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Find out what to do if someone hits your car and whose insurance you’ll need to call in Savvy’s guide.
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If someone hits your parked car or crashes into you on the road and they're at fault, the car insurance company you’ll have to contact after a not-at-fault accident will depend on the level of coverage you have in place. If you hold a comprehensive car insurance policy, you can contact your insurer to claim for damage. However, if you have third party fire and theft or third party property damage cover, you may need to submit your claim with the at-fault driver’s insurer, as these policies don’t offer cover for accident damage.
When you contact the insurer, be prepared to provide them with all the relevant details of the accident, including the other driver's information, the time and location of the incident and any photos or documentation you may have. The insurer you’re dealing with will guide you through the next steps and advise you on the necessary documentation required for the claim.
If the other driver is uninsured, most car insurance policies will offer cover for damage caused by an uninsured driver. However, this is often contingent on the driver being identified and having the required information obtained from them, so if you don’t take down their information, you may be left to foot the bill yourself if you have a third party policy.
If someone hits your moving or parked car in an accident, follow these essential steps to ensure your safety and protect your interests after a car accident:
If you don’t have car insurance but aren’t at fault for the accident, you’re still entitled to cover for the damage caused to your vehicle. In this situation, you should file a claim with the other driver’s insurer.
However, the situation becomes complicated when neither you nor the other driver has car insurance. In this situation, you may have to settle the costs between you. If this isn’t possible, such as if the at-fault driver refuses to pay, you’ll either have to pursue legal action (which in itself can be expensive and time-consuming) or simply pay the costs out of pocket.
Depending on the type of insurance coverage you currently hold, you may be covered as the at-fault driver. Comprehensive car insurance policies include coverage for damage caused to your vehicle in certain at-fault incidents, such as covered collisions, as well as damage to the other party’s vehicle.
However, if you hold a third party car insurance policy (such as third party fire and theft or third party property damage cover), you can only be covered for damage caused to other vehicles or property, rather than your own.
If you’re the at-fault driver and don’t have any insurance coverage, you’ll have to pay the full expenses out of pocket. On the other hand, if you’re covered but not at fault and the other driver doesn’t have insurance, many companies will offer cover for damage to your vehicle if you’re able to identify the at-fault driver.
If you find yourself in an accident, it's important to be vigilant to avoid being scammed by the other driver. Unfortunately, there are certain tactics that scammers may employ to take advantage of the situation. Here are some tips to protect yourself:
Remember, it's crucial to always exchange insurance information with the other driver involved in the accident and report the incident to the police. Notify your insurance provider promptly and provide them with accurate and detailed information about the accident.
Disclaimer:
Savvy (ABN 78 660 493 194, ACR 541 339) provides readers with a variety of car insurance policies to compare. Savvy earns a commission from our partnered insurers each time a customer buys a car insurance policy via our website. All purchases are conducted via our partners’ websites. The integrity of our comparison service is unaffected by our partnerships with those businesses and our effort remains to bring further brands that do not already use our comparison service onboard.
Savvy’s comparison service includes selected products from a panel of trusted insurers and does not compare all products in the market. Any advice presented above or on other pages is general in nature and doesn’t consider your personal or business objectives, needs or finances. It’s always important to consider whether advice is suitable for you before purchasing an insurance policy. We always recommend readers to consult the Product Disclosure Statement (PDS) of different policies before purchasing your car insurance.
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