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Evidence · Car insurance

Every question, every answer, every source

Explore all 183 car-insurance questions and the 728 answers saved on 11 October 2026. Read the original responses and download the tables behind the study’s comparisons, sources, sentiment and factual checks.

questions
183
answers saved, of 732 planned
728
consumer situations
12
named regions
16
AI platforms
4

01

Every question, with its answers

Each question went to the four AI platforms. All were collected with a New Zealand setting. Open a question to read every captured answer in full.

Showing 20 of 183 questions

Show all 183

02

The tables behind the study

Every figure on the study page comes from these tables. They are CSV files, which open in any spreadsheet.

  • Questions

    questions.csv

    One row per question, with its exact saved wording.

    Question ID, source references, question, consumer situation, named regions, question group and collection setting

    183rows

    Download questions (CSV)

  • Answers

    answers.csv

    One row per captured answer, with its full text.

    Answer ID, question ID, platform, collection setting, consumer situation, named regions and full answer

    728rows

    Download answers (CSV)

  • Sources by answer

    sources.csv

    One row per website recorded as a source of an answer.

    Answer ID, question ID, assistant, collection setting, website and publisher type

    4,213rows

    Download sources by answer (CSV)

  • Checks against primary sources

    checks.csv

    One row per stated assertion checked, for one platform.

    Check, question and answer IDs, assistant, exact passage, verdict, primary-source finding, URL and date

    96rows

    Download checks against primary sources (CSV)

  • Consumer recommendation coding

    consumer-recommendation-coding.csv

    One row per reviewed provider role in a consumer-selection answer.

    Answer ID, question ID, consumer, platform, provider, role, counted recommendation, exact passage and conditions

    301rows

    Download consumer recommendation coding (CSV)

  • Consumer selection membership

    consumer-selection-membership.csv

    One row per answer in the matched consumer-selection comparison.

    Answer ID, question ID, consumer, platform, question group and full text; the same twelve questions per platform

    48rows

    Download consumer selection membership (CSV)

  • Ongoing support coding

    support-coding.csv

    One row per reviewed named-provider role in an eligible support answer.

    Answer ID, question ID, consumer, platform, provider, role, support-preference decision and exact passage

    49rows

    Download ongoing support coding (CSV)

  • Ongoing support membership

    support-membership.csv

    One row per answer in the actual consumer-support group.

    Answer ID, question ID, consumer, platform, question group and full text; acquisition validation is excluded

    32rows

    Download ongoing support membership (CSV)

  • Regional recommendation coding

    regional-recommendation-coding.csv

    One row per reviewed provider role in a region-named selection answer.

    Answer ID, question ID, named consumer region, platform, provider, recommendation decision and exact passage

    440rows

    Download regional recommendation coding (CSV)

  • Regional selection membership

    regional-selection-membership.csv

    One row per answer in the matched regional comparison.

    Answer ID, question ID, named consumer region, platform and equal-comparison membership; sixteen questions per platform

    64rows

    Download regional selection membership (CSV)

  • Insurer sentiment

    insurer-sentiment.csv

    One row per unique saved claim about an insurer in a selection answer.

    Claim, question and answer IDs, insurer, saved stance, exact passage and original-answer offsets

    1,926rows

    Download insurer sentiment (CSV)

  • Recorded source URLs

    source-urls.csv

    One row per recorded answer, website and URL association.

    Answer ID, question ID, platform, website, URL, source records and presence in the captured answer text

    6,056rows

    Download recorded source urls (CSV)

Use these tables to trace findings back to the original questions and answers. The full text of each answer is also on this page, under its question.

03

Read in full and checked

Some answers were read in detail or checked against official sources. Those appear on the study page, beside the findings they support.

ChatGPT · New Zealand

The other driver says the crash was my fault, but I disagree. How will my insurer decide who pays?

In New Zealand, the other driver saying the crash was your fault doesn't automatically make you responsible for paying. Your insurer will investigate what happened, consider the available evidence, and decide how liability should be allocated under the circumstances and the terms of your insurance policy.

If you and the other driver disagree about who caused the crash, your insurer should assess the evidence rather than simply accepting the other driver's version of events.

