WHAT IS A VEHICLE DAMAGE CLAIM?
Get your car put right — and your money back — when the accident wasn't your fault
A vehicle damage claim is how you recover the cost of repairing or replacing your car after a non-fault road accident. If another driver caused the crash, their insurer is responsible for putting you back in the position you were in before it happened — a proper repair, or, if the car can't be economically fixed, its full market value. It also covers the knock-on costs people often forget about, such as your excess, recovery and storage charges.
You don't have to fight your own insurer or accept a lowball offer just to make the problem go away. We deal directly with the at-fault driver's insurer, push back when their figures don't add up, and keep you updated in plain English. If you were hurt as well as out of pocket, the same crash can give rise to a separate road traffic accident injury claim — and you can read more about the wider losses you can recover on our road traffic accident losses page.
What you can recover
Repair costs
The full cost of repairing your vehicle to its pre-accident condition, using a reputable garage rather than the cheapest the insurer can find. If extra damage is found once work starts, that can be added too.
Write-off value
If your car can't be economically repaired, you're entitled to its pre-accident market value — what it would have cost to buy the same car in the same condition, not a token offer designed to settle quickly.
Diminution in value
Even a perfectly repaired car can be worth less second-hand simply because it now has accident history. Where that loss is real and provable, you may be able to recover the drop in resale value.
Your insurance excess
The excess you've paid, or had deducted, can be claimed back from the at-fault driver's insurer — so you're not left out of pocket for a crash you didn't cause.
Damaged contents
Personal items damaged in the collision — a child's car seat, a laptop, tools, the weekly shop — can often be recovered too, provided you can show what was lost and roughly what it was worth.
Recovered from at-fault insurer
Your losses are claimed from the other driver's insurer, not your own. That's the whole point of a non-fault claim — they caused the damage, so they should foot the bill.
You may have a claim if…
The accident was not your fault
Your vehicle was damaged or written off
You want to recover your costs from the at-fault driver
The accident happened in England or Wales
How your claim works
01
Free consultation
Tell us what happened in a quick, no-obligation call or message. We'll confirm whether you have a non-fault claim and explain your options — no jargon, no pressure.
02
We assess your losses
We gather the evidence: repair estimates or a valuation, your excess, recovery and storage costs, and any damaged belongings — so nothing you're owed gets overlooked.
03
We recover the costs
We deal with the at-fault driver's insurer directly, present your losses and challenge any offer that falls short of what you're actually entitled to.
04
Settled with the insurer
Once agreed, the costs are recovered and your vehicle is repaired or paid out. We keep you posted at every stage so you always know where things stand.
Vehicle damage claim FAQs
What can I recover for vehicle damage?+
You can claim the cost of repairing your car, or its market value if it's written off. On top of that you can usually recover your insurance excess, vehicle recovery and storage charges, any diminution in value, and personal belongings damaged in the crash.
What is diminution in value?+
It's the drop in your car's resale value after it has been in an accident, even once it's been fully repaired. Buyers tend to pay less for a vehicle with accident history, and where that loss is genuine and provable you may be able to recover it from the at-fault insurer.
Can I claim back my insurance excess?+
Yes. If the accident wasn't your fault, the excess you paid or that was deducted can be recovered from the at-fault driver's insurer. You shouldn't be left out of pocket for a crash someone else caused.
Will it cost me anything?+
If your claim is non-fault, recovering your vehicle damage costs is typically free to you — your losses are pursued against the other driver's insurer. We'll always explain any costs clearly before you commit, so there are no surprises.
What if my car is written off — how is the value decided?+
A write-off is valued at its pre-accident market value: what it would realistically have cost to buy the same make, model, age, mileage and condition just before the crash. If the insurer's offer looks low, we can challenge it using independent valuations and evidence.
Will it affect my no-claims?+
A genuine non-fault claim, where the cost is recovered from the at-fault driver's insurer, shouldn't affect your no-claims discount once liability is settled. It's always worth telling your own insurer, and we can help make sure the claim is recorded correctly.
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