What to do after a car accident.
Our guide for what to do after a car accident.
If you have been in an accident, call us first on 0414 302 399
We will take care of everything at no cost to you.
- No excess to pay
- High quality care
- Complete accident management
- Independent & on your side
What To Do In A Car Accident & What To
Do After A Car Accident.
Our guide provides an intensive look into what to do in a car accident, followed by what to do after a car accident. For the readers who require quick information, we have created a quick-read summary offering all of the main points in a quick, digestible format here first:
Step 1: Directly after a car accident
- Stop your car, switch off your engine and turn on your hazard lights.
- Check for injuries on yourself and on any passengers in the car.
- Call the emergency services if anyone is injured or the road is blocked off.
- Stay calm and keep tensions low with everyone involved.
Step 2: What not to do
- Do not leave the scene of the accident until details have at least been exchanged.
- Avoid escalating the conversion into an argument.
- Ensure you do not admit responsibility if it was not your fault.
- Do not apologise for the accident: this may be taken as an admission of responsibility.
Step 3: Contacting the police
Call 999 if:
- There are injuries at the scene of the accident.
- The other driver is uninsured.
- The road is blocked as a result of the accident or other external damages occur.
- You suspect that the accident may have been intentional (crash for cash scams).
- The other driver may be under the influence of alcohol or drug use.
- The other driver fled the scene after the collision.
Otherwise, report the accident to the police within 24 hours by either:
- Reporting the accident online.
- Reporting it to a local police station.
- Contacting 101 and speaking to the police about the accident.
Step 4: Exchanging details
- Both drivers must exchange full name, address, contact number and registration number.
- Exchange insurance company details as well as registered vehicle owner (if different than the driver)
- Note down details of all passengers and witnesses from the scene.
Step 5: What not to do
- Time/Date of the accident.
- Driving conditions at the time.
- The make, model and colour of vehicles involved along with at least pictures.
- Damage that occurred to all vehicles involved, how the accident happens and positions of the vehicles.
Step 6: Vehicle recovery
- If the accident wasn’t your fault, Auto Claims Assist can provide speedy road side recovery.
- There will be no cost to you when using Auto Claims Assist
- Call 0414 302 399 to receive roadside recovery now.
Step 7: Starting the accident claims AFTER a car accident
- The most beneficial thing to do right away is call Auto Claims Assist.
- As expert accident management specialists, we can start the claim for you with all costs being re-claimed back from the at-fault driver's insurance company.
- If the accident wasn’t your fault, by not going directly to your own insurance company, you won’t have to pay an excess and you don’t risk losing your no claims bonus.
Step 8: Accident claims management
- As an accident claims management and credit hire company, Auto Claims Assist will provide full claims management.
- You’ll receive a dedicated claims handler with years of accident management experience as your point of contact.
- Your claim handler will manage the claims process for you, leaving you without worry or concern.
Step 9: Vehicle replacement & repair
- From ourselves you’ll receive a like-for-like vehicle replacement (rather than a standard, low-end courtesy car).
- We’ll organise your vehicle repair and you’ll have access to our 400+ repair network of garages; using manufacturer parts and methods for the repair.
- We’ll hand back your fully repaired car efficiently and satisfactorily.
Step 10: Injuries after an accident
- We’ll refer you to our panel of specialist personal injury solicitors.
- They will help you to claim for any injuries and losses you may have received as a result of the non-fault accident.
- Our panel work on a no win, no fee basis.
What To Do In A Car Accident: Overview.
Our cars are such a huge part of our day-to-day lives in the 21st century. From the moment we get handed those first set of keys, our car becomes the number 1 mode of transport.
So many of us use our cars for our regular routines:
- Going to work
- Meeting with friends and family
- Heading to the shops
- General day-to-day chores
Often, our lives are heavily led by having access to our cars.
The point is, with such frequent use of our cars, we often take for granted and forget the risks of what the roads can create.
So much so that the thought of actually being involved in a car accident and then what to do in a car accident often goes unconsidered. As a result, many people find themselves unprepared for the scenario.
If you’re here reading this, it’s likely that you may have been searching for information on what to do in or after a car accident. So with that, we’ve created this handy What To Do In A Car Accident Guide, followed by What To Do After A Car Accident.
We’ve also included some useful resources; terms often searched on Google. These might answer some final, unanswered questions you may still have.