1. How your insurer will decide who was at fault

Your insurer will typically consider several things:

  • Each driver's account: What you say happened, what the other driver says, and whether either account is consistent with the available evidence.
  • The road rules: Whether either driver failed to give way, changed lanes unsafely, followed too closely, drove carelessly, or committed another traffic-related breach.
  • Physical evidence: Damage to both vehicles, the point of impact, skid marks, road layout, traffic signs, and vehicle positions.
  • Photos and video: Dashcam footage, CCTV, photographs taken at the scene, and other relevant recordings.
  • Independent witnesses: Statements from people who saw the collision and are not directly involved.
  • Other available information: Police reports, diagrams, and any other evidence that helps establish what happened.

Your insurer may contact you for further information or ask you to provide photographs, witness details, or a written account.

Importantly, a disagreement doesn't automatically mean you will both be held responsible. Depending on the evidence, your insurer may decide that you were at fault, the other driver was at fault, both drivers contributed to the collision, or there isn't enough evidence to establish the other driver's alleged version of events.

2. Who actually pays for the damage?

That depends on the insurer's assessment, the type of insurance each driver has, and the terms of the policies.

Outcome What it could mean for you
The other driver is found at fault Their insurer may pay for your vehicle damage, depending on the circumstances and available cover.
You are found at fault Your insurer may cover the other driver's damage if your policy includes third-party liability cover. Your own damage will depend on your policy.
Both drivers contributed Liability and the amount recoverable may be apportioned between the parties.
Fault cannot be established clearly The insurers may dispute the claim or negotiate a settlement. Your own policy will determine what cover you can access.

These are general possibilities rather than guaranteed outcomes. New Zealand's Consumer Protection website explains the differences between third-party and comprehensive insurance and how fault can affect your excess. Read the official guidance on car insurance. consumerprotection.govt.nz

Will you have to pay your excess?

Not necessarily.

If you have comprehensive insurance, your insurer may require you to pay your excess while it assesses your claim.

If the insurer establishes that the other driver was at fault and can recover the relevant costs from them or their insurer, you may be able to have your excess refunded or waived.

However, don't assume that disagreeing with the other driver automatically means you won't have to pay an excess. Your policy terms and the outcome of the claim matter. consumerprotection.govt.nz

3. What you should do to protect yourself

If you believe the other driver caused the accident, there are several practical steps you can take.

1. Give your insurer your own account of events.

Write down exactly what happened, including:

  • Which direction each vehicle was travelling.
  • Your speed and the other vehicle's apparent speed, if known.
  • Whether either vehicle was turning, changing lanes, reversing, or entering an intersection.
  • The sequence of events immediately before impact.
  • Anything the other driver said at the scene.

Stick to what you remember. If you're unsure about something, say so rather than guessing.

2. Preserve your evidence.

Provide your insurer with any photographs, dashcam footage, witness details, and relevant messages. Keep the original files where possible.

If nearby businesses or properties might have CCTV footage, ask about it promptly, as recordings may be deleted.

3. Don't accept blame just to resolve the disagreement.

Explain clearly to your insurer that you dispute the other driver's account. You can cooperate with the claims investigation without agreeing that you caused the crash.

4. Ask your insurer to explain its decision.

If your insurer decides you're at fault, ask:

  • What evidence supports that conclusion?
  • Which road rules or aspects of your driving does it believe were relevant?
  • How did it assess the other driver's actions?
  • What happens to your excess and no-claims discount?
  • Can you challenge the decision, and what evidence would help?

This will give you a clearer understanding of how the insurer reached its conclusion.

4. What if you disagree with your insurer's decision?

You don't have to accept an insurer's decision without questioning it.

Start by making a formal complaint through your insurer's complaints process. Explain which parts of its decision you dispute and provide any evidence it may have overlooked.

If the matter remains unresolved, you can approach the independent dispute resolution scheme your insurer belongs to. In New Zealand, these schemes provide free assistance with eligible financial and insurance complaints. You can find out which scheme covers your insurer through New Zealand's financial dispute guidance. govt.nz

One important distinction: your insurer's decision about whether to cover a claim is not necessarily the same as a court determining legal liability. If a substantial amount of money is at stake, independent legal advice may be worthwhile.

5. Let me help you work out how fault might be assessed in your situation

The details of the crash can make a significant difference. For example, a collision while changing lanes may be assessed differently from one at a roundabout or an intersection.

Can you tell me how the accident happened?

