Will a non-fault accident affect my insurance?
A question commonly asked, yet one which only usually comes to mind in the circumstance – Will a non-fault accident affect my insurance?
A question commonly asked, yet one which only usually comes to mind in the circumstance – Will a non-fault accident affect my insurance?
If at present you’re searching for information about non-fault accidents and wondering will a non-fault accident affect my insurance, it’s likely that you may have found yourself in this situation.
Rightly so at this point; wondering does a no fault accident affect your insurance is a very sensible question to be asking because the short answer is: It depends. But it certainly can do, yes.
However, this will depend on what you do after the accident.
Option One - calling your insurance
Calling your own insurance company first after the accident is the option that will likely affect your insurance in a negative way. It seems like instinct but is not the most beneficial option.
Option two - contacting a credit hire company
Contacting a Credit Hire company first after a non-fault accident will help to avoid as much effect as possible to your insurance and is the most beneficial option for drivers who find themselves not at fault.
If you are the non-fault driver in a road traffic accident, it isn’t a fair outcome if you should have to face a range of consequences from an accident that you were not the cause of.
For this reason, the accident management market has provided a valuable, outsourced and independent claims handling solution since the 1980’s. This is referred to as either Accident Claims Management , Accident Management or also Credit Hire.
The answer to will a non-fault accident affect my insurance comes down to which option you choose as your next step.
The initial reaction that a lot of people have after a non-fault accident is to first speak to their own insurance company. It is necessary for your insurance company to be updated if you have been involved in an accident, even if the accident wasn’t your fault.
However, It’s not necessary to contact them as your first point of contact after the accident. If you call them first, an insurance company’s common process will usually funnel you quickly through to their own accident claims line and begin initiating the claims process against your own insurance policy.
At this point, option one (as previously mentioned) may have already been initiated and you will have chosen the route most likely to affect your own insurance.
The best route after a non-fault accident is option two - An Accident Management Company.
If you contact an Accident Management Company first, you can discuss your non-fault accident with an independent, experienced, dedicated claims handler.
They’ll be able to explain the benefits of choosing a credit hire company after a non-fault accident as well as the start to finish process. This will provide you with a full understanding of how accident management works and exactly what to do after a car accident.
As an overview, we’ve created a breakdown of how an Accident Management Company, like Auto Claims Assist, compare to your own insurance company when processing a non-fault accident claim.
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We manage everything on your behalf, ensuring that the claims process is as smooth and stress-free as possible.
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An Accident Claims Management service with a Credit Hire Company (also known as an accident management company/accident claims management company) is an option that is open to anyone who is involved in a non-fault car accident.
It’s no secret that insurance companies naturally work toward keeping costs as low as possible when their customers are involved in an accident.
The non-fault driver’s best interests
The Accident Management market works with the non-fault driver’s best interests in mind. This is done by delivering a service that they are entitled to when claiming the costs and losses from the at-fault driver’s insurance policy.
As the Accident Management market continues to be the better alternative for non-fault drivers, the insurance market works toward the control and management of non-fault claims and processes.
This results in a sea of information directing both fault and non-fault drivers to their own insurance companies as the first point of contact after a road traffic accident.
Road Traffic Accidents aren’t always simple. Establishing fault can occasionally be a complex procedure.
Road Traffic Accidents aren’t always simple. Establishing fault can occasionally be a complex procedure.
In order to have access to Accident Management Services, you must be the non-fault party in the incident. This is because an accident management company claims back the costs from the at-fault driver’s insurance policy.
We have developed an extensive guide for what to do in a car accident, which includes step-by-step evidence collection guidance to assist with how to prove an accident wasn’t your fault.
In road traffic accident terms, ‘non-fault‘ is referring to the driver(s) who was not the cause of the car collision.
Examples of some common scenarios of a driver being ‘non-fault’ would include:
A ‘non fault accident claim’ refers to the claim process for the driver who is not at fault in a car collision.
The non-fault accident claim process differs from an at-fault claims process. The non-fault driver will claim the accident costs back from the at-fault driver’s insurance company and policy.
A fault claim is processed on the side of the party who is at fault. The fault claim process will claim all of the costs back against the fault party’s insurance company and policy.
However, some insurance companies may also deem an accident claim as ‘fault’ if some scenarios lead to a failure of the cost recuperation from the third party.
Although you do require to be non-fault to use an accident management company, it’s a good idea to speak to an accident management company first to understand your situation. Accident Management Companies are non-fault accident experts and help to claim ALL costs associated with the incident.
Your insurance can go up in 2 ways after an accident that is not your fault.
1. Due to a pending claim on your policy on renewal
Firstly, If you choose to claim directly through your own insurance policy rather than working with an accident management company when the accident was not your fault, you may receive a heavy increase when your next renewal is due as a result of the pending claim that is against your policy.