However, before you get started: If you or someone you know have just been in a car accident that wasn’t your fault, we recommend that you use us as your first point of contact.
You can speak to our team at any time:
0414 302 399
You can also email us directly anytime.
We are Auto Claims Assist Ltd- A Specialist Accident Claims Management and Credit Hire Company that act as your independent, on your side, claims management specialist.
Providing that the accident was not your fault, we ensure that your entire accident insurance claim against the at-fault party’s insurance is processed with the outcome which prioritises you, the non-fault driver.
Better still, all of the benefits we provide are at no cost to you. You won’t even need to pay an insurance excess.
Get in touch to discuss your options and outcomes now on 0414 302 399. We look forward to helping you through this process.
For more information on what to do in a car accident and for more information about accident claims management, scroll down through our guide below.
What To Do In A Car Accident:
Directly after the incident.
Step 1: Stopping the car safely and switching off the car.
As soon as an accident happens, the shock and panic that a collision can cause often feel overwhelming and highly adrenaline-driven. It can be difficult to think clearly and consider what needs to happen next.
Wondering what to do is completely normal for most people.
The very first thing to do is to stop the car safely if it is not already safely stationary.
Even if the accident seems only minor, you must stop and try to stay as calm as possible.
Take a look around and make sure that you and any passengers you may have in the car appear uninjured, safe and well. Ensure you then turn off the car engine, followed swiftly by your hazard lights being turned on to warn other oncoming drivers of the incident.
Step 2: Inspect possible injuries in more detail for yourself, passengers and anyone else affected.
During your own inspection of yourself and any passengers, analyse for any injuries that may have been caused. If there are any injuries, your only priority at that point is to contact the emergency services and request an ambulance – explaining that there has been a car accident and providing as much information as you can regarding your location.
The emergency services will also be able to assist you with the information of initially what to do, so contacting them if you’re unsure right away is a good option.
Useful Tip: If you are struggling to identify your location and you’re not able to quickly understand the location accurately from witnesses or other drivers around you, consider using the website and/or app: what3words.
what3words is a modern, useful location app that has divided the majority of the world into 3-metre x 3-metre squares and given each square a unique combination of three words. Emergency services are now using this as a way to find exact locations of situations.
Using this, you will be able to provide the emergency services and ambulance with an exact 3m x 3m location of where you are and where the incident has taken place.
If there appear to be no injuries, use this opportunity to make a note of this. It’s an important detail of the claims process in case other people later try to claim for an injury.
If you are unsure about any possible injuries, the best idea will be to contact the emergency services and ambulance anyway.
Step 3: Stay calm while keeping tensions and tempers low.
At this point in the accident, the shock of the situation could still be at bay.
Emotions will be running high for:
- All Drivers involved.
- Passengers.
- Witnesses.
- People passing by.
- and other drivers.
Other people involved in the accident may also not know what to do in a car accident. Often, uncertainty will cause higher stress and worry.
It’s a really good idea to just take a moment to slow down.
Focus on calming yourself and the people around you while taking some deep breaths.
Staying level headed is really important for all discussions and collecting information collaboratively. With this considered, avoid losing your temper entirely. Do your best to also help everyone involved in not getting angry or too upset.
Step 4: Don’t apologise or admit any responsibility for the accident.
We must ensure that everyone is fully aware of what happened to cause the accident before apologising.
One of the first mistakes that people make when they don’t know what to do is to apologise for the accident.
An apology at this point may be mistakenly taken as an admission of liability. If the accident wasn’t your fault, this simple mistake can lead to problems during the claims process.
If the other driver apologises for the accident, make note of the time and exactly what is said. If the accident was the other driver's fault, referring back to this later will help with the claim process.
It’s also useful at this point to try and have at least 1 witness of all events from here on out if you didn’t have one already. It doesn’t matter if the witness knows exactly what to do, it’s just important to have an impartial witness to help confirm evidence afterwards.
If you are unsure about any possible injuries, the best idea will be to contact the emergency services and ambulance anyway.
Safety is always the number one priority in a car accident.
What To Do In A Car Accident: What NOT to do in a car accident.
Understanding the details of what to do in a car accident is very important for the success of the accident management insurance claim process. However, it’s just as useful to keep keynotes of things that you should avoid doing in a car accident.’