In particular:

  • Where were you driving when it happened (for example, at an intersection, on a roundabout, on a motorway, or in a car park)?
  • What were you and the other driver each doing immediately before the collision?
  • What part of each vehicle was hit?

You don't need to provide names, registration numbers, or other identifying details.

With that information, I can explain how fault would typically be assessed under New Zealand road rules, what evidence may support your version, and what questions to raise with your insurer.

Ask anything

ChatGPT can make mistakes. Check important info.

Captured 11 October 2026

Gemini · New Zealand

The other driver says the crash was my fault, but I disagree. How will my insurer decide who pays?

When two drivers tell conflicting stories about a crash and neither accepts blame, your insurer will not simply take your word for it—nor will they automatically believe the other driver. Instead, they will conduct a liability assessment using objective evidence and New Zealand road rules.

How Insurers Decide Liability

  • Evaluating Evidence: Your insurer will review all available proof to reconstruct what happened. This includes photographs of the damage and accident scene, dashcam or CCTV footage, official Police reports (if attended), and independent eyewitness statements.
  • Applying Road Rules: Insurers look strictly at the NZ Road User Rules and Land Transport Act. Specific movements—such as lane changes, merging, turning right across traffic, or exiting a driveway—carry distinct legal obligations regarding who must give way.
  • Inter-Insurer Negotiations: If both you and the other driver are insured, your respective insurance companies will talk directly. If their assessments match and point primarily to one driver, the at-fault driver's insurer will typically cover the costs.

Possible Outcomes of a Disputed Version of Events

  1. Clear Evidence Favours One Side: If physical damage or video footage contradicts one driver's story (e.g., rear-end damage usually places liability on the trailing car unless there is proof of sudden, unsafe stopping), the insurer will assign fault accordingly.
  2. Shared (Contributed) Liability: If the evidence suggests both drivers made errors that contributed to the collision, insurers may agree to a split-liability arrangement (e.g., 50/50 or 70/30). In this case, each party covers a corresponding percentage of their own losses.
  3. A "Standoff" (Word-Against-Word): If it is completely your word against theirs, there is no independent proof, and the physical evidence points to multiple interpretations, insurers may reach an impasse.

What Happens If Your Insurer and the Other Driver Disagree?

If your insurer believes you are not at fault but the other driver's insurer (or an uninsured driver) refuses to accept liability, your own insurance policy comes into play:

  • If you have Comprehensive cover: Your insurer will often fix your car under your policy and waive your excess (or refund it later) if they successfully recover costs from the other party. They will handle the legal and recovery legwork on your behalf.
  • If you have Third-Party-only cover: Your insurer generally will not pay to fix your vehicle unless liability is clearly established against an insured at-fault party. If a stalemate occurs, you may need to pursue the other party yourself or take the matter to the Disputes Tribunal.

What You Should Do Now

Provide your insurer with a detailed, factual written account of the event, a clear sketch of the scene, and any photos, dashcam footage, or contact details for independent witnesses as soon as possible.

Do you have any photos, dashcam footage, or independent witnesses from the scene that you can share with your insurer?

Ask Gemini

Gemini is AI and can make mistakes.

Captured 11 October 2026

AI Overviews · New Zealand

The other driver says the crash was my fault, but I disagree. How will my insurer decide who pays?

AI Overview

When you disagree with another driver about who caused a crash, your insurance company will determine fault by objectively analyzing physical evidence, traffic laws, and statements. They do not rely on the other driver's opinion or any verbal arguments made at the scene.

Here is how New Zealand insurers evaluate a disputed crash and decide who pays:

1. The Evidence They Evaluate

Insurers look past what the drivers say happened and focus entirely on what they can prove :

  • The New Zealand Road Code: Insurers heavily weigh who breached the official Waka Kotahi NZTA Road Code. Certain scenarios carry a very strong presumption of fault, such as failing to give way, rear-ending another vehicle, or running a red light.

  • Physical Proof: They assess the point of impact on both vehicles, photo evidence of the scene, and any available dashcam or CCTV footage.

  • Independent Statements: Unbiased accounts from independent eye-witnesses carry significant weight in breaking a "he-said, she-said" deadlock.

  • Police Reports: If police attended the scene, the insurance adjusters will request their official report.

2. The Final Decision on Fault

Once your insurer completes their review, the outcome will fall into one of three buckets:

  • You are found completely Not At Fault: If your insurer proves the other driver was 100% to blame, you will not have to pay your policy excess (or it will be refunded), and your no-claims bonus won't be affected—provided you identified the other driver with their name, contact details, and vehicle registration number.

