Navigator Insurance Brokers Ltd

Motor Claims

Do NOT admit you are responsible
The first principle at work here is that you are not permitted, by the terms of your insurance policy, to make ANY admission of liability, even if you feel you are clearly at fault. The reason is that there may be objective evidence available to suggest you were not at fault or less at fault than you may first assume.
If you do admit liability, you waive your rights to claim under the insurance.
And even for a minor accident where there may seem to be no injuries, Weeks or months later you may face a demand for compensation for some injury that is slow to manifest.
So to recap: under no circumstance admit fault!

Stopping Traffic?
If you have an accident in traffic and your vehicle(s) need to be moved to clear the way for others or free anyone injured before the Police arrive, make sure to make a sketch plan of the accident while the details are fresh in your mind and before the vehicles are moved.
Record the information of all other drivers. You should try and obtain the following information:
* vehicle registration numbers
* make and model of vehicles
* names
* I.D. numbers
* telephone numbers
* addresses
* names of Insurance Company etc
* Record the information of witnesses. Write down names, addresses and phone numbers.
You may find the other driver uncooperative – but if he/she does not provide any information at the site, he/she has to report to any police station for reference as soon as possible (within 24 hours).
If the other driver has been injured and is in the hospital, the police will go to the hospital to get the accident details.
NOTE: If police are not called YOU MUST report the accident to the Police within a day.

Advising Navigator or the insurer
It is imperative that if you have an accident and there is the possibility of a claim, that you inform us and/or the insurer. To not do so will make it virtually impossible to be able to successfully claim later as the insurer will argue their right to investigate etc has been adversely affected by the passage of time.
If you have a comprehensive policy and are claiming for damages to your vehicle, you should submit the estimate of repair costs to your insurance company before you start to repair the vehicle (normally your garage will send a copy directly to your insurance company).
Pass all Summonses, correspondence in relation to the accident to your insurance company unanswered.

Repairing your Vehicle - IF you have Third Party Only Cover
If you are seeking compensation off the other driver’s insurance, you will first need to make a letter of demand against the driver who will then pass on this demand to his insurer, which will not normally authorize any work to be done until their client is successfully prosecuted for negligent driving.
The efforts you will have to expend to obtain recompense in this way. will be such as to make you regret not taking Comprehensive cover. We know of cases where it has taken more than 2 years to have such matters settled.

Repairing your Vehicle - IF you have Comprehensive Cover
Do NOT start to repair your car before the insurance company agrees to pay the cost.
Most commonly the insurer will quickly send a loss adjuster to inspect your car before you obtain any necessary repairs.
An insurance company may repair, reinstate, replace the vehicle or pay in cash the amount of such loss or damage.
The Insurance Company's indemnity pursuant is usually limited to:
* the reasonable market value of the Vehicle at the time of its loss or damage
* the Insured's Estimated Value of the vehicle as specified in the Schedule
whichever is lesser.
You may choose the garage in which you want to fix your vehicle after an accident, unless otherwise stated in the policy.
Some companies require policyholders to use the appointed garage. These companies usually offer a premium discount in exchange for your agreement to this provision.
NOTE: Most often you will be forced to pay the difference between the cost of new parts used and second hand parts, unless you have a policy that waives the rules of ‘betterment’ by which you are not supposed to be made better off by claiming.

Loss of No Claim Discount
Be aware if you submit a claim, the normal "No Claim Discount" (NCD) will automatically be forfeited or substantially forfeited upon renewal of the policy.
If no third-party bodily injury resulted and incontrovertible evidence can be produced to prove negligence of the other party, then we may be able to help obtain some more lenient treatment from the insurer.