Don’t leave the scene: Stay at the scene of the accident until all parties are happy and agreed that it is acceptable to leave
It seems like an obvious point of what to do in a car accident for most of us, but when emotions are high, people can panic and do things without properly thinking about them first.
So remember, no matter what, do not run or leave the scene of the accident.
It may be useful to keep handy the road traffic act 1988 here: Road Traffic Act 1998.
As this states; it is a road traffic offence to drive away or leave the scene of an accident.
Recap of other things not to do in a car accident.
- Avoid escalating the conversation with the other driver into an argument at all costs. The best result will come from calm, mutual discussions.
- Avoid losing your temper, especially if the accident was not your fault. Raised tempers only increase the already difficult situation without a beneficial result.
- Ensure that you do not admit responsibility for the accident. Sometimes, accidents aren’t always as simple as we would like and a proper analysis of the scene must take place before determining fault.
- Do not apologise for the accident, no matter in what context it is meant when said. By nature, a lot of people are well mannered, kind people. It can sometimes be a knee-jerk reaction to apologise for someone else’s inconvenience, irrelevant of whether it was your fault. But in these circumstances, an apology CAN and MAY be used as an admission of guilt, even if the accident was not your fault.
If you have just been in a car accident and would like to speak to one of our accident experts, give us a call right away on 0414 302 399.
We’re here to offer you support and advice if you aren’t sure what to do in a car accident.
If the accident was not your fault, we will manage your entire claims process at no cost to you.
We ensure that all of the correct steps are taken, creating the most beneficial outcome for you.
Request a callback.
One of our advisors will call you back. Or, call us now on 0414 302 399.
What To Do In A Car Accident:
Contacting The Police.
It’s recommended that no matter the circumstance, the police are made aware of a car accident collision.
A common misunderstanding when people aren’t sure of what to do in a car accident is how and when should the police be brought into the situation.
It is the situation circumstances at hand that will depend on whether you’ll need to call the police immediately or whether you contact them once you leave the scene of the collision.
Reasons to Call 999 at the scene of the collision.
Providing Safety, Medical Care and Protecting the scene.
If the crash was a major accident, the police must be called straight to the scene.
The police will likely be the first unit to arrive at the accident scene. It’s also likely that, until the ambulance arrives, the trained police officers will be able to provide the best, instant medical care for anyone who requires it urgently.
In preparation for a medical ambulance arriving, they’ll also be the best equipped and trained people to clear the way for an ambulance to get into position.
Additionally, if the collision had caused major damage and scattered debris, or the road is now closed off as a result of the accident, the police must be contacted to attend.
For accidents with severity or heavy damages, the police will be able to block off the area around the crash, managing the situation more efficiently. During this, they’ll help keep the flow of traffic moving by creating safe passages or complete re-directions.
While it’s important that your own scene is the current priority, the process of all of the above will help avoid any further injuries or accidents that might occur with other interrupted traffic flows.
Assisting with and Investigating the collision.
With the police now helping to control the situation, the new safer surroundings will help to create additional time and space for conversations. Further detail gathering will be able to take place.
The police deal with car accidents every day on UK roads and are professionally trained for what to do in a car accident. Their input, structure and questioning will additionally help to provide evidence of who is at fault.
During the time of the car accident is the most important time to collect the deciding detail needed for your accident claim process.
The police will act as a third party witness during the information gathering period and everything will be officially documented by them, allowing you to provide a detailed version of events to help to prove that you weren’t at fault.
As part of their structure, the police may document witness reports and collect information on the parties involved in your accident. It’s still very important that you also take your own detailed version of events – ideally in the form of written notes and media (expanded in ‘Exchanging Details’ below).
Suspicion of an intentional accident.
Unfortunately, although most of us wouldn’t ever consider putting ourselves or others at risk from an intentional car accident, there are a small number of individuals who attempt to cause accidents to fraudulently scam other drivers and insurance companies for financial benefits.
If something doesn’t add up or feel right about the accident that you’ve been involved in, it may have been the intent of the third-party driver to create an accident.
At this point, you would call 999 as soon as possible, requesting attendance to the accident collision from the police to deal with this situation.
These scenarios are usually labelled as ‘Crash For Cash’ scams and are still to this day on the rise.
Being worried about what to do in a car accident if this is the case is perfectly natural in these instances; they are not just your standard car accident scenarios.
The other driver is uninsured.
