Car insurance claims: How to prevent a claim
No-one wants to have to make car insurance claims. Unfortunately, these things are often out of our control. What is in our control, is our actions towards avoiding such an incident that can result in making a claim.
Continue reading to discover our top 5 tips on how to reduce your chances of an accident, and in turn a claim on your car insurance:
1. Avoid tailgating
Travelling too close to the car in front, otherwise known as tailgating, is one of the leading causes of car accidents. Without leaving an appropriate amount of space between yourself and the car in front, you are putting yourself at greater risk of a collision.
Did you know?
You need at least 3 seconds to react if the car in front of you starts braking suddenly.
It is recommended that you should be able to see the tarmac and back tyres of the car in front, if you cannot, you are too close.
5 benefits of leaving space behind the car in front:
- If you are hit from the rear, the space creates a buffer between yourself and the car in front, minimising possible damage
- Allows room in case of roll back, if you have stopped on a hill
- Leaves room to pull out and move around if the vehicle stalls or breaks down
- Enables you to see further up the road
- Gives you more margin for error
Be aware
Fraudulent claims are on the rise! Claimants are braking at unusual places, such as roundabouts, causing the vehicle behind to run in to the back of them.
2. Err on the side of caution
“I didn’t see the car until it was too late”
When pulling out of a minor road take the time to check for vehicles on the major road and assess the speed they’re travelling at. One of the most common causes of car accidents is not noticing the oncoming vehicle and/or misjudging the time you have to pull out onto a major road.
This could put you at blame of the car accident!
Before pulling out of a minor road, make sure your windows are clear of condensation or frost and wait until you are absolutely sure that it is safe to move on.
3. Watch your speed
Car accidents caused by travelling too fast for the road conditions are often a result of drivers rushing to their destination. Consider your journey time and plan in advance. Allow plenty of time for your journey, and if you are late – don’t panic! It is far more important that you get to your location safely, rather than timely.
4. Overtaking is overrated
Overtaking another vehicle can be a dangerous manoeuvre to make due to the difficulty in judging the time and space to complete the overtake successfully and safely. The manoeuvre is made even more difficult in certain places such as road junctions or at the brow of a hill.
If you must overtake, follow this advice:
- Don’t tailgate
- Use your mirrors and check your blind spots if necessary. Signal and when safe to do so then start to move out
- Be careful to not immediately follow an overtaking vehicle in front of you, there may only be enough room for one vehicle
- Take extra caution at night and in poor visibility. Conditions like these make it harder to accurately judge speed and distance
- Think ahead and don’t overtake when there is a possible right turn the vehicle in front might make.
Most importantly, if you are ever in doubt, don’t pull out! In this circumstance, proving the other driver is to blame would be extremely difficult.
5. Don’t leave keys in the car
This may sound like an obvious point to make; nevertheless, it is so easily done.
Have you ever left your keys in your car with the engine running while you were defrosting your windows? Most of us have!
However, if your car is stolen while your keys are inside the vehicle, your insurer will not pay out. Whether you had ‘popped inside’ or ‘turned around for a second’, insurers will find these as insufficient excuses.
How to make car insurance claims
The team at David J Miller Insurance Brokers is on hand to offer help and advice. We can help in presenting your claim to the insurer and move it forward as quickly as possible.
Contact our insurance claim department directly on 01254355175 during office hours, Monday – Friday from 9am – 5pm.
Or, email us at claims@davidjmiller.co.uk.
Should you be involved in a car accident you can call our 24-hour motor accident helpline on 03435065794.
