You have just had a crash and are still in a bit of shock the first thing you should do after making sure everyone is okay is GET THE OTHER DRIVERS DETAILS.

Remember, what gets said at the time of the accident by the other driver often changes when they lodge a claim. Unfortunately we see it happen all the time.

The key information you need:

1. Other Driver(s): Name, Address & Contact Phone Number
2. Other vehicle(s): Make, Model & Registration Number
3. Eye witness contact details

How to avoid forking out your excess

Under your policy your insurance company will only refund or waive your excess when you are obviously not at fault and they are able to make contact with the other driver responsible for causing the accident.

If you haven’t provided all of the key information above then you may end up forking out and paying your excess.

When there is a dispute and the other party is not admitting they were in the wrong the insurance company may not waive your excess until this is resolved. So it’s really important to get contact details of a witness who was not in your car at the time, a so called 'independent' witness, to back up your version of what happened.

In some situations, even when the other driver has agreed to be held liable it may be necessary to pay your excess and receive a refund in due course.

Supermarket Car Park – No Note?

The other thing is where you can’t identify the other driver, say your car was damaged in the supermarket car park and no one has left a note… you will have to pay an excess.

The bottom line is if the insurer can’t recover the costs of the accident from anyone then you will need to pay your excess.

TVNZ show Fair Go investigated this topic recently, watch the video.

By Ron Anstis, previously Senior Claims Consultant @ronanstiss.