Driving without correct and official vehicle insurance is a road traffic offence throughout the UK, Wales and Scotland.
Our laws require that drivers have, at a minimum, a third-party insurance policy to cover in case of an accident.
If the other driver in your car collision states that they do not have vehicle insurance, or if you suspect they do not from their comments or the way they are acting, it will be best to call 999 and acquire the police’s assistance at the scene.
Once again, it’s common for additional questions around what to do in a car accident if it involved an uninsured driver. The police will be able to assist in the start of this process.
Under the influence of alcohol or drug use.
On average it is said that 85,000 drivers each year are convicted of drink/drug driving offences.
In 2020, 6.1% of drivers involved in an accident and breath tested had failed and were driving under the influence at the time.
The danger this poses to pedestrians and other road users is so significant, and sometimes as a result, an accident ends up being caused.
It can also change the initial scope of what to do in a car accident should this be the case.
It’s very important that the police get involved at this stage to help provide evidence of the at-fault driver being under the influence.
If you have any suspicions that the driver involved in your accident is under any kind of drink or drug use influence, contact the police on 999 right away.
Fled the scene after the collision.
Finally, another main reason to call the police on 999 at the scene of the accident is if, once the crash occurs, the other driver flees the scene without exchanging details.
If there is an opportunity to do so, try your best to read and make note of the driver’s number plate before it’s too late.
If there are any additional witnesses, collect the witness’s details and ask if you can note them down as a witness to the hit and run.
The police will provide a crime reference number for the incident.
However, do not attempt to follow or chase the hit and run driver. This is dangerous and will likely cause further accidents or injury.
Avoid waiting any period of time before contacting the police. It’s important to call 999 and report what happened so that the police have an opportunity to catch the offender.
Hit and Run collisions can bring additional questions of what to do in a car accident next. So feel free to give Auto Claims Assist a call on 0414 302 399 and we can see if we’re able to assist you.
Contacting the Police when 999 doesn’t need to be used.
If a car collision occurs, the best course of action is to notify your local police within 24 hours, no matter the circumstance. This is just to be on the safe side.
The UK police force explains that you do not have to report the car collision to the police, providing that:
- All involved parties fully exchange details in the car accident, at the scene of the accident.
- Nobody was injured during the accident.
- The damages and interruption have not caused any other damages, disruption, debris or road closures.
- No allegations of any driving offences have been made.
- Any other reason that you may consider it to be necessary for a police officer to be notified.
Should any of the above reasons occur though and you do not contact the police after a car collision, it may be classed as a traffic offence and result in:
- A fine.
- Penalty points on your driving licence.
- Possibly even your driving licence to be revoked.
However, unless stated in the above section ‘Reasons to Call 999 at the scene of the collision’, the contact method of reporting the accident to the police does not require to be ‘999’.
If you’re unsure of what to do in a car accident and feel that police presence could be of benefit, but there is no immediate danger, urgency or causes to call 999, you could also consider calling ‘101’ to first seeking advice. Request if there are any available police offers nearby and available.
Reporting The Collision Online.
Some local police forces allow you to report a collision online.
For example, both The Metropolitan Police (London) and The Greater Manchester Police (Manchester) allow this option:
Through the National Policing in England, Wales and Northern Ireland website, you can find your local police force’s website and search for a collision reporting tool: Click To Find Your Local Police Force Website
Reporting online is a straightforward, efficient way for you to inform the police about the incident and to ensure you are not causing any traffic offences by not contacting them.
Do this within 24 hours of the accident.
Reporting The Collision at your local station.
The next method of reporting the collision to the police is by heading down to your nearest police station within 24 hours to file the report with an officer.
They will request all of the details from you about the accident, so it’s important to bring along your detailed notes as well as the third-party drivers’ information.
If you had passengers in your vehicle, or the third party had passengers in their vehicle, you’ll want to also pass over the details of everyone involved.
To find your local police station, use this handy tool here and using your location or your area, you will be guided to the nearest police station to you.
Calling 101 after a car accident.
On the official police websites, calling 101 is not the primary method of reporting your accident to the police within 24 hours.
- If your local police station provides a collision reporting tool, you should start with this.
- If you are able to get down to your local police station, you should secondary try this.
However, sometimes, people may struggle with accessing the internet or using devices. There may be also a reason why you’re unable to get to your local police station within 24 hours after your accident.
