How to get the most from your car insurance claim

After being involved in a car accident, getting back on the road is a big priority for most people. If you’re feeling ready to get behind the wheel again or need your car back to get to work or school, getting your car repaired or replaced as quickly as possible is essential. 

In some cases, you may be lucky enough to have your insurance company cover the full cost of repairing your vehicle and getting it back on the road again in no time. However, if your vehicle has been damaged beyond repair, the process may not be as straightforward. Here are some top tips on getting the most money back when claiming after a car accident. 

Tip #1. Determine Fault:

If you were in a car accident that was not your fault, then you will be faced with the choice of claiming with your own insurance provider, or through the other driver’s. If you already have fully comprehensive insurance, then your own insurance company will be able to try to retrieve the money from the third-party’s insurance cover on your behalf. 

If the other driver was at fault, then you may also be eligible for further compensation to cover uninsured losses. For example, they may be able to compensate you for alternative travel whilst your car is being repaired or replace any lost income. 

Tip #2. Is It Worth Fixing?

If your car has been damaged but not a total write-off, there’s no obligation to have it repaired. For example, if you’ve been driving an old, high-mileage car for some time and were already saving up for a new one, then there may be the option to have the cash instead. 

So, if your car has £1,000 worth of damage, you can get rid of it instead and put the money towards a new set of wheels. You could even earn some more money back towards a new vehicle if you scrap your old car – check out the price for scrap cars at www.scrapcarnetwork.org. They’ll even ensure that everything is recycled ensuring you do your part for the environment. Another benefit of opting for the cash over having your car repaired through the insurance company is that you’ll get more freedom to choose the body repair shop that you want to use. 

Tip #3.  Prove Your Car’s Worth:

In general, you can expect any insurance company to offer the market value of your vehicle at the time of the accident. However, it’s a good idea to do your own research beforehand and make sure that you’re aware of how much your vehicle was worth before you accept any offers. 

In some cases, your insurance company may start by offering the lowest amount in the hope that you will simply accept it. However, you have to agree on the amount offered before a deal is made, so if you have any reason to believe that your car is worth more than is being offered, you should say so. Check out car sales sites to see how much cars of the same make, model, and year are selling for. Don’t forget to take mileage into account, too – the same vehicle with a much lower mileage may be worth significantly more. 

Tip #4. Personal Injury:

In certain circumstances, you may be able to maximize the amount of money you can claim by pursuing a personal injury claim in relation to the accident. If you or a passenger were injured and another driver was at fault, you may also be able to claim personal injury compensation. 

If you were involved in an accident with somebody driving their company or work vehicle, for example, then you may want to speak to a solicitor about your options regarding suing for personal injury compensation. If your car accident resulted in a loss of work, physical or mental impairments, a permanent disability or any other loss of quality of life, you may also be able to claim extra compensation to cover this. 

Tip #5. Install a Dash Cam:

If you’ve not been in a car accident recently but want to know your options in case you ever are, then installing a dash cam on your vehicle is a great decision that you can make now to maximise your chances of earning maximum compensation for a car insurance claim. 

A dash cam will record your surroundings when driving, making it much easier to pinpoint when other drivers are at fault. In addition, having a dash cam installed in your vehicle will also make it easier to quickly determine ‘crash for cash’ scams, where con artists deliberately crash into the front of your vehicle in the hope of submitting a false insurance claim against you. Having evidence of your accident will also speed up the process of any potential future claims you make. 

We hope these tips are useful! Let us know what you think in the comments.