Two ways to claim
- Through your own insurer — they repair your car and then try to recover the cost from the at-fault driver’s insurer. You may pay your excess first (refunded later if they recover it), and a hire car may or may not be included.
- Directly against the at-fault driver’s insurer — you (or a company acting for you) claim straight from them. No excess, no claim on your own policy, and the replacement car is part of the claim.
When claiming directly makes sense
- The other driver is clearly at fault (for example, they ran into the back of you)
- You have their name, address and registration
- They’re insured
- You want a replacement car while yours is repaired
When to go through your own insurer instead
- Fault is genuinely disputed or unclear
- The other driver is unknown or drove off
- The other driver is uninsured (check your policy for an uninsured motorist extension)
What we do
We check liability and insurance first, explain the agreement in plain English, collect your car, arrange a replacement, manage the repair and recover the costs from the at-fault insurer. Start a not-at-fault claim.
General information only, current as at 13 October 2026. It isn’t legal advice — for advice about your situation, speak to a lawyer or your insurer.