How do I make a car insurance claim?

Key takeaways

• Gather evidence at the scene of the accident before making a claim

• Contact your insurer as soon as possible after the accident, either online or by phoning their claim line

• You’ll need to provide: your policy number; your personal details; details of other people and vehicles involved; the date, time, and location of the incident; and a police crime reference number, if applicable

How do I make a car insurance claim?

How to make a car insurance claim depends on the type of claim:

• Car accident: Contact your insurer as soon as possible after the incident occurs via phone or online

• Stolen car: You’ll need to report the theft to the police and get a crime reference number before making a claim with your insurer. You’ll need to have third-party, fire and theft or fully comprehensive insurance to claim

• Fire damage: Contact your insurer as soon as possible or the police first, if you suspect arson. You’ll need to have third-party, fire and theft or fully comprehensive insurance to claim

• Windscreen repair: You may be able to contact your insurer’s approved windscreen repairer directly (check your insurer’s website or your policy documents to be sure) or make an appointment through your insurer’s website. Not all policies cover windscreen repairs and replacement as standard so make sure you have cover

💡 Top tip: Remember, you don’t always have to make a claim. If the excess you need to pay for a claim is more than the cost of repair it isn’t worth claiming. But you still need to report the accident to your insurer.

How do I contact my car insurer to make a claim?

You can often start the claims process through your online account or insurer’s app or you can phone your insurer’s car insurance claim line.

Here are the details for some popular car insurance providers:

^{Information correct as of 10 August 2026}

What is the step-by-step process for making a car insurance claim?

What information do I need to make my car insurance claim?

• Your policy number

• Your personal details

• Details of other people and vehicles involved

• The date, time, and location of the incident

• A crime reference number, if applicable

💡 Top tip: Check whether your car insurance policy includes a courtesy car and/or legal protection. You can see this in your policy documents or you can contact your insurer.

How do I make a claim for whiplash?

If you have medical proof you’ve suffered whiplash from a car accident that wasn’t your fault you can make a claim through the Official Injury Claim service for free, with or without a solicitor.

For more information, read our guide: How do I make an insurance claim for whiplash?

📣 Did you know? In 2025, 127,883 people were killed or injured in a road accident in Great Britain, according to the latest Department for Transport statistics.

How do I make a claim if the accident wasn't my fault?

If you have comprehensive car insurance, you can claim for an accident that wasn’t your fault through your insurer.

You may have to pay the excess but your insurer should recover that for you from the other driver’s insurance provider.

Your insurance company may also claim for personal injuries or other losses, such as loss of earnings, that aren’t covered by your own policy.

Alternatively, you can use a credit hire company instead of your insurer to make a claim on your behalf.

What are the most common mistakes to avoid when making a car insurance claim?

Some of the most common mistakes to avoid making a car insurance claim are:

• Delaying notifying your insurer

• Not gathering enough evidence

• Admitting fault at the scene of the accident

• Assuming you won’t have to pay excess

• Not checking what your car insurance policy covers you for

What happens after I’ve made a car insurance claim?

Can I choose my own repair garage for a car insurance claim?

Yes, you can choose your own repair garage but it may mean:

• You can’t get a courtesy car through your insurer

• Your insurer doesn’t pay full repair reimbursements

Find out more about the pros and cons of insurance-approved garage.

How long does a car insurance claim take?

A car insurance claim will remain open until any outstanding questions have been resolved. That means your claim could take days to quickly confirm, or months to sort out. Things that could make a difference include:

• Any disagreements between parties

• How useful the evidence for the claim is

• How bad the accident was

• How quickly you reported the incident

Is it worth making a car insurance claim?

To decide whether it’s worth making a car insurance claim, think about:

• Your excess. How much does your insurance policy state you need to pay before your insurer contributes to the cost? If the cost of repairs is similar to or less than your excess, for example, it might not be worth claiming

• Your no-claims bonus: By not claiming, you can build a no-claims bonus, which can lead to discounts on your premiums as you're seen as a lower risk. Check whether making a claim would reduce your no-claims discount, including whether it is protected, before deciding

How much will it cost me to make a car insurance claim?

