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How Soon You Must Lodge
Lodge the claim with your insurer as quickly as you reasonably can after the incident — most policies expect it within a day or two, and the time limits are set out in your schedule. There is no advantage in waiting, and several disadvantages, since memories fade and evidence degrades.
Lodging is not the same as committing to the outcome. You can open a claim to preserve your position and still decide later whether to proceed, but you cannot lodge a claim you never reported in time.
Step 1 — Lodge and Get a Claim Number
Phone the insurer or use the app, and have your policy number, the vehicle details, the date and time of the incident, the police case number, your photographs, and any third-party details to hand. The smoother the first call, the smoother everything downstream.
The insurer opens a claim and issues a claim number. Keep that number with you — it is the reference for every message, document and query from this point until the claim closes.
Step 2 — The Assessor Inspects
The insurer appoints an assessor to examine the vehicle, either at an approved panel beater or at your address. Their job is to confirm the damage matches your account, photograph it independently, and check that the policy was valid and the circumstances are covered.
Cooperate fully and give clear access, because the assessor's report is what the insurer's decision is built on. An inspection that lines up with your lodged account is the quickest path to authorisation.
Step 4 — Settling the Excess
The excess is your share of the claim. On a repair you pay it to the panel beater; on a write-off it is netted off the settlement. Remember that more than one excess can apply to a single claim, so confirm the total before you authorise any work.
Knowing the excess figure up front avoids a nasty surprise at collection. If the repair is barely more than the excess, it can be worth weighing whether to claim at all, given the effect on your no-claim bonus.
Step 5 — Repair or Payout
For a repair, the car goes to the panel beater, parts are ordered and the work is done, with a typical turnaround of two to six weeks depending on the severity and parts supply. You collect the car once the insurer and shop are satisfied with the finish.
For a write-off, the settlement is paid to your account, or to the bank first if the car is financed, and the wreck becomes the insurer's salvage. A courtesy car only bridges the gap if you carry car-hire cover, so arrange transport accordingly.
The Biggest First-Claim Mistakes
The most damaging errors are reporting late, starting repairs before the assessor has inspected, and giving an account that does not match the damage. Each hands the insurer a reason to question or decline a claim that would otherwise have paid.
The simplest safeguards are the opposite of those mistakes: lodge promptly, leave the car untouched until it is assessed, and describe what happened accurately and consistently. A first-time claimant who does those three things rarely has trouble.