As the accident claim has not yet concluded, your own policy still has the potential of becoming liable for the accident and you’ll need to pay this increase in order to continue your insurance policy.
2. General Insurer Risk calculations
Secondly, once the claim is concluded you will be officially documented as the non-fault driver. Although your policy reflects the accident as non-fault, some insurance companies will still consider a non-fault accident a risk. Therefore they calculate an increased insurance premium based on their risk calculations of your policy.
Understand how your insurance may go up after the accident →
If you process an accident claim that wasn’t your fault through your own insurance company, there is a high possibility that you will lose your no claims bonus and discount. At the minimum, it’s common to lose at least a some of your no claims bonus.
However, an accident management company’s claim process will avoid the initial claim being processed against your own policy. This then avoids a loss to your no claims bonus on your own policy.
Why you lose your no claims bonus after an accident that was not your fault here →
If the accident was not your fault, you will need to pay your policy excess if you choose to process a non-fault claim directly through your insurance company.
If instead, however, you work with an accident claims management company for your non-fault accident claim, you will not have to pay any excess or costs.
As part of the accident claims management service, the claim will be processed directly to the fault party insurance company.
Learn more about your excess when dealing with a non-fault accident →
It doesn’t matter if the accident was your fault or was not your fault; the accident must be brought to the attention of your insurance provider. This is still the case even if you do not plan on making a claim.
However, this doesn’t mean that the most beneficial thing to do is contact your insurance company as the first point of contact after a non-fault accident. In fact, after a non-fault accident, the most beneficial first contact is an accident claims management company. They can expertly manage your claim as an independent party who is on your side.
An accident management company, such as Auto Claims Assist, will ensure that your insurance provider is aware of the accident.
From the options that are available to you after a non-fault accident, the accident management/credit hire option offers various benefits over contacting and processing a claim directly through your own insurance company.
It’s also a clear option for drivers who are worried ‘will a non-fault accident affect my insurance?’.
In addition to a range of convenient benefits after a non-fault accident, choosing to work with a credit hire company also makes the process much more simple and stress-free.
Our team at Auto Claims Assist are trained and experienced industry professionals who manage successful non-fault accident claims 6 days a week. We have established a rating of 'Excellent' on TrustPilot throughout the years as a result of our award-winning service.
Getting started with a credit hire company is simple. After the accident, simply start by…
Step 1. Speaking to Auto Claims Assist First.
We have a professional New Claims Team ready to collect all of the details about the accident before initiating your non-fault claims process.
They will then explain the next steps in detail to you, ensuring that you are fully aware of what comes next in order to successfully claim against the at-fault driver.
Step 2. Recovering you from the roadside.
With modern car safety measures improving constantly, it’s common for modern cars to be deemed as ‘unroadworthy’ due to impact methods in a car’s structural design, leaving you stranded at the side of the road.
We have our own recovery service that will prioritise you and your passenger’s safety at the roadside. Meanwhile, we will secure your vehicle along with any parts that may have come away from the vehicle in the accident.
We pride ourselves on fast, priority vehicle recovery.
Step 3. Providing you with a replacement hire vehicle.
If your car is instantly deemed un-roadworthy, one of our hire staff will organise a replacement hire vehicle that is a comparable spec or better than your own vehicle.
A comparable vehicle spec is an important aspect of the accident management service, reducing the inconvenience of a non-fault car accident in your and your family’s daily lives.
Similarly to our recovery service, we take great pride in providing a same-day vehicle replacement service after your accident.
Step 4. Securing your vehicle in protected storage.
While your vehicle is awaiting repair, or in between your vehicle proceeding through the repair and Bodyshop process, it is stored in one of our highly secure vehicle storage facilities.
You’re able to have further peace of mind knowing that your vehicle isn’t located where further damages could occur from weather, other vehicles or vandals.
Step 5. Claiming for injuries as a result of the accident.
You may be entitled to claim compensation for your injuries and loss of earnings.
Auto Claims Assist have a panel of solicitors with over 30 years of experience in dealing with these types of claims.
They will provide immediate legal representation and support, handling your personal injury case with professionalism and compassion.
Step 6. Repairing Your Vehicle To The Highest Quality And Safety Standards.
Unlike many insurance companies that establish ‘insurance-approved’ repair garages only, we have built up a 400+ nationwide accident repair network that includes manufacturer-approved repairs and parts.
Our large and established network allows us to provide you with:
Make Auto Claims Assist your first point of contact after a non-fault accident
Our new claims team can answer any questions or concerns you have and can start your non-fault claim when you’re ready to.
Auto Claims Assist
First contact after a car accident
Our team of non-fault claim specialists are ready to answer any questions you have. Provide your details here to request a callback. One of our advisors will call you back as soon as possible. Alternatively, call us on 0330 128 1407 to speak to someone now.
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