What to do after an accident when you're not at fault?
Car accidents can be stressful, even frightening. If you're in an accident and you believe you're not at fault, stay calm and check out our tips about what to do next.
What do you need to make a car insurance claim if you're not at fault?
Regardless of who is at fault, the first thing to do is to ensure everyone is safe. Call emergency services if needed and move to the side of the road if you can. If your car has been stolen or damaged, you'll need to report this to the police and give us the incident number when you make a claim.
Even if you aren't 100% sure the other party is at fault, or you think you might have contributed to the accident, don't offer to pay for damage or admit fault. This will be determined later during the claim process.
Information to record after an accident
- Exchange details with all other people involved, if possible. These include:
- The full name, address, rego number and phone number of all drivers involved.
- Full names and phone numbers of any witness.
- The insurance details of the other drivers.
- Take plenty of photos of the accident and damage.
- Write down everything you can remember about the accident, including when and where it occurred. It might be easier to use your phone.
How to lodge a claim with Bingle
You can easily lodge a claim via Bingle Self Service. If you can give us the other driver's details, and it was entirely their fault, we might waive any excesses you have to pay.
From here we can cover the rest of the repair or replacement, up to your policy limits. FYI, your future premiums may be impacted by your claims history, even if you're not at fault. More information can be found in Bingle's Comprehensive Car Insurance or Third Party Car Insurance premiums, excesses, and claims guides.
Note, Bingle will only cover damage to your car if you hold a Comprehensive Car Insurance policy with us. If you hold Third Party Car Insurance, we can cover damage to the other driver's car or property, not yours.
Can I arrange a tow truck after an accident?
If you have Comprehensive Car Insurance with us, we can arrange a tow if needed. If your car has already been towed, you can claim the reasonable cost of towing to our repairer or anywhere else we have agreed to as part of your claim. Just keep your receipt.
What if my car is deemed to be written off after an accident and I'm not at fault?
If your car has deemed to be a write off and we accept your claim as a total loss, we'll finalise your claim by paying you a total loss payment based on your car's market value1. If your car is financed, we'll firstly pay your credit provider what they are entitled to, and pay you whatever balance is left.
If your car is less than three years old2 and you bought our New for Old optional extra with your Comprehensive policy, we'll replace your car with a brand new one of the same make and model (if available).
If you make a claim via the at fault driver's insurer and your car is determined to be a write off, you can discuss next steps with the relevant insurance company.
What happens if the other party was at fault and doesn't have car insurance or only has Third Party Car Insurance?
As we mentioned above, if the other party doesn't have insurance, and you hold a Bingle comprehensive policy you can lodge your claim with us via self-service.
If the other party has Third Party Car Insurance and they were at-fault, their insurance should cover the damage to your car. When you have Bingle comprehensive coverage and you lodge a claim with us and provide the at-fault drivers details, we will liaise with their insurer to settle your claim.
Need to make a claim? Find out more about our claims process.
Interested in Bingle car insurance? Learn more about our policies today.
1 Less any: unpaid excess, unpaid premiums, unused rego and CTP, and applicable Input Tax Credit.
2 at the start of your latest period of cover (based upon your car's date of manufacture).