- In these cases, your third option is to call 101 and explain that you’d like to report a car collision that you’ve been involved with.
The operators on the phone are very helpful and will instruct you on what to do after a car accident next and what information they will need.
What To Do In A Car Accident:
Exchanging Details.
Exchanging drivers details
Once the initial shock has relaxed and everyone is safe, it is a legal necessity that both drivers exchange details.
These details must include:
- Driver's Full Name
- Driver's Home Address
- Driver's Telephone Number(s)
- Vehicle Registration Number
- Vehicle's registered owners details (if the driver is not the vehicle owner)
It’s also a very good idea to get the name of the other driver’s insurance company, just in case there are any initial issues in contacting the driver themselves.
Ensure that you collect and store these details for the third-party driver, but additionally, ensure that you also give the other driver these details of your own.
It is a traffic offence to not provide your details to the other driver after a road traffic collision. Not doing so will put yourself at risk, but also potentially put your accident claim at risk.
To swiftly begin the accident claim process afterwards, make sure to collect and store securely all of the details that you have been given. Consider electronically storing them, if possible, by sending an email or through cloud storage for backup.
We encourage the use of paper and pen, especially for the finer details such as diagrams/drawings (see section information to note down) but paper can sometimes be easily misplaced, lost or damaged.
Exchanging details of passengers and witnesses.
Exchanging details with the other driver alone is sometimes not enough.
Firstly, you want to ensure that all details are exchanged with any and all passengers; both from your own vehicle and importantly from the third-party vehicle as well.
To help build your claim once you have left the road traffic accident scene, witnesses are very important to the success and evidence.
If you have a witness at this point, ensure you collect the witness’s details in full.
If you don’t have a witness right now, consider asking any new passers-by if they will accompany you as a witness from here onwards. This will be while you gather evidence of who is at fault, followed by accurate and detailed facts about the accident itself.
What To Do In A Car Accident: Information to note down.
Hopefully, by now some calm progress has been made and most of the formalities have been completed.
In regards to your claim for after the accident has occurred, noting down detailed information in relation to the accident is the key to establishing evidence to prove that the accident wasn’t your fault, without complication.
If you’re currently researching in concern for a future accident, our advice pre-to an accident occurring is to always keep a small notepad in your vehicle at all times.
A notepad is really useful for getting signatures (from witnesses), jotting down detailed information and also sketching out the accident scene as it happened.
If you don’t have a notepad or any form of paper, ask other people around you – witnesses, a business (if in view – do not leave the scene if it’s not easily and quickly accessible), passing pedestrians or a police officer if they have arrived at the incident.
If a notepad or paper isn’t available, use a phone or other device to take down evidence and key details.
The key information checklist for what to do in a car accident that you need to establish is:
- Notes of the third-party vehicles: Make, model, colour, year (if possible) and number plate.
- Notes, Photographs and (ideally) videos of both the third-party car and your own car. This includes damages and positions.
- Notes, Photographs and (ideally) videos of the surrounding areas and, specifically, the area where the collision came to be.
- Notes, Photographs and (ideally) videos of the driving conditions: Lighting, surface quality, weather etc.
- It’s also a good idea to consider commentating during a video, pointing to where and how the incident occurred as well as any thoughts and/or opinions of the other people involved. (If you are able to take a video of the third-party driver, with their permission, accepting liability for the accident; media like this will go a long way to an effective and successful claim).
- Ensure to note the exact time and date of the accident.
- Any and all injuries of everyone involved.
- Full witness details and comments.
- We also suggest you try to create a sketch, during discussions with the third party driver, of the accident and how it occurred. Gathering a visual drawing along with the other driver’s signature will also help to avoid people changing their minds afterwards.
- Check for CCTV cameras in the area and also see if the other driver has a dashcam (or if you have one yourself, ensure to save the footage).
What To Do In A Car Accident: Vehicle Recovery when stuck at the roadside.
If the collision has created visual damage to your car, it may be unclear as to whether your car is drivable after the accident.
When it comes to road safety, always play it safe than sorry.
Even if the bodywork looks ‘stable-ish‘, it’s difficult to say if any mechanical or electrical internals have been affected.
Unless you’re confident, we recommend organising roadside accident recovery.
As technology advances in the motor industry, so does vehicle safety.
