After a non-fault accident there are usually three practical routes to getting your vehicle repaired. None is automatically right, here is how each one works, and what to weigh up before deciding.
Route 1: claim through your own insurer
This is the familiar route. You notify your insurer, they open a claim and manage the process with the other party's insurer on your behalf.
It is straightforward and you have one point of contact, but you may have to pay your excess up front and recover it later, and you may be directed towards a network repairer rather than a bodyshop you have chosen.
↑ Back to contentsRoute 2: deal with the other party's insurer
Where liability is clear, some drivers deal directly with the at-fault driver's insurer. This can avoid paying your own excess up front.
Remember that the insurer's duty is to their own policyholder, not to you. Keep records of every conversation, and do not feel rushed into accepting an assessment you do not understand.
↑ Back to contentsRoute 3: arrange the repair independently
You can choose your own bodyshop and stay in control of quality and timing. The key is being clear from the outset about who is paying for what, and getting that in writing before work starts.
↑ Back to contentsHow to choose between them
Think about how quickly you need the vehicle back, whether you can fund an excess temporarily, and how important it is to choose the repairer yourself.
- Read your policy wording before you commit to anything.
- Ask what parts, methods and paint process will be used on your vehicle.
- Get timescales in writing, and ask what happens if they slip.
- Never sign paperwork you have not read or do not understand.
Frequently asked questions
The insurance questions drivers ask us most
Straight answers on premiums, excess, write-offs and replacement vehicles, written by our Bristol repair team.
- Non-fault accident: what it means and what to do (UK guide)A plain-English UK guide to non-fault accidents: how liability is decided, your repair and replacement vehicle options, and the mistakes that cost drivers money.
- What to do after a car accident that wasn’t your faultThe exact steps to take at the scene, in the first 24 hours and in the first week after someone else hits your car in the UK.
- Will a non-fault accident affect my insurance? (UK)How a non-fault claim can show on your record, what happens to your premium and what to check with your insurer.
- Do I have to pay my insurance excess?When an excess applies after a non-fault accident, and the practical routes that can avoid paying one up front.
Your next steps
Based on what you have just read, these are the pages most drivers go to next.
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SAR Group is a repair-led accident support and bodyshop business, and your first point of contact after a non-fault accident. We are not an FCA-authorised claims management company: every non-fault case is handled through our authorised and regulated partner network.