What to do after a car accident

Heading on a road trip for the holidays? With all that extra traffic, we know there will be car accidents, so it's smart to drive extra cautiously. But if the worst happens and you're involved in a car accident, what should you do next? 

What happens when you're in a car accident?

First, make sure everyone is safe and out of danger. If in doubt, call emergency services.

Stop your car, take it off the road and turn off the engine. If it’s safe to do so, clear any debris off the road and consider sending someone up the road to warn oncoming vehicles.

If other vehicles were involved, make sure you take down their car license plates, make and model. You should ask for the name, address, phone number and insurance company of other drivers, and you should give the same details to them too. It's sensible to take some photos of your car and any other vehicles involved, in case you need those later.

We've all heard the stories about uninsured people giving out fake details to avoid being pursued by your insurer. So when someone gives you their number, try to call them immediately at the scene and see if their phone rings.

What do I do to report a car accident?

To make a claim, call your insurer or complete an online car claim. If you're with MAS, you can call us on 0800 800 627 to make a claim. You'll need to tell your insurer:

• the date and time of the accident
• who was in charge of the vehicle
• what happened
• where the vehicle is now
• and whether the vehicle is driveable or not. 

Your insurer will tell you what to do next. 

If your car insurance is with MAS and your car isn't driveable after an accident, MAS will arrange for it to be towed and stored securely.

What if I'm at fault?

If you're at fault in the accident, you might need to pay an excess, and your no-claims bonus might be affected. 

If you're not at fault, you'll need to provide the name and address of the driver and the car make, model and registration of any other vehicle involved, and your insurer might be able to waive your excess. This is why it's so important to take down details at the scene. If you don't have those details and your insurer isn't able to track the other party down, your excess and no-claims bonus might be affected. 

How long after a car accident can you make a claim?

There's no set time period you have after a car accident to make a claim. However, the rule of thumb with all insurance claims is: the sooner, the better. Contact your insurer as quickly as you reasonably can. You want to progess the repairs as soon as possible, and you don't want any damage to make your car not roadworthy – if you've damaged your headlights, for example. 

Will my car insurance premium go up after an accident?

This depends on whether you were 'at fault'. If you accept responsibility for the accident, then this will affect your No Claim Bonus discount. Each time you make one of these 'At Fault' claims, your discount will be reduced, which means your premium will increase. The good news is that every year that goes by without you making an 'At Fault' claim, you'll gradually have more and more of this discount returned, which will bring your premium down again.

The other way an accident can affect your premiums is if you have an accident where we can't track down the person responsible. That's why it's really important to make sure you get the contract details of the other driver if they were at fault. 

There are a few exceptions if you have a Secured No Claim Bonus, or you're claiming for glass breakages or for damage to locks and keys. Click here for more detail about our car insurance. 

Is an employer liable for an employee's car accident?

If you drive a company car, make sure you understand what would happen if you were involved in a car accident. For example, if you take a work vehicle on a personal trip, your employer might have commercial insurance that you can claim against in case of an accident – but you shouldn't assume this.