How long after a car accident can you file a claim?

If you’ve recently been in a car accident, your first concern might be getting car repairs paid so you can get back to everyday life.

But in some cases, when it comes to making a claim it might be better to wait.

In the UK claims can be made up to three years after the accident occurred, although this can vary from provider to provider.

How long should I wait before filing a claim?

Generally speaking, filing a claim as soon after an accident as possible helps your insurer to pay all the bills and expenses from your accident more quickly. Claims take time to process, so the sooner you file, the sooner you’ll probably see a reimbursement or payment from your provider.

Should I wait to file an insurance claim?

It’s worth weighing up the pros and cons of waiting to file.

Pros

Get a more comprehensive claim. Most providers won’t allow you to file more than one claim for one accident, and if they do, the process can be much more complex.
Make the most of your available coverage. It’s possible that if you rush to file your claim, you’ll forget or miss an item that insurance would have covered if you had the chance to look through your claim again.

Cons

Longer wait before reimbursement or payment. Depending on your circumstances, you might need your claim paid out sooner rather than later. When you wait to file, that just delays the claims process.
Possible late bill payments. If you wait too long to file and it delays the payment of important charges or bills, you might get reported for a past-due payment to a credit reporting agency. If this happens, it could have a negative impact on your credit score.

Bottom line

If your vehicle is damaged in a car accident, it can take weeks or even months to assess the true cost of fixing what’s wrong.

Waiting before filing your claim with your insurer might help you get the coverage you’ll ultimately need. For more information on everything to do with auto coverage, you can read our comprehensive guide to car insurance.

Frequently asked questions

Typically your insurance premiums will increase after making a claim on your insurance. You might also lose any no-claim or claim-free discount for maintaining your policy with no accidents or claims for a certain period.
However, if you have accident forgiveness on your policy, you’re usually protected from any increase in cost because of your previous track record for safe driving. It may help to talk to your provider, so you can find out how much your rate will increase, and whether it’s worth it to make your claim or pay out of pocket for damages.

Finder survey: Has your car ever been involved in an accident or broken down?

Response	Male	Female
Yes	46.74%	42.02%
No	36.68%	32.38%
N/A I don't have a car	16.58%	25.6%

Source: Finder survey by Censuswide of 1032 Brits, December 2023

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*Based on data provided by Consumer Intelligence Ltd, www.consumerintelligence.com (July ’24). 51% of car insurance customers could save £523.17

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Written by

Esther Wolffowitz

Publisher

Esther Wolffowitz was a publisher at finder.com specialising in insurance. Esther holds an MSc in Media and Communication Governance from the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE). See full bio

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