Most cases in the UK will follow this path. Determine the damage cost repair wait for insurance company approval repair and inspection then collect your car. Of course before this happen make sure everyone is ok and exchange details. Take some photos if you can get yourself into a safe position to do so. You should inform your insurance company if you have been in an accident. Whether you intend to make a claim or not check with your insurance policy.
This piece is about Great Britain. Northern Ireland has its own rules in places. If you want a fuller scene checklist first, start with what to do after a car accident.
At the roadside
Under the Road Traffic Act 1988, you must stop if someone else is hurt or if another vehicle, an animal or roadside property is damaged.[1] Give your name and address, the owner's details and the registration if someone with a proper reason asks for them.
Police are not needed for every scraped bumper. They are needed, though, if you could not exchange details at the time. In that case, report it as soon as you reasonably can, and within 24 hours.[2] The same deadline applies if someone was injured and you could not show your insurance certificate there and then.
If you can pull over to a safe location do so. Turn hazards on switch car off and make sure everyone is ok. Call 999 if anyone is hurt road is obstructed and could cause further incidents. Or driver may be under the influence / no insurance or of left scene. If no serious injuries move any passengers and animals from road way. Exchange details with other driver name number reg no's. Take pictures of both vehicles road and weather conditions and any injuries visible. Make a note of any witnesses.
Don't state who was at fault. Everyone says im sorry when in the moment of an accident. Can come back to bite you when making a claim.
Can the car still be driven?
If its road worthy then yes. If you have deployed an air bag. Have fluids under it or the cars brakes/steering/lights/tires etc feel off. Then leave it there.
Certain faults will only make themselves known when you drive it. If the car pulls to one side or you hear grinding call recovery. Not only could you breach your insurance but the highway code too.
If it will not move safely, your insurer or an accident management company can usually arrange a tow to a compound or garage. Get the recovery reference and ask where the car is going. Storage bills creep up while people argue about the claim. More on that stage is in vehicle recovery after a crash, and accident recovery covers how a managed recovery is usually set up.
Opening the claim
Notify your insurance company if it states on your policy that you have to. Have your policy number and the other drivers information ready as well as any photos you may of taken. Make note of the claim number and who you spoke to and the date. They will require this from you later.
From there, drivers usually go one of two ways. Claim on your own policy, which often points you to an approved repairer. Or, if you believe the other driver was at fault, speak to an accident management company about recovery, repairs and a replacement vehicle where you are eligible. That second route depends on the facts and on liability being accepted or established. Accident management services are one way that route is delivered in practice.
Your own insurer may take an excess and may touch your no claims discount while fault is still disputed. A non-fault deal outside your policy comes with different paperwork. Read it. Choosing between your insurer and accident management helps if you are weighing those two routes. The wider claim sequence is also covered in how car insurance claims work.
Who looks at the damage, and which garage?
As the car is your property you will generally be able to choose who repairs it. Normally its either your insurers choice of repairers or a local garagist you know.
Check the policy and speak to whoever is handling the claim before anyone starts cutting or painting. Many insurers steer drivers towards approved repairers because they already have agreed rates with those garages, and some only offer a courtesy car, or apply a higher excess, if you stay in that network.[3] You can usually pick your own garage, but check what that choice changes before you book.[4]
The vehicle will then be assessed by a damage assessor/engineer either in person or by using pictures and a estimate from the garage. There are two questions that come into play when writing this report. Can the vehicle be repaired and is it economically feasible to repair based on the value of the vehicle. Don't let the cosmetic damage fool you. It could have a clean bumper but have a cracked bracket or sensor out of alignment.
The garage prices parts, labour, paint and electrical work. Strip the outer panels and they often find more. That is when a supplementary estimate goes back for approval, and why the first completion date is best treated as a working guess. Vehicle repairs after an accident goes into the bodyshop side of that, and vehicle repair is the service view of the same stage.
Repair or write-off?
The insurer makes that call, not the bodyshop. An insurer will usually write a car off when the repair bill is not worth paying against the car's value.[5]
If the repair is authorised, work can start. If the car is a total loss, repairs stop and you are normally offered a settlement based on what the car was worth just before the crash.
Written-off cars are labelled by how bad the damage is:
· A: too far gone. The whole vehicle has to be crushed.
· B: the shell cannot go back on the road, though some parts may still be usable elsewhere.
· S: structural damage that can be put right so the car is roadworthy again.
· N: damage that is not structural, often cosmetic or electrical, and the car can return to the road once repaired.
With S or N, you may be able to buy the car back and repair it yourself. Either way, tell DVLA it has been written off. Miss that and you can be fined £1,000.
Unhappy with the figure? Ask for the breakdown and send adverts for similar cars. Disagreeing with an insurer's vehicle valuation sets out how to push back.
Inside the workshop
You think of a respray. Well on newer cars it can be a lot more. Panels come off. Parts get ordered. Straightening of structure/body. Paint colouring. Trim and sensors fitted back and possibly calibrated if vehicle has driver aids.
Parts are the usual bottleneck, especially on newer or less common models. A light scuff can be turned round in a day or two. A car waiting on a panel from the manufacturer can sit for weeks. If repairs are likely to drag on, the insurer should normally tell you what is happening.[6] Keep asking the garage for updates and note what they say. Repair delays are one of the reasons covered in why some car insurance claims take longer.
Courtesy car versus credit hire
There is no automatic hire car. It all depends on the policy, the garages and your situation. Assume you will not get like for like.
