How do I make a claim on a Motor Insurance policy?

You should also take the time to familiarise yourself with the claims procedures at each new motor insurance company you use. Each company has a slightly different claims procedure, it is imperative that you understand both what is covered and how you should approach making a claim against your policy.

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What are the principles Motor Insurance is built upon?: During the process of applying for motor insurance you will be asked for many details ranging from personal details to location and security based questions. As with all insurance you are well advised to answer any and all questions as honestly as possible in order to ensure any claims are fully met by your insurance company in the event of an accident.
What to do if you have an accident: In many circumstances you will not be able to prevent an accident, especially if the accident is not your fault. If you are involved in an accident, there are several steps you need to undertake.
Who do I contact if I have a complaint against a finance house?: First you must address your original contact you dealt with, ask them for their job title and then request that the provide you with the name of the person who handles complaints. Traditionally, finance houses are required by the FSA to have a complaints procedure, and you should ask for details of this.
Am I insured to drive someone else's car?: Many motor insurance providers will allow their comprehensive policy holders to drive any other vehicle, as long as it is already insured by another driver. This means that you can drive your friend's car BUT it is likely that you will only be insured to third party level.
How to provide evidence of my No Claim Discount?: Accepted proof of the No Claim Discount would be as follows:

Most insurers provide a 24 hour claim line that will allow you to alert the insurer in the event of a claim and also order the necessary claims forms. These claims lines are set up so that you are able to report an claim as soon as it happens. If your insurer doesn't provide a 24 hour claim line, enquire as to why they do not, there's unlikely to be a good reason. If they don’t have a good reason then place your insurance elsewhere.

Once you have alerted the claims line, they will send an accident report form out to you to fill in. At this stage you would be well advised to enquire as to what the insurer needs from you in terms of evidence etc.
It is a good idea to carry a disposable camera in the vehicle, as one of the best forms of evidence is a picture of the scene of the accident to be included with your own statement.

Make sure that any correspondence you provide to your insurer is copied and kept in a safe place, you should also ensure that you keep any and all receipts that relate to your claim.

Look carefully at your vehicle so that you can accurately identify the areas in which damage was caused - as soon as these repairs have been identified, your insurance provider will probably recommend a garage to you. If you use a garage that wasn’t recommended, then BEFORE the work is undertaken, you will need to send the estimate to the insurer. By using the recommended garage, you also get the added advantage of your repairs being paid for directly by your insurer.

Remember that whatever the claim relates to, you will be expected to pay the agreed excess on the policy. Your insurer will pay the remaining cost of your repairs, but will not pay the excess amount. If you have only taken out third party insurance, you will need to claim from the other driver should you be involved in an accident that wasn’t your fault.