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 if I have a high performance car?: High performance cars tend to be very expensive, but its not just the buying of the car. It's also the cost of maintaining, repairing it, and particularly the cost of insuring that you need to fully consider. High performance Car Insurance can cost anywhere up to about £10,000 a year, so shopping around can save you a small fortune.
What types of Motor Insurance Policy are available?: Since 1930 it has been a legal requirement for all drivers of motor vehicles to be covered by insurance for a minimum of third party claims, that means you have to be insured against accidents that are caused by you and have damaged a ‘third party’s’ vehicle.
How do I find the cheapest motor insurance premiums?: In order to get the best possible quote for your Motor insurance you should compare and contrast quotes provided by many different insurers. You'll find the difference between quotes can be enormous with a potential 50% difference between the most expensive and the cheapest quote.
Who should I contact should I wish to report a problem with an Insurance Company?: The general insurance industry is now regulated by the Financial Services Authority (FSA).
Can I use my car for business use?: Class SDP. This class of motor vehicle use is for the policyholder and Named Drivers only using the vehicle for social, domestic and pleasure

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.