A courtesy car usually comes with your own cover or through an approved repairer. It is often a smaller hatchback, and it may only be offered if you use the insurer's network. After a non-fault crash, vehicle replacement is often discussed as a like-for-like option instead.
Credit hire is a different product. After a non-fault crash, a hire car may be supplied on credit while costs are claimed from the other driver's insurer. Replacement vehicles and repairs may be provided on credit terms. Where liability is accepted or established, the hire company or repairer seeks the charges from the at-fault insurer. If liability is disputed or costs can't be recovered, you could become responsible for some or all charges.[7] The terms should be explained to you before you sign anything.
Ask who is supplying the car, what you owe if the claim is disputed, and when it has to go back. Credit hire myths is worth reading before you sign anything.
Keep the paperwork
Just have a folder on your phone. Any pictures of cars and roads. Names and phone numbers reg numbers. Claims ref. Quotes even ones that may change during repair. Recovery bills storage. Notes from garage. Hire car paperwork. Cars looked over when picked up and dropped off. Doctors if any injuries. Write down every phone call who you spoke to what was said.
Things that go wrong
Authorising repairs before the car has been inspected. Binning the estimates. Treating a courtesy car and credit hire as the same thing. Saying you were at fault at the roadside. Leaving the car in storage without asking who pays. Shrugging off neck or back pain that turns up the next day; if injuries linger, personal injury support is a separate route from the vehicle claim. Driving away without looking at the finished work in daylight.
Collecting the car
Try to get it in the day light. Inspect the car by walking around it. Gaps in panels paint colour lights doors & windows etc. Drive it see if any dash warning lights are on. Make sure you have your invoice work done sheet and warranty for any repairs. If you think something isn't right tell them before you leave best to have this in writing to the gararge and claim handler.
FAQs
Who will look at my car?
This can be a damage assessor or independent engineer on behalf of the insurance company/claims adjuster. Some cases are assessed by photo's and the garages repair estimate.
Can I drive the car in the mean time?
As long as its road worth and legal yes. If you're unsure don't drive the car and enquire about recovery.
Do I have to use an approved garage?
Not necessarily. There is usually an option for you to pick your own however this can result in no courtesy car being offered or an increased excess amount. Check your policy first.
Why was my quote higher?
Once cars are stripped back there can be more damage found. Your garage will need to authorise this additional work which could lead to more waiting for parts.
How long will it take?
Could be 1-2 days if its minor or can take a few weeks if there is part shortages etc.
What happens if my car isn't worth repairing?
Your insurer may write the vehicle off and pay you market value.
Do I receive a courtesy car?
It will depend on your insurance cover and who is repairing your vehicle. If you are not at fault it will also depend if you qualify and they accept or establish liability.
What if the other driver was uninsured?
If the other driver was uninsured, you may be able to claim through the Motor Insurers' Bureau or through your own policy, depending on your cover.[8] Tell the police as well.
Can I have my car back if its been written off?
If its a cat S or N you may be able to buy it back from your insurer. You must tell the DVLA.
A practical next step
Just make sure you have the claim number, pictures of the damage and know where your vehicle is currently. This will allow you to make the decision if you want to use your insurers approved garage or accident management companies.
How Claimsline can help
Claimsline is not an insurer or a solicitor. Where you are eligible and the service is available, Claimsline can arrange recovery, repair, a replacement vehicle or credit hire.
Replacement vehicles and repairs may be provided on credit terms. Where liability is accepted or established, the hire company or repairer seeks the charges from the at-fault insurer. If liability is disputed or costs can't be recovered, you could become responsible for some or all charges. The terms should be explained to you before you sign anything.
Most policies require you to tell your insurer about any accident, even if you don't plan to claim. Check your policy terms.
If you believe your accident wasn't your fault and want to understand your options, you can call Claimsline on 0333 006 8282.
Claimsline is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority in respect of regulated claims management activities (FRN 831196).
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References
- Under the Road Traffic Act 1988, you must stop if someone else is hurt or if another vehicle, an animal or roadside property is damaged - https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1988/52/section/170
- If you could not give your details at the scene, report the accident to the police as soon as you reasonably can, and within 24 hours - https://www.gov.uk/guidance/the-highway-code/breakdowns-and-incidents-274-to-287
- Many insurers steer drivers towards approved repairers because they already have agreed rates with those garages, and some only offer a courtesy car, or apply a higher excess, if you stay in that network - https://www.gocompare.com/car-insurance/guide/approved-repairers/
- You can usually pick your own garage, but check what that choice changes before you book - https://www.confused.com/compare-car-insurance/guides/approved-garages
- An insurer will usually write a car off when the repair bill is not worth paying against the car's value - https://www.gov.uk/scrapped-and-written-off-vehicles/insurance-writeoffs
- If repairs are likely to drag on, the insurer should normally tell you what is happening - https://www.financial-ombudsman.org.uk/consumers/complaints-can-help/insurance/motor-insurance/vehicle-repairs
- Replacement vehicles and repairs may be provided on credit terms. Where liability is accepted or established, the hire company or repairer seeks the charges from the at-fault insurer. If liability is disputed or costs can't be recovered, you could become responsible for some or all charges - https://www.financial-ombudsman.org.uk/consumers/complaints-can-help/insurance/motor-insurance/credit-hire-credit-repair-services-following-no-fault-accident
- If the other driver was uninsured, you may be able to claim through the Motor Insurers' Bureau or through your own policy, depending on your cover - https://www.gov.uk/compensation-victim-uninsured-drive
