Nobody wants to have to make an insurance claim, but using this checklist will help you to get things right when you do need help…

advice, cars, how to, owning and running your car, how to, how to make an insurance claim

Making a motor insurance claim isn’t technically difficult. It’s mostly a question of getting the details right, because they’ll determine the success of your claim, and then keeping on top of the process.

Follow these simple guidelines and you shouldn’t have too many problems.

Take notes

Write down and, if possible, photograph everything that happened in the accident – its location, the weather, and the circumstances leading up to it – while events are still fresh in your mind. If you’re claiming for a car that’s been stolen, take a shot of where it was last seen.

If your claim involves a criminal offence, such as theft or vandalism, contact the police before touching anything, and make sure the police give you an incident number. You’ll need this number to register the claim with your insurer.

Inform your insurer – and be organised

Once you’ve contacted the police, phone your insurer as soon as possible, following that up with a confirming letter. Note down the name of the person you speak to, and the time and date of any conversations.

It’s tempting to do everything by telephone these days, but insurance claims are one area where it’s really worth using more old-fashioned methods of communication.

Having some notes to hand when you make that first call not only allows you to give a fuller and more accurate account of what happened, it will also help you to keep your side of the story consistent as the claim progresses. Having facts written down for easy repetition when necessary will stop any tendency for the insurer to doubt your claim. It should also speed up the claims process, and your payout.

Writing letters and keeping hard-copy records of all your dealings with the insurer, the police and any garages or other parties related to the claim (including telephone calls) might seem like a pain. However, in a potentially long-running procedure where different parties have different views, and memories become fuzzy, being able to refer to specific statements made along the way really adds to your credibility.

Few of us haven’t heard the line ‘this call may be recorded for training purposes’. You can use this to your advantage if you keep a note of dates and times of phone calls. Many insurers can provide you with a reference number for each individual telephone conversation, and the name of the person who took the call.

advice, cars, how to, owning and running your car, how to, how to make an insurance claim

Be patient

Some insurers will only agree to pay for repairs carried out by approved garages, so don’t take matters into your own hands by having the car fixed yourself. Wait for the insurer to contact you with instructions; if you don’t, you could end up paying for the repairs out of your own pocket.

Know your rights

In certain situations, insurers are entitled to refuse to pay out on your claim. If that happens, or if you feel the payout is unsatisfactory, you can appeal.

Try the insurer first to see if it will review its decision. That’s unlikely to happen unless you have new evidence, but you still have to do it. The law says you have to give an insurer at least eight weeks to respond to your complaint before you take it to the Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS). If the FOS decides in your favour, it can order the insurer to increase your payout or offer you compensation.

What to do in an accident

Car accidents are a fact of life. Thankfully, your chances of walking away unhurt are higher than they’ve ever been, thanks to the superb occupant protection provided by even the most affordable modern cars – but there’s no escaping the legal process that’s kicked off by many accidents.

There are some important things you have to do at the scene of an accident. The first thing you should not do is simply leave the scene. That’s a criminal offence. If you bump a parked car, and the owner is nowhere to be seen, you’re legally obliged to leave a note with your contact details on the windscreen.

If somebody has been injured, you must call the police. If it looks in any way serious, make sure an ambulance is on the way, too.

Once these priorities have been attended to, it’s time to collect some data. Besides noting the full name and address of the other party involved, plus their vehicle’s registration number, you should also get contact details from any eye-witnesses.

You and the other party will need to swap insurance company details – their names and addresses, and policy numbers if available. Make a note of any statements made at the scene by any of the parties, and pass that information on to your insurer. In the emotion of the occasion, it’s all too easy to talk about whose fault the accident was. Don’t do it. If you do, you could create problems for your insurers – and, by extension, you – in the handling of your claim.

If you’ve had an accident, telling your insurers about it as soon as possible is a condition of your policy, even if you don’t intend to make a claim. The other party may well do.

Keyword: How to make an insurance claim

CAR'S NEWS RELATED

Should I Use A Personal Loan Or A Car Loan To Purchase My Next Car?

