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Will a non-fault accident affect my insurance?
Understanding the Impact
A non-fault accident can potentially affect your insurance premiums even if the accident wasn’t your fault. Insurers may still increase your premium based on the perceived risk associated with any claim.
Here’s a question that often pops up often in the driving world; will a non-fault car accident affect my insurance?
Are you wondering, “Will a non-fault accident have a negative effect on my own insurance policy?”
It’s likely that you may have found yourself in this situation. Asking how a no-fault accident might affect your insurance is smart. The short answer is, it depends. It can raise your rates or premiums. An accident that is not your fault can and may affect your car insurance.
But this will depend on what you do after the accident.
Option One
Calling your insurance company first after an accident might harm your insurance. It seems logical but isn't the best choice.
Option 2
Contacting a Credit Hire company like Honest Driver first after a non-fault accident will limit damage to your insurance. It is the best option for drivers who find themselves not at fault.
You are the non-fault driver in a road traffic accident. It isn’t fair if you face consequences from an accident that you did not cause.
Since the 1980s, the accident management market has offered a valuable solution. It’s an outsourced, independent claims handling service. Also known as Accident Claims Management, Accident Management, or Credit Hire.
Decide your route after a non-fault accident.
The answer to “will a non-fault accident affect my insurance?” comes down to what route you take immediately after the accident.
Many people’s first reaction after a non-fault accident is to talk to their own insurance company. Your insurance company must be updated if you have been in an accident, even if it wasn’t your fault.
However, you don’t need to contact them first after the accident. If you do, the insurance company will quickly send you to their own claims line and begin a process against your insurance.
With Honest Driver, you incur no costs, experience no stress, and receive professional, comprehensive claims management service.
Decide your route after a non-fault accident.
At this point, option one may have already started. You would have chosen the route most likely to affect your insurance.
The best route after a non-fault accident is option two, using an Accident Management Company.
If you contact an accident management company first, you can discuss your non-fault accident with a dedicated, experienced, and independent claims handler. This won’t affect your insurance.
They will explain the benefits of using a credit hire company after a non-fault accident. Additionally, they’ll detail the entire process. This will give you a clear view of accident management and what to do after a car accident.
Did you know?
Using your own insurance for a non-fault claim can adversely affect your premiums.
By law, you’re entitled to choose your claims process. A claim on your insurance remains open until fully recovered, possibly raising your premiums by 20% to 50%. This could also impact your future policies. Choosing Honest Driver prevents these repercussions.
(Source RAC)
Decide your route after a non-fault accident.
Understanding fault in an accident is important and who is eligible for a credit hire company.
Road traffic accidents aren’t always simple. Figuring out who’s at fault can be complex.
Working with a Credit Hire Company.
To access Accident Management Services, you need to be the innocent party in the incident. This is because the company recovers costs from the at-fault driver’s insurance.
But this will depend on what you do after the accident.
Non fault accident claims
In road traffic accident terms, 'non-fault' refers to the driver(s) who did not cause the car crash.
A "non fault accident claim" is the claim process for a driver who is not at fault in a car crash.
Claiming for a non-fault accident is different from an at-fault one. In a non-fault case, the driver seeks compensation for accident costs from the at-fault driver's insurance.
At Fault Claims
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 insurers may also deem an accident claim as ‘fault’. This happens if certain scenarios lead to a failure of cost recovery from the third party.
To use an accident management company, you must be non-fault. It's wise to contact one first to understand your situation. These companies are experts in non-fault accidents and can help you claim all costs.
Frequently asked questions
You can use an Accident Claims Management service with a Credit Hire Company if you are in a non-fault car accident. Insurance companies work to keep costs low when their customers are in an accident. The Accident Management market focuses on the non-fault driver’s needs. It provides a service that helps the driver claim costs and losses from the at-fault driver’s insurance.
The Accident Management market continues to be the better choice for non-fault drivers. The insurance market works to control and manage non-fault claims and processes. This creates lots of information directing both fault and non-fault drivers to go to their insurance companies first after a road traffic accident.
Your insurance premiums may increase in 2 ways after an non-fault accident.
First, if you choose to claim directly through your insurance rather than working with an accident management company when the accident was not your fault, you may get a big increase when you renew. This is due to the pending claim against your policy.
The accident claim is not yet done. Your policy could still become liable for the accident and you’ll need to pay this increase to keep your policy.
After your claim ends, you’ll be officially certified as the not-at-fault driver. Your policy will mark the accident as non-fault. Yet, some insurers view non-fault accidents as risky. So, they might raise your premium.
If you file an accident claim not your fault with your insurer, you might lose your no claims bonus and discount.
An accident management company’s claim process prevents your policy from being used for the initial claim. As a result, your no claims bonus is safe.
If the accident was not your fault, you will need to pay your policy excess if you choose to process a non-fault claim through your insurance company. If you work with an accident claims management company for your non-fault accident claim, you will not have to pay any excess or costs. This is part of the accident claims service. The claim will be sent directly to the at-fault party’s insurance company.
Whether the accident was your fault or not, you must tell your insurance provider. This is necessary, even if you don’t plan to claim. But, this doesn’t mean you should contact your insurance company first after a non-fault accident. After an accident that’s not your fault, the best first step is to contact an accident claims management company. They can handle your claim expertly as an independent and supportive party. An accident management company, like Honest Driver, will make sure your insurer knows about the accident.
After a non-fault accident, you have options available to you. The accident management/credit hire option offers many benefits over handling a claim directly with your insurance company. It’s also a clear option for drivers concerned about, ‘Will a non-fault accident affect my insurance?’.
For expert assistance and to ensure your non-fault accident doesn’t unfairly impact your insurance, contact us on 0330 043 4740 or start your claim here.
