Car Insurance: Make a claim

Car insurance : Claims

Step 1: Get in touch

What should I do if I need to make a claim?

We hope you’re ok.

Tell us what happened.

Call the Swinton Accident and Claims Line on:

0333 035 9003

You can use this number 24 hours a day for any motor accident (whether it’s your fault or not), fire or theft, windscreen damage or any malicious damage.

 

Breakdown Helpline

Contact the Emergency Breakdown Helpline

Emergency Helpline

Claiming for a damaged windscreen?

If you’re claiming for damage to your windscreen, you can book your repair with our partner, Auto Windscreens. When making your claim, you’ll need to do the following:

  • Tell them your registration number and date of birth
  • Let them know that Swinton is your insurance provider
  • Give them the size and location of damage, the date the damage occurred and how it happened

You can choose to take your vehicle to an Auto Windscreens fitting hub, or have them come to a location that suits you. 

Book your windscreen repair

Step 2: The details

What information will I need when I make a claim?

When you call, please try to have the following information to hand:

  • Your policy documents
  • Crime reference number (if applicable)
  • Registration of any other vehicles involved in the accident
  • Name / address / phone no. of other party
  • Details of any witnesses

It would also be useful if you can provide photographs of the accident and damage to vehicles involved.

Remember - When you have an accident, you should never admit fault until you’ve spoken to us or your insurer.


Step 3: Let's put it right

What happens when I call?

Our friendly team will quickly establish whether your car is covered and who is responsible for the accident.

For accidents that are your fault, we'll take some details and then put you directly in touch with our specialist incident management team or your insurer, they'll look after you from there.

Accidents that are not your fault will be handled by our team and we can arrange repairs, car hire (with a similar vehicle) and injury claims where necessary.

Find out more about Driver's Legal Protection.

 

Need breakdown assistance?

Make sure you have breakdown cover by checking your policy documents. If so, simply give us a call or register your details online.

If you’re in the UK, call: 0333 035 9367
If you’re in the EU and have opted for EU cover, call: +44 1737 815 032

Our emergency helpline and online assistance tool are available 24/7 to those with breakdown cover. 

You can add breakdown cover to your existing Car Insurance policy mid-term, however only the UK Roadside Breakdown element of cover is available for the first 24 hours of your policy. If you add EU breakdown cover, any claims made within the first 10 days will not be covered.

We will endeavour to get your claim settled as quickly as possible, our team should be able to give you some approximate timescales once they’ve taken all of your details.

Yes, but you’ll need to get an estimate and get it approved which could take some time. We’d recommend that you use one of our network of repairers, there’s likely to be at least one in your local area and you won’t have to get an estimate approved. This is because the repairers in our network have signed up to a range of service levels and provide guarantees on all work completed.

Yes, our comprehensive insurance cover provides cover for you and the courtesy car.

You will be provided with a courtesy car for the duration of your car repairs, if you are using an approved repair centre. This cover is not provided in all types of claims – for instance, if your car is written off, stolen or damaged by fire, although if your car is written off and not your fault then a hire car may be provided.

You may have to pay the excess to the garage when your vehicle is repaired whether the accident is your fault or not but you might be able to claim your excess back depending on the circumstances of your claim.

You have to pay the excess to the garage when your vehicle is repaired whether the accident is your fault or not but you might be able to claim your excess back depending on the circumstances of your claim or the policy you hold with us, as our Premier policy includes Excess Insurance.

If the accident was your fault and you have our Excess Protection policy, you can make a claim to refund the excesses you have to pay in the event of an accident, fire, theft or vandalism claim.

Visit our claims website: https://www.excessclaim.co.uk where you will be able to register your claim online. Here you can enter all the necessary details we need to settle your claim. We recommend you use the web link as you will need to post documents to us if you contact us by phone, which might cause delays.

If you prefer to contact us by phone, please call Inter Partner Assistance S.A. UK Branch on 0845 300 2771 to notify them of your excess claim. You will receive a claim form to complete and will be asked to send us copies of your documents.

Please post the copy of the original claim form and all required supporting information to:
Inter Partner Assistance S.A. UK Branch
PO Box 54098,
London SW20 8UU

If the accident wasn’t your fault and you have bought our Drivers' Legal Protection policy, our solicitors will recover your excess along with any other out of pocket expenses from the responsible person’s insurance company. We will put you in touch with a solicitor who can arrange this for you when you call to make your claim.

If the accident wasn’t your fault then please call Carpenters on 0333 035 9003.

A windscreen claim on its own won’t affect your no-claims bonus.

All of our comprehensive car insurance policies include windscreen cover as standard, but if you take out a third party policy or third party, fire and theft your windscreen is not covered unless damaged through fire or theft.

Yes, our Classic and Premier insurance policies will pay up to £100 per car seat if your car has been involved in an insured incident which could have resulted in damage to the seat.

 

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