurer QIC's 2025 guide describes it as Traffic, then Accidents; older guides call it Traffic Accident, then Accident Registration). Confirm the location the app detects, enter both plate numbers and both drivers' QID and mobile numbers, and attach the photos (the MOI says up to four photos). Submit, and you receive an SMS with an accident file number. Any driver involved can file it, but both should agree on what happened; if you cannot agree, call 999 instead. Report straight away: QIC warns that late reporting can bring a fine and a refused claim.
Read guide: Metrash: registering and using Qatar's Ministry of Interior app →Major accident: call 999 and wait for the police
Call 999, give your location, and say whether anyone is injured. Keep the cars where they are, put out your warning triangle and stand well away from traffic. A patrol officer will look at the scene, take statements and usually record who is responsible; drivers often call this the green paper (not at fault) and the red paper (at fault). You also receive an SMS with the accident file number. Officers may ask you to visit a traffic investigation office later with your documents.
Read guide: Emergencies in Qatar: who to call and where to go →Wait for the decision on fault
Traffic investigators review Metrash reports and photos and decide who caused the accident. When the case is clear, they complete the report and both drivers get an SMS telling them to go to the insurer or to get repair approval. When it is not clear, both drivers are asked to attend the Traffic Department in person. If you disagree with the decision, you can ask the traffic investigation department for a review, and take legal advice if needed. Accidents also lead to the normal traffic fines and points for the underlying violation, which appear in Metrash.
Read guide: Traffic fines in Qatar: check, pay, object, and avoid the travel ban →Get the accident report and repair permit
Two MOI documents matter: the accident report and the vehicle repair permit. For Metrash cases, an SMS tells you when you can download them from the app; you can also check a report's status on the MOI website. For accidents handled by police at the scene, reports are often ready in 24 to 48 hours, and the Traffic Department also sends them to insurers. Garages are not allowed to repair accident damage without Traffic Department approval and face closure if they do, so do not let anyone start work before you have the permit.
Make the insurance claim
Tell your insurer as soon as possible, even before the report is ready. Who pays depends on fault and your cover. With comprehensive cover you can usually claim for your own car through your own insurer. With third-party cover only, you claim from the other driver's insurer if they were at fault, but if you were at fault your insurer pays only for the other person's car, not yours. Insurers usually ask for the accident report, the repair permit, the owner's QID, the Istimara, the driver's licence and photos; QIC accepts them online, by email or at a branch.
Get the car repaired
The insurer inspects the car (in person or from photos) and approves the repair at an authorised garage or agency; get the garage, the parts and your excess confirmed in writing. With QIC, cars in their first year of registration are repaired at the brand's agency; after that they may go to a comparable workshop unless you bought agency-repair cover, and you may pay part of the spare parts cost (depreciation) unless you bought cover against that. Ask whether your policy includes a replacement car while yours is in the garage; many do not. Minor bodywork can take days, major damage several weeks.
Read guide: Renew your car registration (Istimara) in Qatar →Hit-and-run, parked cars and single-car accidents
If someone hits your car and drives off, note the plate, model and colour if you can, then report it in Metrash or at the nearest police station so investigators can check cameras; the MOI has a separate service for damage by an unidentified vehicle. Police may wait some days for the other driver to come forward before issuing a report you can use for repairs. If you hit a parked car, wait for the owner or report it; never just leave. If you crash alone or damage public property, report it at a police station; third-party-only cover will not pay for your own car.
Rental cars, company cars and serious accidents
In a rental or company car, report the accident exactly as above and then call the rental company or fleet manager straight away; your contract decides what excess you pay and whether you may use their garage only. If someone is badly injured or killed, the police and the Public Prosecution investigate, the driver can face prison and fines, and an open case can lead to a travel ban. In fatal cases Qatari courts have ordered diya (blood money) of QAR 200,000 to the victim's heirs, usually paid with the involvement of the insurer. Get a lawyer early in any case involving injury.
Read guide: Get a Qatar driving licence →
What it costs
| Not moving the cars after a minor accident | QAR 1,000 + 3 black points |
| Publishing accident photos or videos on social media | Up to QAR 10,000 |
| Fleeing the scene of an accident | QAR 10,000 to QAR 50,000 and/or 1 month to 3 years in prison |
| Diya (blood money) ordered by courts in fatal accidents | QAR 200,000 |
Official fees at the time of review. Fees change, so confirm before paying.
Common mistakes
- Leaving the cars in the middle of the road after a minor bump while waiting for the police (QAR 1,000 and 3 black points)
- Moving the cars after an accident with injuries or a dispute, which makes it harder for police to decide fault
- Driving away from a small scrape or a parked car you hit; this counts as fleeing the scene
- Admitting fault, paying cash or signing a private agreement at the roadside instead of filing an official report
- Taking a car to a garage before you have the MOI repair permit and the insurer's approval
- Posting crash photos or videos online, or photographing the people involved
- Assuming third-party insurance will fix your own car when you were at fault
- Not telling the rental company or your employer straight away when it is their car
Questions people ask
Can I just settle a small scratch with the other driver without reporting it?
It is not a good idea. Without an MOI accident report and repair permit, no garage may legally repair the damage and no insurer will pay. A private deal also leaves you exposed if the other driver changes their story later. Reporting a minor accident in Metrash takes a few minutes.
The other driver refuses to use Metrash. What do I do?
Call 999. Metrash reporting works when both drivers agree on what happened. If they refuse, dispute fault, or are aggressive, the police will attend and record the accident. Stay in your car if you feel unsafe.
How do I know who was at fault?
The Traffic Department decides, not the drivers. At the scene, police usually give the at-fault driver a red paper and the other driver a green paper. For Metrash reports, investigators review the photos and send both drivers an SMS; if it is unclear, both are called to the Traffic Department.
I have only third-party insurance and the accident was my fault. Who pays for my car?
You do. Third-party cover pays for the other person's car and injuries, not your own. If the other driver was at fault, you claim from their insurer instead. Consider comprehensive cover when you renew.
How long does an insurance claim take?
There is no fixed legal deadline. Insurers such as QIC aim to contact you within about a business day, police reports are often ready in 24 to 48 hours, and repairs take from a few days to several weeks depending on damage and parts. Getting your documents to the insurer quickly is the biggest thing you control.
Someone hit my parked car and left. Can I still claim?
Yes, if your policy covers it. Report it in Metrash or at the nearest police station so investigators can check cameras, and tell your insurer. Police may wait some days for the other driver to come forward before issuing a report you can use for repairs.
What if the other driver's insurance is expired or they are not insured?
Report the accident through official channels as normal and tell your insurer. Every registered car in Qatar must have at least third-party insurance, and Qatar Central Bank rules require insurers to cover victims in several situations, including where the at-fault driver's licence has expired. If there is no insurer to claim from, your own comprehensive cover or a court case against the driver may be the route; take advice.
Can an accident stop me from leaving Qatar?
A minor accident on its own usually does not, but the traffic fines that follow do: since September 2024 unpaid traffic fines block exit from Qatar. An open investigation or court case after a serious accident can also lead to a travel ban. Check Metrash before you travel.
Official sources
- QIC: what to do after a car accident in Qatar ↗
- QIC: motor claims documents and process ↗
- The Peninsula (June 2026): report accidents through Metrash, not social media ↗
- Marhaba (2026): traffic violations, accidents and Metrash ↗
- Qatar Living (2026): car insurance claims step by step ↗
- The Peninsula: penalties for fleeing an accident scene ↗
Always check the official source before acting. QatarSteps is independent and not a government website.