HOW TO PURSUE CAR ACCIDENT COMPENSATION CLAIMS IN THE UK

It is thought that there are around 2 million in road accidents in the UK every year. Fortunately most accidents are relatively minor and do not involve bodily injury. Irrespective of whether there is a personal injury or not it is fair to say that accidents of this nature are extremely inconvenient and can very often cause considerable expense to those involved.

There are certain legal requirements that must be met by any individuals involved in a road accident. The law demands that you should always stop at the scene and exchange personal details and insurance information with the other party. The police very often will not attend minor road accidents where there has been no bodily injury and where the flow of traffic has not been obstructed. However you may wish to contact the police in any event to at least give them an opportunity to visit the scene should they deem it necessary.

If your vehicle has been damaged in a car accident, then provided you have comprehensive insurance cover, the very first thing you should do is contact your insurance company. They will immediately arrange for the vehicle to be taken to one of their approved repairers where the damage will be assessed. If the damage can be repaired, rectification work usually starts within a week or so. But if the vehicle is considered to be a write-off, the insurance company will need to conduct a more thorough inspection of the vehicle and will then seek to make an offer of settlement to you that reflects the market value of the vehicle. They may deduct an excess if your policy is subject to such a charge.

If your vehicle is not covered comprehensively, then you will have no choice but to claim from the other party, assuming of course that you were not responsible for the accident. Most insurers now take a proactive stance when dealing with "third-party" claims and there is every chance that in straightforward cases, your claim will be handled almost as quickly as it would be with your own comprehensive insurer.

Notwithstanding this, there are many problems that can intervene to disrupt this process. Not least arguments on liability where another party is disputing how the accident occurred. There are of course many situations where liability ought to be shared, but even in a case where negligence is assessed at 50/50, you can and should pursue a claim for 50% of your losses.

When making a claim against another party's insurers, you may be entitled to recover the following items: