Make a claim
Report a claim as soon as you can. These answers cover the questions we are asked most about motor claims; for any other class, call us or use the claim form below.
Motor claims: your questions answered
What should I do when an accident happens?
- Always report the accident to the police. We need the police report to confirm the accident and help establish which driver was at fault.
- Report it to us and complete an accident report form.
- Submit a photocopy of the driver's licence and make the original available for inspection.
- Send us every claim, writ and letter you receive, without replying to it.
- Do not admit liability, or make or offer any payment, without our consent.
- Do not repair the vehicle until we have inspected the damage and agreed to the repairs.
Who can make a claim?
- The policyholder (the insured)
- Anyone whose property was damaged by the insured vehicle
- Anyone injured
- The administrator of a deceased person's estate
- Parents or guardians, for minors
Insurers do not ask claimants to use a lawyer. Engaging one is your choice.
How long do I have to make a claim?
- Injury: up to 3 years from the date of the accident
- Death: up to 3 years from the date of the accident
- Damage: up to 6 years from the date of the accident
Write to the insurer concerned as soon as practicable, within these periods.
Which documents do I need once liability is accepted?
Injury
- Police report
- Medical report
- Original receipts for the medical bills you are claiming
- Personal particulars
- Affidavit
- Two passport photographs of the injured person, endorsed by the treating doctor
Death
- Police report
- Death certificate or burial permit
- Letters of administration (the Registrar's certificate for a minor)
- Personal particulars of the deceased (age, occupation, income)
- Affidavit
- Endorsed passport photographs of the administrators
Property damage
- Police report, to help establish liability
- An estimate of the cost of repairs
- Photographs of the damaged vehicles
- A valuation or survey report from your insurer's engineers
Why might a claim be refused?
- An unlicensed person was driving
- There was no insurance cover at the time of the accident
- The insured vehicle had changed ownership
- The claim is statute-barred: it was not made within the time allowed
- The vehicle was used without the insured's consent
- The vehicle was used for an unauthorised purpose
- The driver was drunk
Prefer a form? Use the motor accident claim form.
Report a claim
For any class of insurance. Tell us what happened and our claims team will contact you about the next steps and the documents we need.