When purchasing a new car, most buyers would typically waltz into the showroom of a preferred marque, sample what the brand has to offer, then let the dealer process the rest of the loan paperwork for you. The general process is the same when acquiring a used car. Dealers ...

View more: Should I Use A Personal Loan Or A Car Loan To Purchase My Next Car?

Ex-Motability cars – should you buy one?

Ex-Motability cars are commonplace on the UK used car market but what are the pros and cons when it comes to buying one? As Europe’s largest car fleet operator, Motability accounts for one in ten of all new cars bought in Britain. That means it’s also a major supplier of ...

View more: Ex-Motability cars – should you buy one?

Stop-Start Myths And Misconceptions

Start-stop systems can be bothersome to live with. And with ever-tightening emissions regulations, it’s not something that you can actively avoid too. Progressively fitted to even mass-market cars towards the tail end of the 2010s, these systems help to reduce fuel consumption, and thus carbon emissions, by shutting your ...

View more: Stop-Start Myths And Misconceptions

mRecap: Week of 18th April 2022 - COE Price Significantly Drops Across All Categories, Ultimate Guide To Driving Into Malaysia And Citroën e-Berlingo mReview!

In this edition, we check out the ultimate guide to driving into Malaysia, April’s 2nd COE bidding significantly drops COE prices and we take the Citroën e-Berlingo for a ride! In short, if you’re looking for a condensed list of our weekly round-up, we have: The Ultimate Guide to Driving ...

View more: mRecap: Week of 18th April 2022 - COE Price Significantly Drops Across All Categories, Ultimate Guide To Driving Into Malaysia And Citroën e-Berlingo mReview!

The CUPRA Leon SP Is Your Best Companion For Work And Play!

CUPRA’s Leon SportsTourer would quite literally change the way you look at station wagons. This isn’t merely a large, practical estate that solely exists to excite the hypothalamus of the aged family man. It is much more than that. With a feisty powerplant under the bonnet, and sticky tyres ...

View more: The CUPRA Leon SP Is Your Best Companion For Work And Play!

Which car should I buy? Ford Falcon XR8 Ute v Holden Crewman SS

Ash T writes: “Having a bit of trouble here deciding my first car. It will be used for everyday things and also for work purposes such as carrying tools and equipment to work sites. I’ve narrowed it down to an ’04 Holden Crewman SS and an ’04 Ford Falon XR8 ...

View more: Which car should I buy? Ford Falcon XR8 Ute v Holden Crewman SS

Car suspension explained

Your car’s suspension is generally out of sight and out of mind, but it plays a crucial role – doing everything from ensuring the wheels stay connected with the road to stopping the car from shaking to pieces over rough surfaces. As well as smoothing a bumpy ride, it also ...

View more: Car suspension explained

Top things to consider when buying a family car

There are a few things one must sacrifice when one becomes a parent: Sunday sleep-ins, sleeping in general, date nights — and, most reluctantly of all, the two-door sports convertible. Yep, it’s time to consider the best family car for your growing brood. Here are a few things to consider ...

View more: Top things to consider when buying a family car

AA BUYER'S GUIDE: The best used rideshare vehicles

DRIVEN EXPLAINS PART 5: Can a hybrid tow?

Car leasing with insurance: what is it and how does it work?

Driving Assists And How They Work: Part II

The Highway Code: What is it and how do I learn it?

Why Is Petrol So Expensive In Singapore?

What's the best thing to do at the end of a car PCP finance deal?

Most Bang-For-Your-Buck SUVs That You Can Buy Today | Motorist Recommends

The top 5 facts about hybrid cars and myths debunked

Vehicle weights explained | tare, kerb, GVM, payload and trailer figures

5 dangerous driving habits to watch out for

EV motors and batteries: How long do they last?

