What happens after a car accident when you claim through your NZ insurer?

If you're involved in a car accident in New Zealand and make a claim through your car insurer, the process generally involves reporting the accident, having your insurer assess the damage, paying any applicable excess, and getting your car repaired or written off.

What happens next depends on your insurance policy, who was at fault, whether another vehicle was involved, and whether your car is safe to drive.

Here's how the process usually works in New Zealand.

1. Immediately after the accident

Before dealing with your insurance claim, make sure everyone is safe.

• Check for injuries. Call 111 if anyone needs urgent medical assistance.
• Exchange details with the other driver, including names, contact details, registration numbers and insurance details, if applicable.
• Take photos of the damage to all vehicles, the accident scene, number plates and any relevant road conditions.
• Collect witness details if anyone saw what happened.
• Avoid admitting liability at the scene. You can be polite and cooperative without accepting legal responsibility for the accident.

If the other driver leaves without providing their details, or you suspect an offence has occurred, record as much information as possible and contact the Police if appropriate.

If your car is unsafe to drive, arrange a tow rather than risking further damage or an accident.

Important: If someone has been injured, the accident involves a hit-and-run, or there are other circumstances requiring Police involvement, additional reporting requirements may apply.

2. You lodge a claim with your insurer

You can generally lodge a claim through your insurer's website, mobile app, telephone service or claims team.

You'll typically be asked for:

• Your policy number and vehicle registration.
• The date, time and location of the accident.
• A description of what happened.
• The other driver's details, if applicable.
• Photos of the damage.
• Information about any injuries, witnesses or Police involvement.

You should be honest and provide as much accurate information as possible, even if you think you might have been at fault.

Your insurer will open a claim and give you a claim number. Keep this handy when communicating with the insurer, repairers or towing companies.

How quickly should you claim? Notify your insurer as soon as reasonably possible. Check your policy for its specific notification requirements.

3. Your insurer investigates the accident

After you submit your claim, your insurer reviews the information and decides whether your policy covers the damage.

They may:

• Ask you for more details about the accident.
• Contact the other driver or their insurer.
• Review photos, witness statements or Police information.
• Arrange for an assessor to inspect your car.
• Investigate who was responsible for the accident.

Your insurer may also contact the other driver's insurance company to determine whether it can recover the costs of the claim.

You don't necessarily have to prove the other driver was at fault before your insurer can process your claim. If you have comprehensive insurance, your insurer can generally assess your own vehicle damage under your policy, subject to its terms and conditions.

The Insurance Council of New Zealand explains that insurers assess repair costs before authorising repairs, even when they expect to recover the costs from the person responsible. Read the ICNZ guidance.

4. Your insurer arranges an assessment and repairs

If your claim is accepted, your insurer will usually arrange for your car to be assessed.

There are two common outcomes.

Option A: Your car can be repaired

If your car is repairable, your insurer will usually:

1. Direct you to an approved repairer or explain your repair options.
2. Have the repairer assess the damage and estimate the cost.
3. Approve the necessary repairs.
4. Arrange for the repairs to be completed.
5. Tell you when your car is ready for collection.

You may need to pay your excess to the repairer before collecting the vehicle.

Important: Don't authorise expensive repairs yourself before speaking to your insurer. Most insurers require approval before repairs begin. You may have a choice of repairer, depending on your policy. Source: Consumer NZ.

Option B: Your car is written off

If your car is too badly damaged, or repairing it would be uneconomical, your insurer may declare it a write-off.

In that situation, the insurer will generally offer a settlement based on your policy's valuation terms.

This is usually either:

• Agreed value: The value specified in your policy, subject to its terms.
• Market value: What your car was worth immediately before the accident, assessed according to your policy.

For example, suppose your car's insured value is $12,000 and the insurer accepts that it is a total loss.

If your policy provides an agreed value of $12,000, your settlement would generally start at that amount, less any applicable excess or other deductions.

If you have a $500 excess, the payout might therefore be $11,500.

The actual amount depends on your policy, any outstanding finance and other applicable deductions.

If the insurer writes off the vehicle and its registration must be cancelled because the vehicle is unsafe, the insurer is responsible for the relevant cancellation process. NZTA explains what happens to written-off vehicles here.

---

5. Do you have to pay an excess if the accident wasn't your fault?

Not necessarily, but you might have to pay it initially.

Your excess is the amount you contribute towards an insurance claim. The amount should be listed in your policy documents.

What happens depends on the circumstances.

Situation	What usually happens
You caused the accident and have comprehensive insurance	You generally pay your excess, subject to your policy.
Another driver caused the accident and is insured	Your insurer may waive or refund your excess if their responsibility can be established and the relevant policy conditions are met.
Another driver caused the accident, but you cannot identify them	You may have to pay your excess, depending on your policy.
You have third-party insurance and damage your own car	Your own vehicle damage generally isn't covered.
You have third-party insurance and another driver damages your car	You may be able to claim against the other driver or their insurer.

