Car insurance claims

The more information you can get, the better. You should try and collect:

• The name, address, phone number and licence details of any drivers involved
• The make, model and number plate of any vehicles involved
• The contact details of anyone who witnessed the accident.

Don't worry, we'll deal with all the people involved in the accident on your behalf.

Even if you don't have all the details, you can still start your claim now and add more information later.

Take photos of the accident if you can. Pictures of damaged vehicles, location of the incident, number plates and the other driver’s licence will all be useful for your claim. You can upload these all after you lodge your claim online

You can provide details of any damage and describe how it happened when you make a claim online.

You should only drive your car if it's in the condition that's safe for you and any passengers. Don't drive your car if:

• The lights or brakes aren't working
• It's difficult to get in or out of the car
• Damaged bodywork could cause injury or interfere with driving
• There are leaking fluids or signs of engine damage.

If your car isn't safe to drive, call us for a tow 24/7 on 1300 546 125.

You don’t need to call the police for every incident, however you should call them if:

• You feel unsafe
• The accident is causing a traffic hazard
• You believe alcohol or drugs may be involved.

Most importantly, call an ambulance first on 000 if you or anyone else is injured.

There's no deadline for when you need to inform us about the incident, however it's a good idea to make a claim as soon as possible.

To start your claim, you'll need:

• The name, phone number, address and licence details of the person who was driving your car
• The name, phone number, address and licence details of other drivers involved
• The make, model and plate number of any other cars involved
• The name and phone number of any witnesses, plus any details about what they saw.

If you don't have all this information, you can still make a claim and add more details later.

The sooner you tell us about your claim, the sooner we can get to work on it for you.

If we agree that damage to your car was caused by another driver, we need their full name and address.

If you can't give us their details (like if it was a hit and run) or if we can't contact them, you'll have to pay the excess for your repairs.

If you don't have their details right now, you can still make a claim and add them later.

That depends on the type of car insurance you have.

Comprehensive

We can arrange a hire car if your car's stolen. We cover the cost of a hire car up to $75 a day for a maximum of 21 days.

You can upgrade your cover to also include a hire car for up to 14 days if your car can't be driven after any incident we cover.

We can also arrange a hire car if your car can't be driven after an accident that we agree wasn't your fault. You'll need to give us the full name, address and rego number of the driver who caused the accident. We cover the cost of the hire car until your car is recovered, repaired or written off (whichever's first).

Third Party Fire & Theft

We can arrange a hire car if your car's stolen or can't be driven after someone tried to break in.

We cover the cost of a hire car up to $75 a day for a maximum of 21 days, or until your car is recovered, repaired or written off (whichever's first).

Third Party Property Damage

We don't offer a hire car with Third Party Property Damage Insurance.

Veteran, Vintage & Classic Car Insurance

We can arrange a hire car if your car's more than 15 years old and breaks down over 100km away from your home.

We cover the cost of a hire car up to $100 a day for a maximum of 7 days.

What's not covered?

We don't cover running costs like petrol, tolls or a GPS. There are other limits and exclusions so make sure you read the PDS.

Not insured with us?

We might be able to arrange a hire car for you if you were in an accident caused by a driver who's insured with us.

Call us on 1300 763 324 or learn more.

Your cover includes access to our Partner Repairer network of over 400 trusted businesses across Australia.

If you have Comprehensive Insurance and the 'Any repairer' option, you can choose a repairer who's not a Partner Repairer, but you might need to manage the repair process yourself.

With Veteran, Vintage & Classic Car Insurance, you can choose to have your car repaired by one of our Partner Repairers or any licensed repairer.

First we inspect your car and agree on any repairs. If we’ve agreed on repairs and you want to go ahead with the claim, you can book in repairs direct with the repairer. Or if you decide to cancel the claim after the inspection, your No Claim Bonus won’t be affected.

Depending on your policy, you’ll usually need to pay an excess towards your claim and we’ll discuss that with you.

Your policy automatically includes access to our extensive Partner Repairer network. We've partnered with trusted businesses to deliver quality, safe repairs and have you back on the road as soon as possible.

You'll need to attend a 20 minute inspection at our NRMA Partner Repairer, where they'll inspect the damage and book your car in for repairs at a time that suits you.

Our NRMA Partner Repairer will keep you updated on the repairs but we're here to help if you need us.

If you've added the 'Any Repairer' option, you can choose a repairer outside of our network, although you may need to manage the repair process yourself. We'll discuss this with you.

