When not to claim on your car insurance




If you have been involved in a car accident, you are likely to want someone to take control of everything for you so you can get back to normal as soon as possible.

If you were at-fault for the accident, normally you would contact your insurer and they should be able to do this for you. Being your fault, you will have to accept that you will lose your no-claims bonus and that you will have to pay whatever excess you have on your policy.


I am not at-fault so my insurance claim does not cost me anything – does it?

You won’t have to look far on the internet forums to find out the answer to this question. More and more people are discovering that a claim that should not cost them anything - is actually costing them money.

Basically, an insurer views any claim on an insurance policy, whether it’s for a fault or a non-fault accident – as a claim.

Does it matter? Well, yes it does, because your next insurance premium is likely to increase even though you were not at-fault. So, it’s now cost you money.

What about my excess? You will almost certainly be required to fork out the excess on your policy too. Yes, you should be able to get this money back, weeks or months later from the at-fault drivers insurer – but wouldn’t it be great if didn’t have to pay it out at all?


Get non-fault accident assistance with Car Call

Car Call and our partners help thousands of motorists every year get the assistance that they need following an accident, but without making a claim on their own insurance policies.

Our customers choose our service because it provides everything they need and it means they don't have to pay any excess they may have on their car insurance policy. Another key benefit is that your no-claims bonus should not be affected by your independent claim.

In addition to organising your vehicle repairs and replacement vehicle, we also provide you with legal expenses cover to help you recover the costs of any uninsured losses. These could include the recovery accident expenses, lost earnings, travel costs, hire-vehicle costs or personal injury claim costs.

How much does our service cost? All costs and charges are recovered directly from the insurer of the person at-fault.

Remember it does not matter what type of cover you have on your own car insurance policy, because we act independently for you - the following services are available: -

  • We will provide a comparable replacement for your damaged vehicle

  • The replacement vehicle is delivered typically within 3 hours (if your vehicle is un-drivable) of accepting your claim

  • Repairs are arranged at one of our approved accident repair centres or at a repairer of your own choice

  • Your vehicle repairs are fully guaranteed and are carried out according to manufacturer specifications

  • Legal assistance is arranged for accident related issues such as the recovery of expenses, lost earnings or claims for compensation

  • Costs and charges are recovered directly from the at-fault driver’s insurer on your behalf

  • Impartial help and advice from our 24/7 help line



To find out more about our service, call us on 02392 484 244 and we will be happy to 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