We explain what to do in the event you need to make a claim with your policy at Zego.
Being involved in an accident that results in an insurance claim is never ideal and we understand that it can be a difficult time. You may be confused about what’s going to happen next, particularly if it’s the first time you’re going through the claims process. At Zego, we strive to ensure this process is as straightforward as possible which is why we place importance on providing key details of how it works. In this post, we’ll explain how you can make a claim on your Zego policy and outline how the claims process works.
What are the immediate steps after an incident has occured?
Firstly, it is important to remain calm and ensure everyone who has been involved is safe. If you need to contact emergency services do not hesitate to do so.
Whenever an incident occurs, no matter how minor it may seem, the following information should always be collected:
- The circumstances of the incident: what happened?
- The locations of the incident: where did it happen?
- The number of people involved in the incident, including any passengers.
- Photos of the incident.
The following details should also be collected from anyone else who was involved in the incident:
- Their registration plate.
- Their name.
- Their contact details.
- Their insurance details.
Contacting your insurer
After collecting the relevant information, the next immediate step would be to contact your insurer. At Zego, the contact details of your insurer are displayed on your policy booklet. The sooner you get in touch, the better. If you fail to report a claim quickly, you may unintentionally violate the terms of your policy. A late report can also make it more difficult to handle your claim which can result in increases to your policy premium.
After you have effectively reported the incident, what happens next varies depending on whether you are admitting that you were at fault.
If you have informed the claims handlers that you were at fault, they will look after your claim from this point forward. The only reason for them to get back in contact with you would be to acquire any further details otherwise they will proceed to organise the pay out of the claim.
If both you and the other party involved in the incident deny full responsibility for the incident, a dedicated team of experts will collect as much evidence as possible in order to determine where the liability lies. This is a key reason as to why it is imperative for you to collect as much information as possible at the time of the incident. Once this team has analysed the evidence and completed a thorough investigation, they will make a decision to what extent each party is responsible. This is where they determine the percentage of the cost which should be paid by the respective individuals involved in the incident.
Attending court
If a decision of liability cannot be reached or the claim cannot be resolved, it goes to court. In this circumstance, you may need to attend court to have your case heard. If you have legal expenses insurance in place, you can get additional protection which covers costs not included in your motor policy such as the cost of solicitors.
Will my No Claims Discount (NCD) be affected?
The impact an incident has on your NCD depends on several factors, the primary one being whether you are at fault or not. Generally, if you are not at fault in an incident any claims you need to make would be covered by the other party’s policy meaning you would retain your NCD. A key way you can mitigate risk of losing your NCD is by purchasing No Claims Discount protection. Zego’s NCD protection covers up to 5 years NCD from up to 1 fault claim and you would be eligible for this once you have at least 3 years NCD.
Getting in touch
If you have any questions, or if you need help regarding a claim, feel free to get in touch with us by sending an email to [email protected]. We’re available 7 days a week and we’ll be happy to help.