How does a claim affect my car insurance?

Key points 

• Car insurance claims occur when you or the driver of another vehicle ask your insurer for compensation

• You must report incidents to your insurer even if a claim isn’t made

• Claims are usually considered ‘fault’ or ‘non-fault’ depending on who or what is responsible for the incident

• A claim will normally impact the price of your insurance premium when it renews

• If you have protected no claims discount you can make a claim without your no claims discount being affected

What is a claim on car insurance? 

A car insurance claim is when you or the driver of another vehicle makes a formal request for your insurer to pay for damage or other losses. The sorts of things that this could include are vehicle damage from a collision, medical expenses, theft or vandalism, windscreen repair and damage caused by storms or animals. 

If you choose to pay for repairs yourself without involving your insurer, then this wouldn’t count as a claim. However, you are still legally required to report the incident to your insurer as failing to do so could invalidate your policy. 

How long does a claim stay on car insurance? 

Insurers will usually ask you to declare any accidents or claims within the last 3-5 years. Motor claims in the UK are stored on the Claims and Underwriting Exchange database for six years from the date the claim is closed, and any insurer can view this history when you apply for a quote. So, you must make sure any declarations you make are accurate. 

What are the different categories of car insurance claims? 

Depending on who is responsible for the incident, a car insurance claim is generally considered as ‘fault’ or ‘non-fault’. 

A fault claim is when you are responsible (or at least partly responsible) for the incident, or your insurer can’t recover the costs. This can happen when you don’t get the other driver’s details or the damage was caused by a storm or vandalism. This will normally have an impact on your no-claim discount.

A non-fault claim is when another driver is fully responsible for the incident, and your insurer can recover the costs involved from their insurer. This usually won’t affect your no-claim discount.

Will claims impact the price of insurance? 

All claims will likely impact the price of your insurance, as insurers may see it as a sign of increased risk. However, fault claims will usually result in a higher increase than non-fault claims. 

How does a claim impact my protected no claims discount? 

With John Lewis Money Car Insurance once you have four or more years of no claims discount, you can protect it. You’ll then be able to make as many as two claims in any three-year period without it affecting your no claims discount. However, your price may still increase at renewal. For more information, please see our article on No Claims Discount Protection.

How can I check my car insurance claims history? 

You can either call your insurer directly to check, or request your data from the Motor Insurer’s Bureau (MIB). 

This article is for promotional or information purposes only. You must not rely on it as advice.