If you’ve never had to make a claim on your car insurance before, it can be a daunting prospect, particularly after an accident.
In this article you’ll discover some useful tips from The Co-operative Insurance to help you through the claim-making process after you’ve been involved in a road accident.
- Gather as much information as you can at the scene
The first thing you need to do after a road traffic accident is gather as many details as you can to pass onto your car insurance company.
This should include names, addresses, vehicle registrations, witness statements and insurance details of any other parties involved. If possible you should also take pictures of the scene to back up any claim you want to make.
- Decide if you should make a claim
It’s not always the best idea to make a claim on your car insurance depending on the level of your policy excess.
For example if you only need a minor repair after reversing into a lamppost, it may be cheaper just to pay for it yourself rather than forking out for the excess and losing your no claims discount.
You should be aware that making a lot of claims within a short period of time will inevitably push up any future car insurance quotes you get as you’ll be seen as a higher risk.
If your claim is worth pursuing you should inform your insurance company immediately. Large car insurance companies such as The Co-operative Insurance have claim lines open 24 hours a day.
- Follow your insurer’s advice
Most auto insurance companies will have a panel of approved repair companies in your area. While it’s understandable you want your car fixed as soon as possible after an accident, if you take this into your own hands and choose your own repair company, your insurer may not pay out on your claim.
It’s important you complete any paperwork you’re asked to in a timely manner and return it to your car insurance company.
As tempting as it may be, you shouldn’t contact any of the other parties involved in the accident directly as this could jeopardise your claim.
- Be patient
Road traffic accidents can take a while to sort out, depending on the circumstances. If two parties are both strenuously claiming the other was at fault, car insurance companies have a lot of work on their hands to find out who really was to blame.
Author Bio: The Co-operative Insurance handles thousands of car insurance claims in the UK every year.