The majority of modern-day cars are safer today than they have ever been before if you are involved in a collision.
However, as a result of having much higher safety ratings, they can also tend to withstand damage to their bodywork and components less than ever before. This is due to materials installed but also safety methods used for impact safeness.
Subsequently, modern-day cars tend to experience much greater damage when they are involved in a collision. This often leads to cars being classed as ‘undrivable’.
A BizCommunity article explains very well that, similarly to if you were to jump from an elevated step with your knees completely straight and rigid, the impact would be damaging and painful.
Equivalently, cars are the same in a collision.
If the frame is solid and allows no absorption, the impact will be extremely painful and harsh, causing guaranteed injuries and fatal consequences.
Therefore, modern safety methods allow for very specific, calculated absorption to lessen the blow of an impact on the people involved.
The bodywork and certain internals of the car after an impact can appear heavily damaged. This outcome can leave drivers at the roadside requiring a recovery service.
Understandably at this moment, drivers wonder what to do in a car accident if they’re stuck at the roadside.
If this is the case, Auto Claims Assist Ltd have an established roadside recovery service that, providing the accident wasn’t your fault, will be charged back to the third-party driver’s insurance as part of your accident claim.
- We’re here and ready to recover your vehicle 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.
- There are no limitations on your recovery destination.
- Our recovery team will ensure that you are recovered swiftly and safely.
- If the accident was not your fault, the recovery will not be a cost to you.
Once you have been recovered, you may have a concern regarding the storage of your vehicle while it’s in the condition that it is.
Following an accident recovery and once you are safe and sound, we can assist with vehicle storage while we next organise the repair of your vehicle – once again, all at no cost to you if the accident wasn’t your fault.
If you currently need vehicle recovery, click to read more about our recovery service here or call our 24/7 vehicle recovery team on 0414 302 399.
What to do after a car accident: Overview.
The initial distressing occurrence of your road traffic incident is now hopefully coming to its final approach as you advance to this section of the process.
Providing that you were able to achieve at least the majority of the What To Do In A Car Accident suggestions, you should be in a preferred position to strive ahead swiftly with organising a successful non-fault accident claim (providing that you were not at fault in the accident).
As a recap, you should have already:
- Stopped the car, checked for injuries and stayed calm.
- Stay at the scene, don’t lose your temper, don’t apologise and don’t take responsibility.
- Circumstance depending: Contact the police on 999 or within 24 hours after the accident.
- Exchanged details with the driver, passengers and witnesses.
- Note down as much detail about the accident as possible.
- Contact Auto Claims Assist for vehicle recovery at the roadside.
Once all of these tasks have been completed to satisfaction, everyone involved can leave the scene knowing that the incident has been handled properly.
There are a couple of things that you may likely begin realising now, wondering what to do after a car accident…
- Should I call my own insurance company if the accident wasn’t my fault?
- Will I need to pay an insurance excess because of this?
- Wait a minute, I’m now stuck without a car! How do I get around?
- My car is prestige, will I get a courtesy car at least the same spec?
- How does organising my vehicle’s repair work with the insurance?
- How do I deal with organising an insurance claim?
- I’ve been injured and now I’m off work, what do I do about this?
Take a moment not to worry.
If you’re reading this, you’re in the right place.
It might not be all of these things, but it’s likely that at least 1 or 2 of these points have crossed your mind as the reality of the situation settles in.
They are all very valid points and you’ll likely have more, unique to your situation. The first port of call is to initiate the accident claims process.
Your first reaction may be to call your insurance company. However, if the accident was not your fault, calling your insurance company first is not the most beneficial thing to do for YOU.
As an accident claims management and credit hire company, we are independent claims managers and advisors who prioritise you, the non-fault driver, throughout the process.
We have a rating of EXCELLENT on TrustPilot and help to manage the entire claims process for you.
If you’re ready, give us a call on 0414 302 399 or click here to begin your claim.
One of our advisors will gladly assist you from this point, until we’re handing back the keys to your like-new vehicle.
In this section, we’ll explain the process of what to do after a car accident.
This will help you understand:
What to do after a car accident: Starting your accident claim and an introduction to accident claims management with Auto Claims Assist.
The first instinct that many people have at this moment is to call your own insurance company.
That’s either to start the claims process directly or alternatively to ask for some advice.
Most insurance companies do have a dedicated internal claims line. It’s operated by themselves and they help customers process claims.
