Being involved in a car accident or having your car stolen can be a stressful time, so knowing how the claims process works can make the ordeal easier to deal with. Prepare for your car insurance claim and follow the right steps to make sure your claim is paid out and your car is repaired as quickly as possible.
The first step, before you even take out a policy, is to familiarise yourself with its benefits, terms and conditions. This is all in the policy document that accompanies insurance policies. This document lays out what you can claim and the conditions for appropriate claims.
Once you have a policy and clear benefits and limitations, you should have a good idea of when you can make a claim and what you are entitled to, in addition to how it will affect your future premiums and no-claims discount. It’s important to thoroughly read the terms of any car insurance policy before buying.
To be prepared for the worst, it’s a good idea to know what information you’ll need to exchange with any other people involved in an incident. There are a lot of details to exchange in the event of an accident, and knowing what these are could make it considerably easier. You could enter these into your phone and refer to them in the event of an incident.
This can be supplemented by picture and video evidence, taken with your phone at the scene, to make sure both insurers have everything needed to successfully process your claim.
Depending on your insurer, there may be different ways that you can make a car insurance claim.
The time you have to file a claim is usually set by your insurance company. Most insurers prefer that you report the accident immediately and begin the claims process at the time of the accident. While some insurers will specify that claims should be made within 24 hours after an incident, others will allow up to 48 hours.
Failing to lodge your claim within your insurer’s specified time limit could delay your claim or possibly even result in a rejected claim.
All the information you provide to your insurer is important, and often you cannot make a successful claim without it. For insurance purposes, you will need to provide details of the incident and the details of the other driver and their insurer.
This is because insurers will typically attempt to recover costs from the at-fault party’s insurer, when applicable, including the cost of damage, rental car expenses following an accident and other expenses. This, along with making sure that you and your car are getting all the benefits your policy entitles you to, such as free repairs, free towing, emergency glass replacements and similar, are a significant part of what an insurer does.
The steps taken by insurers when processing claims can include:
Your claim is typically assigned to an insurance claims representative, who will handle your claim, collect details and set up any payment. The process a claims representative typically follows looks something like this:
After an accident, the insurance provider and repair shop will often disagree about the cost of repairs and the process. For example, the insurer might insist that a less-expensive, after-market part be used instead of a costlier original manufacturer’s part. Or the insurer might not agree to the hourly labour rate charge by the repair shop or the estimated timeline for the repairs.
Repair shops and insurance providers work together regularly and generally resolve any issues, but it’s a good idea to stay informed about this process and speak up if you don’t agree with how your car is being repaired.
Some insurers will pay the repair shop directly instead of reimbursing you, especially if it’s a preferred or recommended shop. This is convenient, because you won’t be paying out of pocket for repairs and can let your insurer take care of repair approvals and billing. You’ll still need to pay your excess though.
If you’re not at fault for the accident, your insurance company should work with the other party’s insurance company to reimburse you for your excess, since it’ll have to be paid before your car can be worked on. In this case, you may have to contact this insurance company to keep tabs, although your insurance company should also be able to help you communicate with them if it seems like it’s taking a long time to receive your money.
It’s really up to your insurer and how quickly you can gather and submit your claim information. Some things that could delay your claim include:
Your answer will depend on who and what was involved and the cost of damages. If you’re involved in a collision, it’s best to contact your insurance company. Third party cover, which is the legal minimum in the UK, can help to pay for property damage or injuries you cause while driving. It can also take care of legal defence costs if you’re sued by someone involved in the accident.
If your situation isn’t so straightforward, consider a few common scenarios when it’s a good or bad idea to make a claim.
If you cause an accident and your car is the only thing damaged, it often makes sense to pay for everything yourself. Let’s say you cause £1,800 worth of damage and your excess is £1,000 if you claim through insurance. Your insurer’s £800 cheque might seem helpful now, but since the accident was your fault, your insurer raises your rates by more than £800 over the next few years. Is it worth it in the end?
Thump. That was the sound of your car door ever-so-slightly bumping the car next to you in the car park. You’d probably ignore a scratch like that if you’d done it to your own car, but this time it’s someone else’s. Before you leave a note with all your details, consider including that you’d rather pay privately than go through insurance. Modest damage like this will often cost less than your excess, so you’ll be paying for it anyway.
Even if it is not your fault, it’s not always a good idea to claim through insurance. In most cases, your insurer won’t hold it against you, but if it happens often, your insurer may conclude that you commonly visit high-risk areas. Or if you have a bigger claim down the road where you’re at fault, these smaller claims can be used to paint a negative claims history. Both of these are reasons to increase your premiums.
There are times when claiming through your insurance makes total sense.
When you injure others in an accident, your liability coverage takes care of the injuries. It’s not smart to take care of it yourself because it’s hard to know just how high the medical bills can climb. Plus, if the bills do balloon higher than you can afford, it may be too late to claim because your insurer will want a say in the matter from the very beginning.
Don’t agree to pay if there’s a chance the other person is at fault or at least partially to blame. When it’s unclear who’s at fault, your insurer will represent you as they negotiate with the other person’s insurer and try to minimise your responsibility. In other words, it’ll be trying to get you and themselves off the hook for as much of the costs as they can.
If you cause an accident and you can’t afford to pay for the damages yourself, you should agree to file a claim with your insurer. Contact your insurer from the scene of the accident if it’s safe to do so, or as soon as possible after that. This allows your insurer to join the investigation from the beginning, start contacting repair shops and organise temporary transportation for you and the other driver, depending on the details of your policy.
If you do not follow the terms and conditions of your insurance policy, then insurers may reject your claims. Watch out for:
In all cases, reading your contract is an effective first step to making sure you know your responsibilities and exclusions. Contacting your insurance provider as soon as you are able to might also be a good idea because it can let you ask specific questions and get some assistance on the scene.
To avoid any rejected claims, take the time to read up on the exclusions that apply to your policy, which may include:
Here are a few things to remember to help make your claims process go more smoothly:
After you file a claim, get your car fixed and get reimbursed, you might notice some changes to your premium payment, such as:
If you’ve had an accident and made a claim, your premiums are likely to increase. To keep this from getting out of hand in the future, here are some things to consider:
If you have to make a claim with your insurance company, you expect to be compensated. But in the event that you’re not, you can dispute a claim to try to get what you deserve. Always document all communication you’ve made with the insurance company and pay attention to timelines. Being prepared is key to getting what you need. To dispute your claim, do the following:
If you are not happy with how your insurer has handled your claim, you can escalate your claim. Start by following up again with your insurance provider before taking your complaint to the Financial Ombudsman Service.
Making an insurance claim after an accident can seem scary and overwhelming. Being prepared will help make the process seem less daunting, by understanding your coverage and knowing the best steps to take after an accident. Your insurer will work with you to make sure your claim is paid out so you can get back on the road sooner.
Talk to your insurance provider about your cover and the best way to make a car insurance claim. Learn more about car insurance coverage and compare insurance providers that can offer you more comprehensive cover, an easier claims process and better customer service.
| Response | % of respondents |
|---|---|
| Yes | 80.67% |
| No | 10.00% |
| Don't know | 9.33% |
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