These are general rules, not guarantees. Your particular policy determines the outcome. Source: New Zealand Consumer Protection.

Example: Someone hits your car

Imagine you're driving along a road in New Zealand when another driver turns into your vehicle.

Your car sustains $4,000 worth of damage.

You have comprehensive insurance with a $600 excess, and you obtain the other driver's name, contact details and registration.

The process might look like this:

1. You lodge a claim with your insurer.
2. Your insurer assesses your car and the circumstances of the accident.
3. Your insurer contacts the other driver or their insurer.
4. Repairs are approved.
5. If the other driver is established as fully responsible and your policy's conditions are met, your insurer may waive or refund your $600 excess.
6. Your insurer may recover the repair costs from the other driver's insurer.

You may not ultimately have to pay the excess. However, don't assume it will automatically be waived just because you believe the other driver caused the accident.

---

6. Will your insurance cover a rental car while yours is being repaired?

Possibly. It depends on your policy.

Some comprehensive insurance policies include temporary replacement transport or rental-car cover. Others offer it as an optional extra, while some don't provide it at all.

Check your policy for:

• Whether rental-car costs are covered.
• Whether cover applies when another driver is at fault.
• How long you're entitled to a rental car.
• Any daily or total spending limits.
• Whether you must use a particular rental company.

If your car is undriveable, ask your insurer about towing and temporary transport when you lodge your claim.

Don't assume your insurer will pay for a rental car automatically. Get confirmation of what is covered before booking one yourself.

7. Will your insurance premium increase after the accident?

It might.

Your insurer may consider your claims history, the circumstances of the accident and your policy's no-claims discount provisions when calculating future premiums.

Generally:

• If you caused the accident: Your premium may increase, and you could lose some or all of a no-claims discount.
• If another driver caused the accident: The impact may be different, depending on your insurer and policy.
• If you make a claim for minor damage: It is worth considering the repair cost, excess and potential effect on your insurance history.

Even when you weren't responsible for the accident, you shouldn't assume your premium will remain unchanged.

If you're concerned about this, ask your insurer whether the claim could affect your premium or any no-claims benefit.

---

8. How long does the entire claims process take?

There isn't one standard timeframe for every New Zealand car insurance claim.

The time required depends on the severity of the damage, how quickly your insurer obtains the necessary information, the availability of parts and repairers, and whether fault is disputed.

As a general guide:

Stage	What to expect
Lodging the claim	You can often do this online or by phone soon after the accident.
Initial review	The insurer reviews your claim and may request additional information.
Vehicle assessment	Timing depends on the damage, the assessor and the repairer.
Repairs	Minor repairs may be relatively quick; significant damage can take weeks or longer.
Write-off settlement	Timing depends on the assessment, agreement on the vehicle's value and any outstanding matters.
Disputed liability	The process may take longer if the insurer needs further evidence or negotiations.

These are stages rather than guaranteed deadlines.

To avoid unnecessary delays, submit clear photos, provide the other driver's details and respond promptly when your insurer requests information.

If your claim seems to be taking too long, ask the claims team:

• What stage is my claim at?
• Is anything outstanding from me?
• Has the repair been approved?
• When do you expect the next update?

---

9. What if your insurer rejects your claim?

An insurer may decline a claim if it determines that the damage isn't covered by your policy or that a policy condition hasn't been met.

If this happens, you should:

1. Ask for the decision and the reasons for it in writing.
2. Ask the insurer to identify the relevant policy wording.
3. Provide any additional evidence that may help clarify the circumstances.
4. Use the insurer's formal complaints process if you disagree with the decision.
5. If the dispute remains unresolved, contact the independent dispute resolution service your insurer belongs to.

In New Zealand, eligible consumers can generally use an approved financial dispute resolution scheme without charge.

You can find further guidance through Consumer Protection's insurance advice.

---

10. What should you do right now?

If you've recently been in an accident, these are the most useful next steps:

• Take photos and keep the other driver's details.
• Notify your insurer as soon as reasonably possible.
• Get a claim number.
• Ask whether your car needs to be towed or inspected.
• Check your excess and whether rental-car cover applies.
• Wait for your insurer's approval before arranging repairs yourself.
• Keep copies of emails, estimates and other claim-related documents.

You generally don't need to work out every detail of liability yourself before contacting your insurer.

Let me explain what will happen in your particular situation

The process can be quite different depending on the accident and your insurance cover.

Can you tell me two things?

1. What type of insurance do you have? Comprehensive, third-party, or not sure?
2. What happened in the accident? For example, you hit another car, someone hit you, you hit a parked car, or it was a single-vehicle accident.

With those details, I can explain what is likely to happen next in New Zealand, including whether you'll have to pay an excess, who pays for the repairs, and whether your insurer is likely to contact the other driver.