What are my rights after a road accident




If you have been involved in a road traffic accident that was not your fault, you entitled to recover reasonable costs incurred to: -

  • restore your own vehicle to its pre-accident condition

  • continue to travel in the same manner as you did before whilst your own vehicle is repaired

  • replace items that were damaged or destroyed in the accident

  • compensate you and/or your passengers for the discomfort and/or consequences of any injuries



You do not have to claim on your insurance policy

This may come as a surprise, but you not have to use the services of your own insurer to get the assistance you are entitled to – in fact, it can be better not to.

Your insurer should make sure that all the above conditions are met and they should not charge you for this, they should charge the at-fault driver. The simple truth is, this is not always the case.


Making a claim independently of your insurer

Car Call and its partners provides independent accident assistance for anyone who has not caused an accident and is not happy with the services and additional costs of making a non-fault insurance claim.

Our aim is to fulfil your entitlements as the non-fault driver, but without any of the limitations and extra costs you may incur by a claim on your car insurance policy.


Your replacement vehicle

As the innocent party in a road accident you are entitled to replacement vehicle that is similar to your own.

You may get this from your insurer, but you probably have had to pay for it as an optional extra on your policy.

Or you may be offered a ‘courtesy car’, which is likely to either be a small hatchback, or a saloon. Either way - that’s unlikely to be similar to your own.

We just source the comparable replacement vehicle you are entitled to and charge the insurer of the at-fault driver the cost of the hire when you are finished with it – as it should be


Your vehicle repairs

You are entitled to choose who repairs your vehicle if you are not at-fault.

Your insurer will probably insist you use their ‘approved’ repair centre, but if you insist on using anyone different - you not be allowed to have a courtesy / replacement car.

We also have quality approved repair centres, but we also allow you to choose the repairer yourself if you wish – but we don’t penalise you for it.

If you do opt to use one of our repair centres, you can be assured that your vehicle is repaired your vehicle is repaired according to your manufacturers specifications and only using genuine replacement parts.


Your legal assistance

We also arrange legal assistance for all your accident related issues as part of your non-fault claim.

To find out more about our services just give us a call on 02392 484 244 and one of our experienced claims advisors will be happy help.

Any policyholder can use this service, and it is your legal right to choose who repairs your vehicle. All assistance offered and information given on this page is provided by Car Call and its partners , no association or affiliation to any particular insurer is intended in any way, and your statutory rights are unaffected.


No need to claim on your insurance

Anyone who has been involved in a road accident has the right to choose who repairs their vehicle. If you were responsible for the accident you were involved in, the company that insures your vehicle would normally deal with your accident claim.

However if you were not at-fault for the accident, you can choose to either claim on your own insurance policy or make a claim independently of your insurer. To find out more call 02392 484 244 and we will be happy to help.

We and our partners help thousands of people make independent accident claims. Our service enables motorists to get the help and assistance they need to resolve their accident related issues, with the costs being recovered directly from the at-fault driver on your behalf.

No excess to pay

Unfortunately even if an accident was not your fault, your insurer will almost certainly require you to pay your excess before any repair is started on your car.

This money should of course be recovered by an insurer at a later date, but with our service - you do not have to pay it at all.

By using our independent claims service, you are not making a claim on your insurance policy and so you will have no excess to pay.

Receive a comparable replacement hire vehicle

Not all insurance policies will include a replacement hire-car for you to use if yours is damaged and unroadworthy. In fact it is typically an 'optional extra' on your policy.

Other policies may offer a 'courtesy car' but this is often just a 'basic' saloon or hatchback which may not be suitable for your needs.

Car Call and its partners will provide a comparable replacement vehicle as part of our service. This means we will endeavour to supply a hire-vehicle that similar to your own in terms of its type, make and engine size.

So whether you drive a small hatchback or a prestige sports car, we will look to provide a similar hire-vehicle that suits your needs.

Manufacturer approved vehicle repairs

If you have been involved in a car accident, the last thing you want to have to worry about is the quality of the repairs to your car. We have a UK wide network of partner approved Accident Repair Centres available to all of our customers.

Many of our accident repair centres are have manufacturer approvals for specific brands, so if you require a manufacturer approved repair centre, simply tell your personal claim handler and they will ensure your vehicle goes to an approved repairer.

Want you vehicle repaired by a specific garage? No problem, we can alternatively use a repairer that you specify.

Legal Assistance

Our partner solicitors provide legal assistance as part of our service. They specialise in motor claims related issues, so you can be assured of the best possible advice and assistance.

They issues they can assist you with include:

  • Recovery of the cost of the replacement hire-vehicle
  • Recovery of the cost of uplifting your damaged vehicle
  • Recovery of all repair costs
  • Recovery of the cost of damaged of personal items
  • Seeking financial compensation for an injury