Crash wasn't your fault? You don't have to claim through your own insurer.

Your own insurer, or the other driver's? Side by side

When someone else hits you, there are two ways to get your car sorted. You can claim on your own policy and let your insurer chase the other side. Or you can claim directly from the other driver's insurer, which is what we do for you.

	Claim on your own policy	Claim on theirs, with us
Your excess	You may have to pay it. It should be refunded once your insurer gets its costs back.	Not paid. Your policy is not used.
Your no-claims bonus	Could be affected for a time.	Not used. You are not claiming on your policy.
A car while yours is off the road	Depends on your policy. Check whether a courtesy car is included, and for how many days.	Where you need one, we arrange a replacement car, and its cost is pursued as part of your claim.
The figure for the damage	Your insurer's process. Some insurers ask you to use one of their approved garages.	An independent assessor, who is not the repairer, puts a written figure on it.
Who does the chasing	Your insurer, which then recovers its costs from the other driver's insurer.	We do. Once you appoint us in writing, the other driver's insurer deals with us.
What it costs you	Your excess, until it is refunded.	No upfront cost. Our fee is set out in writing before you sign anything.

Sources: Competition and Consumer Protection Commission, "Making a car insurance claim": "You can make a claim directly from the other person's insurance company"; if you claim on your own policy, "your no claims bonus could be affected for a time and you may have to pay the excess on your policy", and "the excess should be refunded once your insurance company recovers their costs"; "Some insurance companies may ask that you use one of their approved garages to repair your car." Central Bank of Ireland, Consumer Protection Code 2025 (an insurer must engage with a claimant's appointed representative on the claimant's written request).

You still tell your own insurer

Let your own insurer know about the accident, when you get a chance. For most insurers it is a condition of the policy. Telling them is not claiming from them, and it does not use your policy.

Source: Competition and Consumer Protection Commission, "Making a car insurance claim": "Notify your insurer as soon as possible, even if you do not plan to claim."

Why people ring Not My Fault

• One call, any hour. 0818 294 336 is answered 24 hours a day. Tell us what happened and we take it from there.
• Your own policy stays out of it. No excess, and your no-claims bonus is not used.
• A car while yours is off the road. Where you need one, we arrange a replacement car, and its cost is pursued as part of your claim.
• An independent figure, not theirs. An assessor who is not the repairer values the damage, including the value your car loses from having a repair on its history, where that applies.
• We deal with their insurer, not you. The calls, the letters and the chasing come to us, until the claim is settled.
• No upfront cost. Everything, including our fee, is in writing before you sign anything.

Every step, from the first call to your car back on the road.

When this is not the right route

Claiming directly from the other driver's insurer works when the other driver is identified, insured and at fault. If they drove off, had no insurance, or fault is in dispute, call us anyway. We will tell you honestly whether we can help, and point you to the right place if we cannot.

What we do not do

We do not handle injury. If anyone was hurt, that is a matter for a solicitor. We do not give legal advice, we do not advise on your own insurance policy, and we do not promise an outcome or a timeframe. We tell you what we expect and what we know.