  • Shared Fault (Comparative Negligence): Under the Contributory Negligence Act 1947 , insurers can decide both drivers contributed to the crash. Blame may be split (e.g., 50/50 or 70/30) depending on the circumstances, and you may still be required to pay your excess.

  • Unestablished Fault: If the evidence is entirely inconclusive, insurers may treat it as a split or standard claim where you still pay your excess.

3. How the Insurers Handle the Bill

If both you and the other driver hold comprehensive policies with major New Zealand insurers, the settlement is fast-tracked under the Knock-for-Knock Agreement.

If both are comprehensively insured... If the other driver is uninsured...
Your insurer pays for your car's repairs , and the other company pays for theirs. They do not waste time or money legally chasing each other. However, if your insurer establishes you were not at fault , they will still waive or refund your excess internally. If you are not at fault, many comprehensive policies will still waive your excess under an "uninsured driver extension," provided you successfully obtained the at-fault driver’s name, phone number, and registration plate.

What You Should Do Next

  • Do not negotiate or argue with the other driver or their insurer directly.

  • Lodge the claim through your provider's portal (such as AA Insurance or Vero Insurance) and submit every piece of photo, sketch, or witness evidence you have.

  • Let your insurer know explicitly that you dispute the other driver's version of events so their claims team can investigate properly.

To help narrow down how this will play out, could you share a few details about how the crash happened (e.g., a rear-end, changing lanes, or a roundabout)? Knowing what type of insurance cover you have would also help clarify your next steps.

Ask anything

Captured 11 October 2026

Google AI Mode · New Zealand

The other driver says the crash was my fault, but I disagree. How will my insurer decide who pays?

When a car crash happens and drivers disagree on who is to blame, New Zealand insurers do not just take sides or flip a coin—they conduct an independent liability assessment. Note that under New Zealand law (managed via ACC), personal injury is handled on a no-fault basis, so your insurer is strictly working out who pays for the vehicle damage and property costs.

Insurers determine fault and decide who pays through a structured investigative process:

  1. Gathering Evidence and Statements : Both you and the other driver will be asked to submit a detailed, written or verbal account of what happened. Insurers rely heavily on objective evidence, such as photographs of the crash scene and vehicle damage, dashcam footage, CCTV footage from nearby buildings, and independent witness statements.
  2. Applying the Road Rules : Adjusters evaluate the physical evidence against the official New Zealand Road Code. They look at right-of-way rules, lane positions, speed indications, and traffic signs or signals to see which driver breached a legal obligation.
  3. Reconstructing the Crash : If stories conflict sharply and there is no direct video or witness, professional assessors examine the angle of impact, skid marks, and debris fields to determine if the physical evidence matches one driver's story over the other's.
  4. Inter-Insurer Agreements ("Knock for Knock") : If both drivers are insured by companies that are signatories to the Insurance Council of New Zealand (ICNZ) agreements, the insurers may streamline the handling of physical repairs under specific industry guidelines if liability is shared or standard mechanisms apply. However, if liability remains completely disputed and unresolved, insurers may reach a deadlock.
  5. The Disputes Tribunal : If the opposing insurers or an uninsured third party cannot agree on liability, the matter may ultimately need to be resolved externally. In New Zealand, civil disputes over vehicle damage under $30,000 are typically taken to the Disputes Tribunal rather than regular courts, where a referee hears the evidence and makes a binding decision.

What this means for who pays:

  • If fault is assigned to you : Your comprehensive insurance will cover the other party's damage (minus your excess), or if you only have third-party insurance, you may have to pay for the other person’s repairs up to your policy limit, while your own vehicle isn't covered.

  • If fault is assigned to them : Their insurer should cover your vehicle repairs or reimburse your insurer if you use your comprehensive cover.

  • If it's split/contributory negligence : Under New Zealand's Contributory Negligence Act 1947, responsibility can be split (e.g., 50/50 or 70/30) based on the degree to which each driver contributed to the crash. [Insurspy]

To help figure out how your specific situation might be viewed, tell me:

  • How did the collision happen (e.g., merging, rear-ended, at an intersection)?
  • Do you have photos, dashcam footage, or independent witnesses?
Ask anything

Captured 11 October 2026