Insurance claims · 10 min read
In short
After a non fault accident you can generally claim through your own insurer or seek to recover costs directly from the at fault driver's insurer, and in many cases you are not required to pay your excess if liability is accepted.
To help someone who was not at fault in a collision understand their options for getting repairs done and losses recovered, without overstating guarantees.
First steps after a non fault accident
Being told the accident was not your fault does not remove the need to act carefully in the immediate aftermath. Exchange details with the other driver, take photographs of both vehicles and the road layout, and note down witness details if anyone stopped. This evidence supports your position if liability is disputed later.
Report the accident to your own insurer even if you plan to pursue the other driver's insurer directly, since most policies require notification of any incident within a set timeframe regardless of who was at fault.
Claiming through your own insurer
If you claim through your own policy, your insurer will usually pursue the other party's insurer for recovery of their costs once liability is established. If your insurer successfully recovers the full amount, many policies refund your excess and protect your no claims discount, though this depends on your specific policy terms and how quickly liability is agreed.
Claiming direct from the third party insurer
Alternatively, once liability is clear, you can contact the at fault driver's insurer directly and ask them to deal with your repair and any other losses without involving your own insurer at all. This route can avoid paying an excess altogether and keeps your own claims history clean, but it depends on the other insurer accepting liability promptly, which is not always immediate.
If the other insurer disputes fault or is slow to respond, this route can take longer than going through your own insurer, so weigh the delay against the benefit of avoiding your excess.
Credit hire and accident management companies
| Option | What it offers | Points to watch |
|---|---|---|
| Credit hire | A replacement vehicle provided on credit while your car is repaired, recovered later from the at fault insurer | Costs can be high and disputed, sometimes leaving you liable for part of the bill if not fully recovered |
| Accident management company | Handles the claim, repair and hire vehicle on your behalf | Some charge fees or take a cut, and may steer you towards a particular repairer, so ask exactly what they charge for |
| Your own insurer | Handles the claim as part of your existing policy relationship | You may need to pay excess upfront even if recoverable later |
| Direct with third party insurer | No excess in many cases if liability is accepted quickly | Can be slower if fault is disputed |
Things to check before signing up with a credit hire firm
- Ask exactly how the daily hire rate compares to what a mainstream hire company would charge for a similar vehicle.
- Ask what happens if the at fault insurer disputes part of the hire bill, and whether you could be personally liable.
- Check whether the company also wants to handle your repair, and whether you are still free to choose your own repairer.
- Get any fees and terms in writing before agreeing to anything.
Protecting your no claims discount
Many insurers will protect your no claims discount on a non fault claim once liability is confirmed against the other driver, but this is not automatic in every case and depends on your policy wording and how the claim is resolved. If protecting your discount matters to you, ask your insurer directly how a non fault claim would be treated before deciding which route to take.
Keeping good evidence
- Photographs of the damage to both vehicles taken at the scene.
- The other driver's name, registration and insurance details.
- Contact details for any independent witnesses.
- A written note of what happened while it is fresh in your memory.
- Dashcam footage if you have it, saved somewhere it will not be overwritten.
Choosing your repairer on a non fault claim
Whether you claim through your own insurer, the third party insurer or an accident management company, you are still generally entitled to choose which repairer carries out the work. It is worth confirming this explicitly rather than assuming you must use whichever repairer is suggested to you.
Courtesy car essentials
- You can claim through your own insurer or pursue the third party insurer directly.
- Credit hire and accident management have trade offs worth understanding before signing up.
- Excess and no claims protection depend on liability being confirmed and your policy terms.
- You can generally still choose your own repairer on a non fault claim.
Questions people ask us
- Do I have to pay my excess on a non fault claim?
- Not always, since many insurers refund the excess once liability is confirmed against the other driver, though this depends on your policy and how the claim is resolved.
- Is credit hire free?
- It is not free as such, the cost is recovered from the at fault driver's insurer, but if that recovery is disputed you could end up liable for some of the bill, so read the terms carefully.
- Will a non fault claim affect my no claims discount?
- It can be protected once liability is confirmed against the other party, but this is not automatic in every policy, so it is worth checking with your insurer directly.
- Can I choose my own repairer on a non fault claim?
- Generally yes, whichever route you take to make the claim, you are usually entitled to nominate your own repairer rather than accept whoever is suggested to you.
- What if the other driver's insurer disputes fault?
- If liability is disputed, your own insurer may need to pursue the claim while the dispute is resolved, which can mean paying your excess in the meantime pending recovery.
Been in a non fault accident?
Send us photos of the damage and we will give you a free estimate to support whichever route you take with the claim.