Car Insurance claims

• The name, address, phone number and licence details of any drivers involved in the accident
• The make, model and number plate of any cars involved in the accident
• 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. If you need help during the process, our claims team can answer any questions you may have on web chat.

• 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:

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.

The most important information to obtain from the incident is the name and residential address of any drivers involved in the accident, it's also helpful to get their phone number and licence details.

This ensures that you don't need to pay an excess if the accident wasn't your fault. It also means we can deal directly with all the people involved on your behalf, saving you time, hassle and stress.

If possible, it also helps to get the make, model and number plate of any cars involved, plus the contact details of anyone who witnessed the accident.

• If the damage to your car was caused by another driver we need their name and residential address to allow us to recover the cost of your repairs. We'll attempt to contact the other driver using any information that you can provide
• Often there are times when we can't contact the other driver, for example, a hit and run type incident. In this scenario, you'll be required to pay the excess towards the cost of your repairs
• If you don't have all their details right now, you can add them at a later date if you're able to obtain them

If you have hire car cover included in your policy, one will be organised for you with the hire car company on the day you drop your car at one of our Partner Repairers (or before if your car cannot be driven). If your car has been stolen, we provide a hire car for up to 21 days with our Comprehensive policies.

To check whether you have hire car cover included in your policy, log into your Self Service Centre account. If you don't have hire car cover, we can arrange one for you at a discounted rate.

• We’ll always get you to take your car for an inspection if there’s damage. Once that’s complete and we have agreed on the repairs you can deal directly with the repairer to get your repairs booked in at a time convenient to you. If you're looking for a specific repairer our webchat consultants are on hand to assist
• We’ll usually get you to pay your excess direct to the repairer when you collect your car. But if the damaged was caused by another person that we can recover the costs from you won’t be required to pay an excess
• If after the inspection you decide that the cost of the damage is less than the excess and it’s not worth going ahead with the claim you can cancel the claim without affecting your No Claims Bonus

• By choosing from our Partner Repair network we can get you back on the road sooner. Any repairs carried out by one of our Partner Repairers come with a lifetime guarantee on workmanship
• You'll need to attend a 20 minute inspection at our Partner Repairer, where they'll inspect the damage and book your car in for repairs at a time that suits you
• Our repairer will keep you updated on the repairs but we're here to help if you need us
• You can also 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 onroad 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.

For repairs that we've authorised, we offer a lifetime guarantee on workmanship.

If you have hire car cover included in your policy, one will be organised for you with the hire car company on the day you drop your car at one of our Partner Repairers (or before if your car cannot be driven). If your car has been stolen, we provide a hire car for up to 21 days with our Comprehensive policies.

To check whether you have hire car cover included in your policy, log into your Self Service Centre account. If you don't have hire car cover, we can arrange one for you at a discounted rate.

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

Simply start a claim online and we'll confirm if an excess is payable.

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