The cost of making a claim will depend on factors like:

• Whether your were at-fault or not, or the liability is being split equally (50/50)

• The level of cover you have

• The voluntary excess you set and your insurer’s compulsory excess

• Whether the accident was with an uninsured driver
  

  Repair type	Description	Typical cost	Worth claiming?
  Minor dents (no paint damage)	Dents from car doors or trolleys, usually fixed with Paintless Dent Removal.	£60 – £120 per dent	Usually not claimed alone
  Minor scratches requiring paint work	Superficial damage to paint or clear coat.	£150 – £400 per panel	Usually not claimed alone
  Windscreen damage	Stone chips or cracks from road debris.	£200 – £1,500 depending on glass type	Often claimed
  Bumper & grille impact	Low-speed impacts in car parks or stop-start traffic.	£400 – £2,500 depending on vehicle & tech	Often claimed
  Side-impact (T-bone) damage	Damage to doors, sills and safety pillars.	£1,500 – £6,000	Usually claimed
  Rear-end impacts	Being shunted from behind or reversing into an object.	£2,500 – £8,000	Usually claimed
  Front-end collisions	Head-on collisions or major impacts into walls or barriers.	£3,000 – £12,000	Usually claimed
  Roof and rollover damage	Damage to the roof structure caused by rollovers or heavy impacts.	£4,000 – £15,000	Usually claimed
  Fire damage	Damage caused by engine fires, electrical faults or fire exposure.	£5,000 – Total loss	Usually claimed

^{Costs are estimates based on industry data from RAW2K Repair Cost Estimator 2024. Actual costs will vary depending on vehicle make, model, age and the extent of damage.}

💡 Top tip: If the other driver was uninsured you can claim compensation through the Motor Insurers' Bureau (MIB).

Will making a car insurance claim affect my car insurance premium?

Yes, making a car insurance claim is likely to affect your car insurance premium. Filing a claim often means your premiums go up because you are considered a greater risk than you were before. In other words, the insurer may estimate a higher chance of future claims.

Read our guide: Why is car insurance so expensive?

Will making a car insurance claim affect my no-claims discount?

Whether a car insurance claim affects your no-claims discount depends on:

• The type of claim: Windscreen claims do not usually impact your no-claims bonus

• Whether you have no-claims bonus protection: You may be able to make one or two claims within a set time frame without impacting your no-claims discount. Double check your insurer’s rules on this

Can I cancel a car insurance claim?

Yes, you can usually cancel a car insurance claim provided:

• Your insurer hasn’t spent any money on that claim

• You are cancelling a claim you’ve made, not a claim made against you

What if I don’t agree with my car insurer’s decision about my claim?

If you disagree with the decision your car insurance provider makes about your claim, you have the right to dispute it. You’ll need to give clear reasons and strong evidence to support your complaint. Depending on what you disagree with, that evidence could include:

• Statements from the insurance policyholders, drivers and/or passengers

• Statements from witnesses

• Proof of the incident or vehicle damage, such as CCTV or photos from the time

• Examples of similar cases that have been to court

The insurer will consider your dispute and may change its decision, or the amount paid out - or it may not. If you still think the outcome is wrong and you can’t resolve it with your insurer, contact the Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS) for advice. Very rarely, a claim can go to court if neither side agrees.

What can I do if my car insurer rejects my claim?

If your car insurer rejects your claim:

• Re-read your policy documents and exclusions carefully to make sure you’re covered

• Write to your insurer, clearly setting out why you believe the claim should be paid and keep detailed records of each phone call, email or letter

• Follow the provider's formal complaint process

• If that doesn’t resolve the matter and you’re still not happy you could make a formal complaint to the Financial Ombudsman Service who will try to resolve your complaint through mediation. If that doesn’t work then the Financial Ombudsman Service will do a formal investigation

• If you don’t agree with the Financial Ombudsman Service’s final response you could get legal advice and take your insurer to court, but the legal expenses may outweigh the benefit of doing that

How can I check my car insurance claim history?

To check your car insurance claim history, you can either:

• Contact your insurance policy provider

• Use the Claims and Underwriting Exchange (CUE) database, which records all incidents that are reported to insurers. Claims remain on your CUE record for six years from the date the claim is closed

How do I find the right car insurance policy?

You can use MoneySuperMarket to compare car insurance quotes. Just answer a few questions about yourself, your driving history and your vehicle, to get a list of quotes tailored especially for you.

Don’t forget to compare policies not just by cost, but also by the level of cover and excess to make sure the policy you pick gives you the cover you need for your individual circumstances.