However, if the accident wasn’t your fault, there are many reasons why going to your insurance company directly to begin the claim is likely to leave you worse off than you could be otherwise.
The accident management market provides a valuable, outsourced and independent claims handling solution for this very reason. It is so that you, the non-fault driver, receive everything that you’re entitled to, with as little disruption as possible to your life.
Wondering about the best approach of what to do after a car accident is completely normal. It’s best to review the pros and cons of your options before you make any decisions.
Reasons NOT to claim through your own insurance directly:
- Making a claim can lead to increased premiums.
- You will have to pay your excess.
- Your no claims bonus could be affected.
- Insurer approved repairers tend to not use genuine manufacturer parts.
- An insurer’s goal is to save as much money as possible.
- Very low-end courtesy car with potential limited usage duration.
- An insurer will likely undervalue your vehicle if it is written off.
- Your claim would probably get referred to an accident management company anyway for a referral fee!
The benefits of using Auto Claims Assist as your credit hire and accident management company solution:
- Your own experienced and dedicated claims handler.
- Your no-claims bonus will be unaffected.
- Like-for-like spec vehicle replacement for the full duration.
- 24/7 nationwide recovery.
- Secure vehicle storage.
- Independent, manufacturer approved engineers for your repair.
- A national repair network for you to choose from.
- There’s no cost to you for the service.
During the accident claims process, it’s not uncommon for timely decision-making to be necessary. If you aren’t experienced in the technicalities of the accident market, having that independent and on-your-side claims manager could make all the difference at those pinnacle moments.
If you are wondering what to do after a car accident, starting the claims process with Auto Claims Assist genuinely is a no-brainer and very simple to begin.
Contact us as soon as possible and provide the accident details to our ready and waiting new claims team:
Give us a call on 0414 302 399
Email us on info@autoclaimsassist.co.uk
Or click here to start your claim now.
Once contacted, we’ll open up the claims process discussions with the third-party insurance company and ensure that all of the correct information is properly addressed with your own insurance company, at the right time.
What to do after a car accident: Your accident support partner team And dedicated claims handler.
Working with a partner who understands what to do after a car accident and the different complexities in the accident management market is essential.
Our services supply a seamless support function for you with the objective of removing all uncertainty from an accident situation.
Our team members are:
- Highly trained call handlers.
- With exceptional industry knowledge.
- Using outstanding customer journey processes.
- Proudly rated EXCELLENT continuously on Trustpilot by our customers.
One of our business secrets for continued success is our incredibly high staff retention rate. As a company, we re-invest quality time and training into our teams.
The result: We are able to repeatedly exceed our customer’s expectations, providing satisfaction all around.
As part of your claim with Auto Claims Assist, you’ll be assigned to your own dedicated claims handler from our expert team.
Your dedicated claims handler will be familiar with your case and will provide you with clear communication and updates.
You’ll always be fully aware of the ongoing progress, so you can sit back and relax, knowing that your accident management professionals are providing you with the most TRUSTED level of service in the industry.
Our clarity throughout will also ensure that you’ll always know what to do after a car accident should you ever find yourself in the unfortunate situation again.
What to do after a car accident: your vehicle's repair and temporary replacement.
A replacement vehicle while yours is off the road
Repairing your vehicle after the accident is, of course, very important; but organising a replacement for while your vehicle is off the road and being repaired is one of the first needs that you’ll want to address.
One of the main worries about what to do after a car accident is getting access to a car in the meantime.
Opposed to choosing an accident management company for your claim, an insurance company will usually state in their policy that you may be offered a courtesy car after a car accident but will very rarely supply a vehicle with the same spec.
An insurance company's courtesy car will often come in the form of a small, 1.0-litre hatchback or similar.
While for some, this isn’t a problem; others may find that this spec of car does not meet their needs nor desires.
For the car lovers out there who;
- Work hard all year for their preferred car.
- Pay increasing insurance premiums.
- To then not be in the same spec of car that we’re used to and purchased for good reason.
Is it fair that an accident that wasn’t your fault should leave you without?
As your accident management solution, our accident management specialists will provide you with that deserved, like-for-like replacement while your own car is off the road and undergoing repairs.
Our large, established fleet of vehicles means that we’re able to get you quickly back onto the road.
