How to improve your prospects of successfully defending third-party motor claims

Motor accidents happen — whether it's your driver's fault or not. As such, it is imperative that your car insurance claim is supported by all the necessary information from the outset to process the claim in a timely manner. This will help reduce claims costs and lifecycles associated with third-party motor claims.

When you notify your insurer of an incident with a third party involved, they will assess who should be held liable for the incident. Your can support your insurer to make a swift and informed decision on liability. To do this it is vital to provide the following information as soon as possible:

• The driver’s name
• The vehicle’s make, model, and registration number
• The time and date of the incident
• The location of the incident
• The name of the third party
• The third party’s address and phone number
• The third party’s vehicle make, model, and registration number
• Details of the other driver's insurer and third party car insurance policy (you can find out if the other driver has insurance by contacting the Motor Insurance Database)
• Details of any passengers
• Details of any injuries, if apparent
• Contact details of any independent witnesses
• Photographs of the damage and the location
• Diagram of the location and how the incident occurred
• Driver witness statement.

Providing the above information when you make a claim will allow your insurance provider to assess liability as soon as possible. They can also agree on a liability stance with you from the outset. It is crucial to consider liability objectively because fighting the wrong claims based on the evidence provided can cause claims costs to inflate. This is especially true if the matter later goes to court and must be settled.

Supporting your insurance company in making an early liability decision by providing the information above has the following benefits:

• Your insurer can confirm indemnity/cover for this incident straightaway.
• The third-party insurance claim can be disputed/rejected in good time. This can reduce third-party claim costs and overall claim lifecycles.
• An early liability decision allows your insurer to start the recovery for your own vehicle damage repair costs as soon as possible when the incident isn’t your fault. Being the claimant is strategically better than waiting for the third party to bring a claim against you in the first instance.
• Collating the information/evidence as soon as possible helps preserve evidence. This can help when liability is disputed by a third party further down the line.
• The sooner liability can be resolved, the faster a claim can be concluded. This means reserves are not held on your claims experience longer than they need to be - either through swift settlement or expedited recoveries where your driver is not at fault. 

By following these steps and providing the necessary information, you can improve your prospects of successfully defending third party motor claims.

This proactive approach not only helps protect your interests but also contributes to efficient claims management.

Please get in touch via email ukdsp@marsh.com or call 03309 125 023.