OTHER CAR NEWS

; Top List in the World https://www.pinterest.com/newstopcar/pins/
Top Best Sushi Restaurants in SeoulTop Best Caribbean HoneymoonsTop Most Beautiful Islands in PeruTop Best Outdoor Grill BrandsTop Best Global Seafood RestaurantsTop Foods to Boost Your Immune SystemTop Best Foods to Fight HemorrhoidsTop Foods That Pack More Potassium Than a BananaTop Best Healthy Foods to Gain Weight FastTop Best Cosmetic Brands in the U.STop Best Destinations for Food Lovers in EuropeTop Best Foods High in Vitamin ATop Best Foods to Lower Your Blood SugarTop Best Things to Do in LouisianaTop Best Cities to Visit in New YorkTop Best Makeup Addresses In PennsylvaniaTop Reasons to Visit NorwayTop Most Beautiful Islands In The WorldTop Best Law Universities in the WorldTop Richest Sportsmen In The WorldTop Biggest Aquariums In The WorldTop Best Peruvian Restaurants In MiamiTop Best Road Trips From MiamiTop Best Places to Visit in MarylandTop Best Places to Visit in North CarolinaTop Best Electric Cars For KidsTop Best Swedish Brands in The USTop Best Skincare Brands in AmericaTop Best American Lipstick BrandsTop Michelin-starred Restaurants in MiamiTop Best Secluded Getaways From MiamiTop Best Things To Do On A Rainy Day In MiamiTop Most Instagrammable Places In MiamiTop Interesting Facts about FlorenceTop Facts About The First Roman Emperor - AugustusTop Best Japanese FoodsTop Most Beautiful Historical Sites in IsraelTop Best Places To Visit In Holy SeeTop Best Hawaiian IslandsTop Reasons to Visit PortugalTop Best Hotels In L.A. With Free Wi-FiTop Best Scenic Drives in MiamiTop Best Vegan Restaurants in BerlinTop Most Interesting Attractions In WalesTop Health Benefits of a Vegan DietTop Best Thai Restaurant in Las VegasTop Most Beautiful Forests in SwitzerlandTop Best Global Universities in GermanyTop Most Beautiful Lakes in GuyanaTop Best Things To Do in IdahoTop Things to Know Before Traveling to North MacedoniaTop Best German Sunglasses BrandsTop Highest Mountains In FranceTop Biggest Hydroelectric Plants in AmericaTop Best Spa Hotels in NYCTop The World's Scariest BridgeTop Largest Hotels In AmericaTop Most Famous Festivals in JordanTop Best European Restaurants in MunichTop Best Japanese Hiking Boot BrandsTop Best Universities in PolandTop Best Tips for Surfing the Web Safely and AnonymouslyTop Most Valuable Football Clubs in EuropeTop Highest Mountains In ColombiaTop Real-Life Characters of Texas RisingTop Best Beaches in GuatelamaTop Things About DR Congo You Should KnowTop Best Korean Reality & Variety ShowsTop Best RockstarsTop Most Beautiful Waterfalls in GermanyTop Best Fountain Pen Ink BrandsTop Best European Restaurants in ChicagoTop Best Fighter Jets in the WorldTop Best Three-Wheel MotorcyclesTop Most Beautiful Lakes in ManitobaTop Best Dive Sites in VenezuelaTop Best Websites For Art StudentsTop Best Japanese Instant Noodle BrandsTop Best Comedy Manhwa (Webtoons)Top Best Japanese Sunglasses BrandsTop Most Expensive Air Jordan SneakersTop Health Benefits of CucumberTop Famous Universities in SwedenTop Most Popular Films Starring Jo Jung-sukTop Interesting Facts about CougarsTop Best Hospitals for Hip Replacement in the USATop Most Expensive DefendersTop Health Benefits of GooseberriesTop Health Benefits of ParsnipsTop Best Foods and Drinks in LondonTop Health Benefits of Rosehip TeaTop Best Air Fryers for Low-fat CookingTop Most Asked Teacher Interview Questions with AnswersTop Best Shopping Malls in ZurichTop The Most Beautiful Botanical Gardens In L.A.Top Best Mexican Restaurants in Miami for Carb-loading rightTop Best Energy Companies in GermanyTop Best Garage HeatersTop Largest Banks in IrelandTop Leading Provider - Audit and Assurance In The USTop Best Jewelry Brands in IndiaTop Prettiest Streets in the UKTop Best Lakes to Visit in TunisiaTop Highest Mountains in Israel