How to make a successful car insurance claim

If you're unlucky enough to be in a car accident, you don't want to be caught out by your insurer's loopholes and miss out on your money as well!

I'm immensely fortunate in that I have never (touch wood) been in a car accident. Thankfully my car insurance policy remains untouched.

However, for those of you that have been in a shunt, or even something more serious, that wasn't your fault, a vast number are missing out on getting the payout they deserve.

According to MORE TH>N, more than a third of us (38%) are failing to make a successful claim by not gathering enough third party details needed for a successful claim. It's so concerned by the trend that it has developed an iPhone application (aptly called The Car Claim iPhone App),specifically to ensure drivers gather the exact information they will need in order to secure a payout.

And brilliantly, not only is the application absolutely free, but non- MORE TH>N customers can also use it.

But never mind the iPhone, what do drivers need in order to make a successful car insurance claim?

Get some evidence!

You'll want to ensure you have some evidence of your losses, so that you can claim the money back from the other person's insurer.

This is where a camera phone comes in handy - try to take pictures of both cars, and the location of the accident if possible (the MORE TH>N tool is quite handy for this, as you can upload your location via GPS).

If you don't have a camera phone, Admiral Insurance recommends always carrying a disposable camera in your vehicle for precisely this reason.

Don't accept the blame!

This is one repeated by all insurers.

If you are in an accident, do not say it was your fault or offer to pay for the damage at the scene of the crime. Don't discuss who was responsible at all - that is a matter for the insurance companies to sort out.

Take ALL of their details

You'll also want to get the full name and address of the other driver. It's an idea to get a couple of different telephone numbers for them, as well as the details of their insurer. They'll want all of your details too.

You'll also want to make a note of how many people are in the other car - some sneaky people will try to claim for injuries to passengers that weren't even in the car!

Finally, you'll want to take the details of any independent witnesses of the accident, which you should also pass onto your insurer. Should the third party deny liability, these could prove invaluable.

With all this notetaking needed, it's a good idea to have a pen and pad in your car at all times, just in case.

When to get it fixed

If your car is unusable after the accident, make sure you inform your insurance company.

It's generally a good idea to avoid getting it repaired until either your insurer or the other party has approved them, otherwise they are unlikely to pay.

When they don't have car insurance

If the other person involved in the accident doesn't have car insurance, the first thing you should do is call the police.

In this situation, your insurer should cover the costs of the damage to your vehicle. However, they will not cover the additional costs (phone calls or taxis for example) that would ordinarily be covered by the other driver's insurer.

You should also contact the Motor Insurers' Bureau, an organisation established to help compensate the victims of negligent, uninsured and untraced motorists, which may be able to assist you.

Is it worth claiming?

If you have only had a brake light smashed, then it probably isn't worth claiming for the damage.

Yes, it would be handy to not have to shell out for a new brake light, but making that claim may impact on your future premiums as you'll lose any no-claims bonus you may have built up.

If the insurer says no...

Sadly, around one in ten adults have made a fraudulent claim, according to research, so insurers can be pretty tough on claimants.

However, if the insurer declines your claim there are certain things you should do. First of all, you should request a written statement explaining precisely why your claim has been declined. If you are unhappy with the reason given you can dispute it with the insurer in question.

If that doesn't result in a satisfactory outcome, your final option is to complain directly to the Financial Ombudsman Service.

Good luck!

Get help from lovemoney.com

If you fancy cutting how much you spend on your car, then lovemoney.com can help in a range of different ways.

First of all why not check out the hints and tips in our goal: Cut your car costs

Next, have a watch of this video: Don't make this car insurance mistake

Finally if you have any car insurance queries that need answering, why not pick the brains of your fellow lovemoney.com users in our Q&A section?

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