Non-Fault Accident Claims FAQ

Contact your insurer before repairs begin and tell them that you want Sandown Coachworks to assess and repair your vehicle.

An insurer may recommend a repairer from its approved network, but you can ask to use a repairer you trust. Ask the insurer to confirm whether changing repairer will affect any policy benefits, such as a courtesy car or repair guarantee.

Sandown Coachworks works with major insurers and can discuss the proposed repair directly with the company handling your claim.

An insurer may record the claim as open or temporarily treat it as a fault claim until it has recovered its costs from the other party.

In insurance records, a fault claim can mean that the insurer has not recovered all its costs. It does not always mean that the insurer believes you caused the accident.

Your no claims discount could be affected while recovery is outstanding. The insurer may reinstate it once the claim is settled and its costs have been recovered, depending on the policy terms.

A non-fault accident can affect a future premium even when your no claims discount remains intact.

Insurers consider several risk factors when calculating prices, including previous accidents and claims. A protected no claims discount controls the discount applied to the premium. It does not guarantee that the underlying price will remain unchanged.

Declare the accident when an insurer or comparison website asks about previous incidents, including accidents recorded as non-fault.

Your policy excess normally applies when your own insurer pays for the repair under your comprehensive insurance policy.

You may have to pay the excess before the repair and recover it later from the responsible driver or their insurer. Legal expenses cover may help with this process.

An excess will not usually apply when the repair is managed directly against the at-fault insurer outside your own policy. This depends on the agreed claim route, so check the position before authorising the repair.

Ask the insurer to explain exactly what it is proposing before accepting a repair, replacement vehicle or cash settlement.

A quick cash payment may not account for hidden damage, diagnostic work, sensor calibration or additional damage found after the vehicle is dismantled. Have the vehicle assessed before agreeing that a payment settles the vehicle damage claim in full.

You can ask Sandown Coachworks to prepare a detailed Audatex repair estimate before you make a decision.

The insurers or claims handlers will review the evidence and decide how liability should be allocated.

Useful evidence can include photographs, dashcam footage, witness details, police records, road markings and the position of damage on each vehicle. Liability can sometimes be divided between the drivers when the evidence suggests that both contributed to the collision.

Keep the original files and provide a clear account of what happened. Avoid editing photographs or overwriting dashcam footage.

You may be able to make a claim through the Motor Insurers’ Bureau when an uninsured or untraced driver caused the accident.

An untraced driver includes someone who leaves without providing their identity, gives false details or cannot later be identified. Eligibility depends on the circumstances and the Motor Insurers’ Bureau rules.

Report a hit and run to the police and keep the incident reference number. Record the vehicle registration, description, location, time, witnesses and any available footage.

The Motor Insurers’ Bureau claims service explains how claims involving uninsured and untraced drivers are handled.

Ask the insurer for its valuation report and the information used to calculate the offer.

Check that the mileage, model, trim, optional equipment, condition and service history are correct. Gather recent adverts for comparable vehicles with a similar age, mileage and specification.

The Financial Ombudsman Service defines market value as the price the vehicle would have sold for at a reputable dealership immediately before the loss. Its published approach considers motor valuation guides, vehicle history, engineer reports and comparable evidence.

You can challenge an offer by sending the insurer your evidence and asking for the valuation to be reviewed. The Financial Ombudsman’s vehicle valuation guidance explains how valuation disputes are assessed.

Tell the insurer as early as possible that you may want to retain the vehicle.

Whether you can keep it depends on its insurance write-off category and whether it can legally and safely return to the road. If the insurer agrees, it will normally deduct the vehicle’s salvage value from the settlement.

Do not start repairs until ownership, settlement and salvage arrangements have been confirmed in writing.

The finance or leasing company is usually the legal owner of the vehicle, so it must be involved in the settlement.

The insurer will normally pay the settlement to the finance company. If the settlement is lower than the outstanding finance balance, you may remain responsible for the difference.

Check whether you have GAP insurance or another policy that may cover some or all of the shortfall. Contact the finance provider before accepting a settlement or asking to retain the vehicle.

You may be able to recover reasonable costs that arose directly from the accident and are supported by evidence.

These could include vehicle recovery, storage, alternative travel, damaged personal belongings or loss of earnings. Each cost will be considered individually.

Keep invoices, receipts, wage records and correspondence. You are expected to take reasonable steps to limit further losses.

Reasonable recovery and storage charges may form part of the claim against the responsible driver’s insurer.

Charges can increase each day while a damaged vehicle remains in commercial storage. Tell the company managing the claim where the vehicle is being held and provide any recovery or storage invoices promptly.

Sandown Coachworks can discuss moving the vehicle to the appropriate bodyshop when recovery is required.

The vehicle provider will tell you when the hire or courtesy vehicle must be returned.

For a repairable vehicle, this is commonly when your own vehicle is ready for collection or delivery. For a write-off, the return date may relate to the settlement payment and the reasonable period allowed for arranging another vehicle.

Continuing to use the vehicle after the agreed date could create charges that the other insurer refuses to pay. Follow the provider’s instructions and ask for written confirmation if the return date is unclear.

Read more about like-for-like replacement vehicles and credit hire.

Raise the complaint with the insurer, broker, hire provider or claims company responsible for the issue.

Explain what happened, state the outcome you want and include supporting documents. Ask the business to provide its final response in writing.

Complaints about regulated insurers and brokers may be referred to the Financial Ombudsman Service after the business has issued its final response or has had eight weeks to respond. Different rules can apply to complaints about credit hire agreements and other companies involved in the claim.