Insurance claims · 9 min read
In short
An insurance accident repair generally moves through reporting, choosing a repairer, estimating, authorisation, the physical repair, excess payment and handover, with the insurer or their engineer checking in at a few key points along the way.
To give someone who has just had an accident and is dealing with an insurer for the first time a realistic, step by step picture of the repair process.
Right after the accident
What you do in the first hour or so after a collision shapes everything that follows. If it is safe to do so, take photos of both vehicles from several angles, the road position, any visible damage and the other driver's registration plate, licence and insurance details. Note the time, location and weather conditions while they are fresh in your mind.
If anyone is injured or the road is blocked, call the police. For most low speed shunts you will not need the police, but you should still exchange details and, where possible, get contact information for any witnesses. This evidence matters later if there is any dispute about who was at fault.
Reporting the incident to your insurer
Most policies require you to report an accident within a set number of days, even if you do not intend to claim. You will usually do this by phone or through an app, giving a factual account of what happened along with the other party's details.
At this stage the insurer will ask whether you want to make a claim and, if the accident was not your fault, whether you want to pursue the other driver's insurer instead. It is worth asking direct questions here about excess, courtesy car provision and how the repair will be arranged, since the answers vary by policy.
Choosing where the car is repaired
Insurers will often suggest one of their approved repairers first, but in the UK you are entitled to choose your own body shop for the work. If you would rather use an independent repairer such as ourselves, you can tell the insurer that and ask them to send the claim details, or the engineer's report, to us directly.
The repair process step by step
- 01Initial estimate and photos: we assess the damage, photograph it and put together a written estimate, or in some cases send images and figures for an engineer to review remotely.
- 02Authorisation: the insurer or their engineer reviews the estimate and either approves it, queries specific lines, or asks for an in person inspection before work starts.
- 03Parts ordering: once authorised, we order the parts needed, which can be genuine, aftermarket or a mix depending on what the claim covers.
- 04Repair stages: this typically includes panel work or replacement, filler and preparation, paint matching and application, then reassembly and a quality check.
- 05Excess collection: your policy excess is usually collected either before the car is released or as part of the invoicing process, depending on how the insurer has set the claim up.
- 06Invoicing the insurer: we submit the final invoice with photos and any supplementary requests for extra work found once the car was stripped down.
- 07Handover: you collect the car, we walk through the work done, and you get the chance to check the repair before signing anything off.
Supplementary damage and delays
It is common for a body shop to find further damage once a bumper or panel is removed, damage that was not visible in the initial estimate. When this happens we send supplementary photos and a revised estimate to the insurer for approval before continuing, which can add a day or two to the timeline.
Parts availability is another common source of delay, particularly for less common models or bumper-mounted sensors and cameras that need calibrating after fitting. None of this is unusual, but it is worth knowing so a short delay does not feel alarming.
Paying your excess
Your excess is the amount you agreed to contribute towards a claim when you took out the policy, and it applies whether or not the accident was your fault, unless the other party's insurer accepts liability and reimburses you directly. Exactly when and how it is collected depends on your insurer's process, so it is worth confirming this at the start rather than being caught out at handover.
Handover and checking the work
- Take your time looking at the repaired panels in daylight, checking paint colour match and panel gaps.
- Ask to see before and after photos if anything was hidden during the strip down.
- Check that any warning lights, cameras or sensors affected by the repair have been recalibrated and are working.
- Keep the paperwork, including the estimate, invoice and any supplementary approvals, in case you need it later.
After you collect the car
Once you are happy with the repair, that is generally the end of the claim from the body shop's side, though your insurer may follow up with a short satisfaction survey. If you notice anything that concerns you once you have driven the car for a few days, get in touch with us so we can take a look before it becomes a bigger issue.
Where to go next
Mid claim and not sure what happens next?
Send us your photos on WhatsApp and we will talk you through the likely steps for your specific repair, no obligation.
Questions people ask us
- Do I have to use my insurer's recommended repairer?
- No, you are entitled to choose your own repairer for an insurance claim, though your insurer may explain how using their network differs in terms of process or excess handling.
- How long does an insurance accident repair usually take?
- It varies with the extent of the damage and parts availability, and the insurer's authorisation step can add time, so it is best to ask for a realistic estimate once the damage has been fully assessed.
- What happens if more damage is found once the car is stripped down?
- The repairer sends the insurer or engineer photos and a revised estimate for the extra work, and repairs on that additional damage do not usually proceed until it is approved.
- When do I pay my excess?
- This depends on how your insurer has structured the claim, some collect it before release and others include it in the final invoicing, so it is worth confirming early on.
- Will the insurer inspect the car themselves?
- Sometimes, particularly for higher value claims, an engineer may ask for photos or a physical inspection before authorising work, though many estimates are agreed from photographs alone.
Claim process, the short version
- An insurance repair moves through reporting, estimating, authorisation, repair and handover.
- You can choose your own repairer rather than the insurer's suggested network.
- Extra damage found during strip down needs separate approval before it is fixed.
- Excess timing varies by insurer, so ask early rather than assume.