Making a claim
It is important to know exactly what to do if you have an accident, and how to make a claim for any damages.
- In the event of an accident, you should get the name and address of the people involved in the accident, including any witnesses at the scene.
- Contact your insurance company as soon as possible and they will send you a claims form through the post.
- You will need to fill out the form and give details and diagrams of the incident, make sure you fill in the form truthfully and precisely.
- Your insurer will then contact the other parties, assess the claims made by all the parties involved and decide on who was at fault.
- If the accident was your fault, your insurance provider will pay the other parties for any damage. If you have a comprehensive policy, your insurer will pay the necessary expenses to cover the damage made to your car, but you will have to pay an excess.
- If the accident was not your fault, the other parties insurance provider will pay for the damages made to your vehicle.
If your car is stolen or set on fire, your insurer will only pay if the event has been reported to the police. So in the event of theft, report the event to the police and then to your insurer. Many stolen cars are often recovered, so before the insurer will pay out you may have to wait to see if your car shows up. When your insurer decides that your car is unlikely to be found again, you can claim the necessary costs. Remember, your car is not covered for fire and theft if you have third party only insurance.
No Claims Bonus
Car insurance becomes cheaper as you get older and have more driving experience. Your premiums will also decrease over the years the less you claim from your insurer. Your insurance can decrease by up to 30% if you make no claims in one year, and you can receive a discount of up to 70% if you make no claims over five years. Some insurance companies allow you to make payments in order to protect your no claims bonus. This means that you can make a small number of claims within a certain amount of time without affecting your bonus. Remember, if you make a claim due to an accident or theft incident, your no claims bonus will be affected and your insurance premiums could increase.