How to make a car insurance claim

How to make a not-at-fault claim

Your ability to make a not-fault claim will come down to the details and evidence you're able to collect to prove that someone else is at fault.
To do this, ensure you make a record of:

• The other driver's name, address, rego plate, license number and contact number
• The date, time and location of the accident
• A brief description of what happened

Once you've got these details together, you're ready to make a claim. Most insurers will let you make a claim either online, over the phone or through an app. Go to your insurer's website to check their specific claims process and get started.

Our expert says

"It can be a good idea to get photo and video evidence of the scene (once safe to do so) to give your insurer everything they need to approve and process the claim. Sometimes these images can just help you do a better job of recounting the accident too, which is important when submitting your claim."

Peta Taylor

Publisher of Insurance

How to make an at-fault claim

The process is the same as above, although details of the other driver will be less crucial. Your main job in this instance is to be truthful about the details of the accident.

Be prepared, when you're at fault, you have to pay your excess.

Car insurance claim time limit in Australia

There usually isn't a fixed deadline for car insurance claims as some damage settlements can take years to be finalised. This means that while insurers don't generally set a time limit, they depend on your full cooperation, so you should let them know if you've been in an accident as soon as possible.

The main exception is with injury claims, which are dealt with through CTP insurance and can sometimes be sorted in as little as a month. This is to ensure injured people get the benefits they are entitled to as soon as possible.

There are often time limits with your Police Event Number. If you need to report the accident to the police, this usually has to be done within 28 days in most states.

How do car insurance claims work?

Insurers need all the information outlined above because it helps them determine the validity of claims and who is at fault. Insurers may be particularly interested in the details of the incident, and the details of the other driver and their insurer.

This is because insurers will typically attempt to recover costs from the at-fault party's insurers, when applicable, including the cost of damage, replacement rental car hire following an accident and other expenses. This, along with making sure you and your car are getting all the benefits your policy entitles you to, such as free repairs, free towing, emergency glass replacements and similar, are a significant part of what an insurer does.

The steps taken by insurers when processing claims can include:

• Recovery actions on your behalf. For example, if you've been injured in a car accident and the other driver was at fault, then your insurer can get in touch with the other drivers CTP insurance company on your behalf.
• Contacting the other drivers and witnesses. Insurers will often take investigative actions to confirm the details of what happened and help establish who was at fault, if anyone.
• Providing services. If you are eligible for emergency accommodation under the terms of your policy, for example, part of your insurer's claims process might be to book you a hotel room. The same goes for car repairs, towing and other services.

Traps that could lead to your claim being rejected

It's important to understand your cover and the exclusions so you can know what you're entitled to. Here's a few things to keep in mind.

• Illegal activity: Illegal activity isn't covered. If your accident is as a result of drink driving, racing or anything else illegal then your insurer won't cover you.
• Limits of your cover: Know what cover you hold to know if you're entitled to anything. Those who only hold a third party policy won't be covered for damage to their own car in an accident.
• At-fault accidents: Unfortunately, anything that you can't prove is the fault of another person will be processed as an at-fault claim, meaning you have to pay your excess. This is also the case for things like accidents that arise from hitting wildlife, even though you're not technically at fault and can't have predicted a rogue kangaroo on the highway.

Who to contact if you are not satisfied with your claim
If you aren't happy with how your insurer has handled your claim, and after going through your product disclosure statement you believe you are in the right, then you can contact the Australian Financial Complaints Authority (AFCA) for a resolution.

Finder survey: How long do car insurance claims take to be settled?

FAQs about car insurance claims

• Is it worth making a claim on car insurance?

  If the costs involved run into thousands of dollars, it's worth making a car insurance claim. In some instances though, if the excess would cost more than the repair itself, then it's probably not worth it.

• What are the main steps to making a car insurance claim?

  1. Get the driver's details
  2. Gather evidence
  3. Contact your insurer
  4. Submit the documents to the insurer
  5. Wait to hear the outcome of your claim

• Can you claim car insurance on tax?

  If you use your car for work, you may be able to claim a deduction for car expenses, including car insurance. This includes if you are using your car as a ride-sharing service or as an employee travelling for work. However, you probably use your car for both business and private use. As a result, you need to separate your car expenses so that you don't claim for personal use. An effective way to do this is through a logbook.

  If you don't use your car for work, it's unlikely you'll be able to claim car insurance on tax.

Written by

Peta Taylor

Publisher of Insurance

Peta Taylor is a publisher at Finder, working across all of insurance. She's been analysing product disclosure statements and publishing articles for over 2 years. Peta is passionate about demystifying complex insurance products to help users make well educated decisions with confidence. Peta is part of Finder's insurance awards team and works alongside editorial and insights experts to bring users the best insurance products every year. See full bio

Co-written by

Gary Ross Hunter

Journalist

Gary Ross Hunter has over 6 years of expertise writing about insurance, including life, health, home, and car insurance. Having reviewed hundreds of product disclosure statements and published over 800 articles, he loves simplifying complex insurance topics for everyday readers. Gary has contributed to major outlets like Yahoo Finance, The Sydney Morning Herald, and news.com.au, and holds a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in English Literature from the University of Glasgow, along with a Tier 2 General Advice certification, ensuring his work adheres to ASIC’s RG146 standards. See full bio

Gary Ross's expertise

Gary Ross has written 593 Finder guides across topics including:

• Health, home, life, car, pet and travel insurance
• Managing the cost of living