What Does Each Route Mean?
Going through your own insurer means you contact your insurance company and ask them to handle the claim. They arrange repairs through their approved network and manage the process. Depending on your policy, you may need to pay an excess, and your no-claims bonus could be affected.
Using an accident management company means handing the process to a specialist. If the accident was not your fault, they pursue the at-fault driver’s insurer directly to recover all costs. You do not claim on your own policy, so your no-claims bonus stays intact and you pay no excess.
At Infiniti Motor Group, our accident claim management service works exactly this way. We handle everything from dealing with insurers to arranging repairs and organising a hire car.
Key Differences at a Glance
| Feature | Your Own Insurer | Accident Management Company |
|---|---|---|
| No-claims bonus affected | Possibly, even in non-fault cases | No, in non-fault accidents |
| Excess payment required | Usually yes | No, in non-fault accidents |
| Who pays for repairs | Your insurer recovers costs later | At-fault driver’s insurer pays directly |
| Hire car provided | Depends on your policy | Usually yes, like-for-like vehicle |
| Choice of repairer | Often limited to insurer’s network | You can use a specialist repairer |
No-Claims Bonus
Your no-claims bonus (NCB) builds over years and can cut your premium significantly. Many drivers do not realise that even a non-fault accident can trigger a mark on their record if they claim through their own insurer. The insurer may recover costs from the other side eventually, but the act of claiming can still affect your bonus unless you have paid extra to protect it.
With an accident management company on a non-fault claim, you are not touching your own policy at all. Your NCB stays exactly where it was.
Who Pays for the Repairs?
When you go through your own insurer, they pay for repairs and then seek to recover costs from the at-fault driver’s insurer. If liability is disputed, this can take time and you may still be left paying your excess while it is sorted out.
With an accident management company, costs go directly to the at-fault party’s insurer. You pay nothing out of pocket. Our team carries out all accident repair work using manufacturer-approved methods, and the bill goes straight to the responsible insurer.
The Hire Car Situation
With your own insurer, whether you get a courtesy car depends on your policy. Many standard policies only provide a small, basic vehicle, and only while your car is at one of their approved garages.
On a non-fault claim through an accident management company, you are typically entitled to a like-for-like replacement. If you drive an SUV, you should get an SUV. Citizens Advice has useful guidance on vehicle insurance when the accident was not your fault, including your rights around replacement vehicles.
When to Go Through Your Own Insurer
An accident management company helps specifically when the accident was not your fault. Going directly through your own insurer makes more sense if the accident was your fault, fault is shared or unclear, or the other driver was uninsured.
What to Do Right After an Accident
- Make sure everyone is safe and call 999 if anyone is injured
- Exchange contact and insurance details with the other driver
- Take photos of the vehicles, damage, and road conditions
- Note the time, location, and weather
- Get witness contact details if possible
- Do not admit fault at the scene
If the accident was not your fault, call us before you contact your insurer. Once you formally open a claim on your own policy, reversing that is not straightforward.