As part of our credit hire services, there will be no cost to you for this privilege. We include the like-for-like replacement vehicle costs as part of the insurance claim against the at-fault party’s insurance company.
Better still, as mentioned previously, you won’t be required to pay an excess for this with a credit hire company or for any part of the accident claims management.
Repairing your vehicle after a car accident.
Before your keys can be safely handed back, thorough repairs and safety inspections need to take place to ensure your vehicle is like-new again.
Deciding what to do after an accident can be daunting.
The process and the end result of your repair will depend on whether you contact your insurance company first, or if choose to work with an accident management company.
The accident repairers will ensure all bases are covered, including:
- The car’s electronics.
- The car's mechanical and engine parts.
- The bodywork and paint.
- The car’s structure.
- The car’s safety and testing.
However, choosing to work with an accident management company like Auto Claims Assist at this point can make all the difference.
Using your insurance for your vehicle repairs.
If you’ve reached this point and didn’t use a credit hire company/accident management company, the insurance company will be dealing with this and will tend to manage car repairs in their own way.
An insurance repair process includes using an ‘insurer approved repair garage’.
Now, although that sounds quite official and approved, unfortunately, that isn’t the case. It’s just worded in a way that reads so.
The insurance approved repair garages are typically ones in partnership with the insurance company themselves. It enables insurance companies to create processes that they can control easier.
This is beneficial for communication and updates purposes, but it’s not necessarily beneficial for you and your car.
Remember: The reality is… your insurance company’s main objective is to save as much money as possible.
Although the approved garages will need to meet quality standards, they rarely use manufacturer-approved parts and methods. If your car is still under warranty, non-manufacturer approved parts and repairs could result in your warranty being marked as void.
With your insurers, you’ll also lose your control over the choice of garage.
Choice of the garage, as we all know, is a big factor in car maintenance and repairs.
We want to trust that our valuable cars are in the hands of:
- Safe.
- Qualified.
- Trusted companies.
If your car is a...
- Brand-new car.
- Sports car.
- Prestige car.
- SUV.
- Electric.
- Or better performance in any way…
You also want to know if your repairer is an expert in that type of vehicle before attempting repairs.
With your insurer, you do have a right to choose a different repair garage if you are insistent on doing so.
Legislation introduced in 2010 deemed it unfair that insurance companies could dictate to customers who should repair their car.
However, as a result of choosing this option, insurance companies will look at charging an additional fee for this as it’s outside of their standard process.
By working with an accident management company, all of these worries aren’t an issue within the repair process.
An accident management company's repair process.
As a well-established accident management and credit hire company, over time we have expanded our repair network to over 400+ garages and body shops.
This means that:
- We’re able to get you quickly back onto the road.
- We work with manufacturer-approved repair garages and body shops.
- No corners are cut during the repair process for cost savings.
- We run through testing to the highest quality of safety.
- We ensure that you’re never without a replacement car during the repair.
- You are able to choose from our countrywide repair network.
Your dedicated claims handler will ensure that your vehicle is repaired properly, in good time and to a standard that you are satisfied with.
By developing and investing in our systems regularly, your car will progress through the repair section without error and we’re able to keep you updated with excellent communication.
If you’re stuck wondering what to do after a car accident, get in touch with out team now for the most beneficial next steps.
What to do after a car accident: Injuries that may have been caused due to the accident.
It’s important to get the correct legal help if you’re involved in a non-fault accident.
There are many legal professionals out there who can assist with a road traffic accident but you will want to consider working with a dedicated road traffic accident personal injury solicitor.
Auto Claim Assist’s experience in the industry has enabled us to bring together a panel of some of the most experienced and professional solicitors that the industry has to offer.
Even minor car accidents can leave you with long-term injuries.
Insurers may try to make you an early offer, but it’s important to take impartial legal advice before you accept.
It’s important to remember that Auto Claims Assist do not provide personal injury claims as a service, but our close working relationships with partnered legal firms can assist with making a personal injury claim.
- Contact Auto Claims Assist and inform us about your road traffic accident.
- We’ll refer you to one of our professional specialist legal partners for road traffic accident personal injury claims.
- Your Personal Injury Solicitor will then advise you about the process, your injuries and how they’re relevant to a claim, the timescales and what happens next.
Auto Claims Assist will always be here to advise and help with your:
Request a callback.
One of our advisors will call you back. Or, call us now on 0414 302 399.