How to check your car insurance claim history 

Key takeaways  

When you buy car insurance, you need to tell your new insurer about any claims made on your car. In this guide we will look at: 

• From scratches to accidents, what counts as a car insurance claim 

• The quickest and easiest way to check your car insurance claim history 

• How long a car insurance claim will stay on your record 

• How car insurance claims can impact your premium price  

What counts as a car insurance claim?  

A car insurance claim happens when a driver contacts their car insurer after an accident. They ask the insurer for compensation for any damage caused to the car or anything else. Depending on the type of insurance they have, compensation can be paid out for repairs to the car, damage to public or private property, or any people involved in the accident. 

Car accidents can be minor or very serious. They can range from a small scratch on your car door or a broken wing mirror to your car being stolen or written off altogether. But a car insurance claim only happens when someone contacts their insurer.   

How can I check my car insurance claim history?  

You can check your car insurance claim history by contacting your current car insurer. They should have a record of any insurance claims that have been made on the car. This will include claims you have made but also claims made by previous drivers. Your insurer should have details about the type of claim, the date it was made, and also how much money was paid out to the policyholder. 

You can also use the Claims and Underwriting Exchange (CUE). This is a database of every incident reported to insurers in the UK, even those which don’t result in an insurance claim. These incidents remain on CUE for six years from the date the claim is closed. To check CUE, you need to make a subject access request to the Motor Insurers’ Bureau (MIB).       

Is there a database where I can check my no claims history?   

Insurers are able to use the no claims discount service, run by the MIB. This is an online database with details about policy holders and their claims history.  

It allows insurers to check if someone has a no claims history without the customer having to provide their policy details. They will be told the number of discount years you have, and if these are protection, guaranteed, or standard.  

You can check your no claims history by looking at your car insurance paperwork, including renewal letters, your policy, a cancellation letter, or a letter from your insurer with details of your discount.  

Can I check if any claims have been made against a particular vehicle?   

If you buy a used car, the seller should give you a full history of the vehicle. You should also be given the car’s handbook and log book. These will include details about any repairs that have been carried out but also any accidents the car has been involved in. 

Any insurance claims on the car won’t impact your premium, but you might want reassurance about the car’s history.  

You can also ask a garage to run an independent check on the car - as this is something you won’t be able to do on your own. Or you could check it on the DVLA’s free Vehicle Information Checker to see if the information matches up to the details the seller has given you.   

What kind of claims are there?  

Car insurance claims are put into two different categories: 

• ‘At-fault’ claims: your insurer has paid out after an accident, even if you aren’t to blame. This could happen if another driver is to blame but doesn’t give their details, for example.  

• ‘Non-fault’ claims: the other driver was to blame and their insurer has paid out compensation to you.  

Will a car insurance claim affect how much I pay?  

Making a claim on your car insurance can push up the price you pay. You may pay more even if it was a no-fault accident where you weren’t to blame. This is because insurers often think any type of accident puts you at a higher risk of making an insurance claim in the future. 

If you lose your no-claims bonus, by making a claim, this can also significantly increase the price you pay on your insurance. 

However, despite the risk of paying more, it’s important to always make an insurance claim if you need to. Insurers use the CUE database to check if any incidents have occurred with different vehicles so if you fail to tell your insurer, they can usually find out anyway.  

The price will usually rise at renewal, or when you’re buying a new policy, rather than at the moment you make a claim.    

How long do insurance claims stay on my record? 

If you make an insurance claim, it will remain on the CUE database for six years, from the date the claim was made.