What delivery drivers need to know about insurance claims

If you’ve been in an accident, INSHUR is here to help you get back on the road. Here we explain what to expect when making an insurance claim, and share our top tips for delivery drivers to get claims sorted quickly.

We know it’s important for drivers to get earning again as quickly as possible if something happens while you’re on the road.

To explain a bit more about how the claims process works, we spoke to our head of UK claims Marc Mercer. He has been working in claims for over 40 years.

How we handle claims

INSHUR has designed its claims system to deliver the best customer service, and to make the most of technology to speed up the process.

Marc says: “The time it takes from the date of an accident to the insurer making a decision is crucial, both for excellent customer service and for keeping costs down.

“The better we are at handling claims, the more flexible we can be in offering our drivers competitive prices.”

How to make a claim

If you’ve been in an accident, please call us immediately on 0808 169 9165. You can also email us at [email protected]. Please note you must tell us about any accident or potential claim within 24 hours or you may have to pay an additional excess.

Why INSHUR is different

A lot of insurance companies use other companies to handle claims. They also work with a network of different companies for vehicle repairs.

Marc says: “Right from day one, we wanted to provide great customer service. As part of that, we’ve built our own Managed Repair Network. This means we have partnerships with garages up and down the country. That’s one of the key things that make us different.”

INSHUR’s claim team has at least 10 years experience, so when you pick up the phone you know you’re talking to an expert.

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Our system means you can text us photos or dashcam footage of what has happened, so we can decide quickly on next steps. This also helps get to the bottom of an incident, especially where there’s a dispute about who is to blame.

Marc says: “If you’re not at fault, we can work together to keep your no claims bonus, which can mean lower costs when you come to renew.”

INSHUR’s claims team aims to deal with all post and emails on the same day it gets them.

If you have a road accident, you may need to get your vehicle repaired and hire a replacement. Because INSHUR is in charge of the whole claims process, this means we can keep any extra costs down and reduce the amount of time you’re not earning.

Some dos and don’ts if you have an accident

DO: Contact your insurer and report what’s happened as soon as it’s safe to do so.
DO: Swap names and numbers with the other driver. If there’s been an accident, it’s also good to get the details of anyone who saw what happened.
DO: Take photos of the damage and where the vehicles are on the road – only do this if it is safe and take care not to put yourself at risk. Dashcam footage of an accident can also be very useful.
DON’T get into a conversation about who is to blame. Even if you think you might be at fault, don’t say you are responsible. Your insurer will investigate what has happened, and there may be other reasons that caused the accident that you don’t know about. You may also be in a state of shock, so it’s best to leave these conversations to your insurer.
DO call the police or an ambulance if anyone is injured.
DO write down the time of the accident and what the road conditions are like.
DON’T sit in your car on the hard shoulder of a motorway. Instead exit to a safe place.
DO keep things like a jacket, blanket and water in your car for emergencies.

One other thing to mention – be careful of paying for repairs in cash. If you don’t have a receipt or paperwork to prove how much the repairs cost, it can make things difficult for your claim.

Our top tips on claims

Your claim should be dealt with quickly and clearly. Watch for any delays, or having to repeat yourself, or giving the same information over and over again. These are all signs your insurer isn’t looking after you properly.

You should expect to be kept up-to-date on your claim. Don’t be afraid to ask questions along the way if you don’t understand anything.

We all want to get a good deal on insurance, but beware of policies that seem too cheap. Some companies may offer very cheap quotes, but then when you come to claim there’s little to no support.

It’s also worth thinking about what you can do to avoid claims in the first place. For example, it’s better to fix a chip on your windscreen rather than have to replace the whole thing. (At INSHUR, we work with big companies like Autoglass for windscreen repair.)

Marc says: “We want to offer good prices, while giving you the peace of mind that if something happens, we will look after you.”

At INSHUR, we look after our drivers from quote to claim. For more on how we can help, visit INSHUR today. INSHUR also now has its own claims division for delivery drivers in the UK.