An Introduction to Car Insurance claims
and the claiming process
The Claim form
On completion of the 'claim form' you may well
be asked some of the following questions in order for the
car insurance company to ascertain the validity of the claim
Typical car insurance claim form questions that may be asked
relating to use:
Please state the exact purpose for which the vehicle was being
used at the time of the accident.
Was it being used solely for social domestic and pleasure
purposes?
If the vehicle was being used for business purposes please
state:
Upon whose business was it being used?
Were goods being carried? If so, state their nature.
Was the vehicle being used for hire or reward?
Was the vehicle being used for commercial travelling?
Were passengers being carried? If so, please state how many
and their relationship to the policyholder.
The purpose of all these questions is
to ascertain if the vehicle was being used within the terms
of the ‘limitations as to use’ or the ‘use
warranty’.
If the answer to social, domestic and pleasure question is
affirmative there is little need to trouble further; only
agricultural policies which have not been extended by endorsement
and a few polices covering special type vehicles do not cover
use for social, domestic and pleasure purposes.
If the vehicle was being used for hire or reward reference
should be made to a later question in order to ascertain if
the vehicle was being driven by the policyholder or an employee.
The answer to the last question is a useful check on the other
answers, for if all the passengers were strangers to the policyholder
this may indicate possible use for hire.
T ypical car insurance claim form questions relating
to the driver:
Please state the full name of the driver. If the policyholder,
please write ‘policyholder’.
Please state the driver’s age
The number of his driver’s licence
When does it expire?
Is it a provisional licence?
How long has he held it?
Please state all details of all endorsements on his licence
Has he been involved in any previous accidents?
If so, please state brief details, giving dates and circumstances
Was he driving on the policyholder’s order or with his
permission?
Is he a member of the policyholder’s family?
Is he in the employ of the policyholder?
If so, for how long?
Is he or has he been insured in his own name in respect of
any other motor vehicle?
If so, please state the name of the insurers, and, if possible,
the number of the policy.
All these questions have to be answered.
Very few of them are inapplicable, even if the policyholder
was driving. For example, it is curious how often the details
given in the ‘notice of accident form’ of the
length of time he has held a licence and the number of endorsements
differ from the information supplied in the proposal
form.
It is important to determine the relationship between the
driver and the policyholder. In some instances the policy
conditions require that the driver be a certain person (e.g.
the policyholder’s spouse) or one of a certain class
of persons. These questions enable the car insurers to confirm
that the policy terms and conditions have been observed at
that cover was in force during the time of the car accident.
Typical car insurance claim form questions
relating to the accident
Please state fully what happened and the exact place of accident,
identifying it as closely as possible with some sign or road
inter-section.
Date of accident
Was your vehicle on its correct side of the road:
a) Immediately before the accident
b) After the accident?
What was the state of the weather at the time of the accident?
Was the road surface wet, greasy or icy?
Was it in a good state of repair?
This question could be important if there is any suggestion
that the road had been allowed to deteriorate into a dangerous
condition by the local authority and the insurers wish to
investigate a possible recovery from the authority on the
grounds that the dangerous condition of the road alone was
the cause of the accident. The condition of the road might
otherwise give some form of indication as to how the accident
occurred.
At what time of day did the accident occur?
This question can also be important, for apart from helping
the insurers to determine the conditions in which the accident
occurred it may also give a lead as to the use to which the
vehicle was being put, or even as to the condition of the
driver that the time. For example, an accident in the early
hours of the morning might suggest that the driver was overtired
or returning from a party under the influence of drink, and
the insurers would wish to enquire into such circumstances
particularly closely.
If after lighting-up time, what lamps were lit on:
a) Your vehicle?
b) Any other vehicle involved?
Was the road lit by streetlamps?
At what speed was your vehicle travelling:
a) Prior to the accident?
b) At the moment of collision or impact?
Sketch of accident site
Please draw a sketch plan of the scene of the accident showing
the position before and after. Please label each vehicle clearly
and, if possible, show approximate measurements of the width
of the road, the length of any skid marks and the distance
of the point of impact from the kerb.
Was the policyholder in the vehicle at the time of the accident?
In his opinion, who was to blame?
To whom and when was the accident reported?
Did a police officer witness the accident?
If not, did one subsequently take particulars?
If so, please state his number and name
Please state the name and, if possible, the address of all
witnesses and state whether or not they were a) passengers
in your vehicle b) persons hitherto unknown to you
Please state the name and address of the third party or parties
and state what injuries they have sustained or what damage
has been done to their property
If your vehicle has been damaged, please state briefly the
nature of the damage and where the vehicle is at present lying
Declaration
You will be required to give a declaration similar to the following:
I/We declare that the above particulars
are true to the best of my/our knowledge and belief and that
these particulars have been supplied to the insurers in order
that solicitors, instructed by them on my/our behalf, may
conduct any legal proceedings on my/our behalf.’
It is improbable that the details supplied
on the claim form will be sufficient if the claim is at all
serious, but they, at least, give the insurers a lead. In
most instances the form will be adequate for the insurers
to decide on such matters as inspection of the vehicle, liability
under the policy or whether a third party claim is likely
to arise.
Car Insurance Claims
Frequently asked questions
What
should I do if I have an accident
Where
can I find an Accident Claims Solicitor
What is the role of the
Motor Insurers Bureau
What are Car Insurance Claims?
How is the
Claim Process controlled?
Fire
Theft & Acident claims explained
What is on a
Claim Form?
How do I know
I'm if I'm covered
Why
would a car insurance company deny liability?
What
is an Insurable Interest
How
do I go about getting the damage repaired?
What are approved
repairers?
Who pays
for towing charges?
What happens
if my car is a write off?
Who decides
my cars market value?
What was
the World's worst car insurance claim?
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