If you have been involved in an accident with another vehicle, you may be daunted by the process of going through a claim and dealing with the insurance company to cover repair costs. Depending on who was responsible for the collision, there will be different processes to take and claims to be made, so it is important to be clear on the steps you will need to take if an accident does occur.
The insurance process
In the immediate aftermath of an accident, regardless of whether or not you would like to make an insurance claim, it is important you inform your insurer in case the other driver decides to make a claim without you knowing. You may choose not to make a claim because:
- You do not want it to affect your no claims discount.
- You may wish to pay for the repairs yourself.
If you decide you do want to make a claim, it is important to be clear on this process and differentiate between a fault and non-fault claim.
Non-fault claim
- The driver of the other vehicle accepts blame for causing the collision, their insurer will pay out for any damage caused.
- Your insurer will not have to pay for anything, or if they do the costs will be recovered from the other insurer.
- You will have more freedom about where the repairs to your vehicle are carried out as your insurer won’t have to pay anything.
Fault claim
- A claim is being made on your insurance, meaning you may have been responsible for the collision or you have been unable to retrieve the details of the other driver.
- Your insurer will have to pay out regardless of whether or not you caused the accident.
- You may find the insurance company to be more assertive when it comes to choosing where repairs are carried out.
If you are having to make a fault claim you will have to consider the severity of the damage to your car. Depending on the costs involved and the amount of damage, you will need to decide whether to go directly to a mechanic and pay a flat fee for the repairs or to pay the excess on your insurance policy, increasing your annual premium and potentially affecting any no-claims you have built up.
It is important to remember…
Regardless of the type of claim you are making, you are within your rights to choose where your vehicle is repaired, so it will be worth your while to carry out some research and make a more well-informed decision on the best place to go. You could also look into your insurer’s preferred supplier, how reliable they are, and whether they have positive reviews to see if you will be receiving high quality repairs.
Here at Double Dee Autos, we have extensive experience carrying out quality repairs on all types of vehicles. We are able to complete work on behalf of any UK insurer – all you’ll need to do is inform them and check whether it will affect your excess. If you would like to find out more about our services or are interested in booking your car in with us, give us a call today on 020 8460 3040 or email ddautosbromley@outlook.com.