If there's considerable damage to your car or the repairs cost more than its value, your car may be written off (also known as a 'total loss'). If this happens:

• We'll pay you your car's agreed or market value minus an excess if required, and on-road costs (unused registration and CTP Insurance)
• Your policy will end and there will be no refund or transfer of your premium. If you pay monthly, we'll deduct any unpaid amounts from your settlement. If there's secured finance on your car, we'll pay the outstanding loan to the credit provider, and the remaining balance to you
• We keep your damaged car.

The amount we pay you and deductions that apply will be different based on the level of cover you chose.

We understand that a total loss claim can be unexpected. We'll explain the next steps in detail if we settle your claim this way.

If there's considerable damage to your car or the repairs cost more than its value, your car may be written off (also known as a 'total loss'). If this happens:

• We'll pay you your car's agreed or market value minus an excess if required
• Your policy will end and there will be no refund or transfer of your premium. If you pay monthly, we'll deduct any unpaid amounts from your settlement. If there's secured finance on your car, we'll pay the outstanding loan to the credit provider, and the remaining balance to you
• We keep your damaged car.

The amount we pay you and deductions that apply will be different based on the level of cover you chose.

We understand that a total loss claim can be unexpected. We'll explain the next steps in detail if we settle your claim this way.

We recommend you first speak with the repairer about your concerns. If you're still unhappy, please contact us and we'll discuss the next steps.

If we authorise and pay for a repairer to fix your vehicle, then we offer a lifetime guarantee for the workmanship of those repairs, as long as you're the owner of your car.

That depends on the type of car insurance you have.

Comprehensive

We can arrange a hire car if your car's stolen. We cover the cost of a hire car up to $75 a day for a maximum of 21 days.

You can upgrade your cover to also include a hire car for up to 14 days if your car can't be driven after any incident we cover.

We can also arrange a hire car if your car can't be driven after an accident that we agree wasn't your fault. You'll need to give us the full name, address and rego number of the driver who caused the accident. We cover the cost of the hire car until your car is recovered, repaired or written off (whichever's first).

Third Party Fire & Theft

We can arrange a hire car if your car's stolen or can't be driven after someone tried to break in.

We cover the cost of a hire car up to $75 a day for a maximum of 21 days, or until your car is recovered, repaired or written off (whichever's first).

Third Party Property Damage

We don't offer a hire car with Third Party Property Damage Insurance.

Veteran, Vintage & Classic Car Insurance

We can arrange a hire car if your car's more than 15 years old and breaks down over 100km away from your home.

We cover the cost of a hire car up to $100 a day for a maximum of 7 days.

What's not covered?

We don't cover running costs like petrol, tolls or a GPS. There are other limits and exclusions so make sure you read the PDS.

Not insured with us?

We might be able to arrange a hire car for you if you were in an accident caused by a driver who's insured with us.

Call us on 1300 763 324 or learn more.

An excess is payable for the majority of claims unless there's another person that we can recover the costs from i.e. the driver of the other car who caused the accident.

You'll need to pay an excess if:

• You were the at fault driver in an accident
• The accident wasn't your fault but you don't have the details of the at-fault driver
• Your car was damaged by an event e.g. hail during a storm.

If you weren't the at fault driver and you need a hire car, have peace of mind knowing that we'll arrange one for you and manage your repairs at no cost to you.

Not an NRMA Insurance customer? Find out more.

To find out whether you need to pay an excess, simply start a claim online.

If you're unsure who caused the accident or there's a dispute over which driver was at-fault, we'll use all the information you provide us along with our knowledge of the road rules to decide. We may ask you and the other party to provide statements, diagrams or photos to help us make that decision.

If you’re found to be at-fault for an accident, the claim will be made against your insurance, which means you'll need to pay the excess.

If we agree that the accident wasn't the fault of you or the driver of your car, and you can provide the name and residential address of the driver that we agree is at-fault, then you may not need to pay the excess.

Compulsory Third Party (CTP) Insurance protects you against claims for compensation if you injure someone in a motor vehicle accident. CTP does not insure you against the cost of repairs to any vehicles or property you damage.

Therefore, only having CTP Insurance puts you at significant financial risk if you damage a vehicle or other property belonging to someone else. If you'd like to cover yourself against these events, visit our Car Insurance page.

If you need to make an injury claim, visit our CTP claims page.