Quick Answer
You may still need to declare an accident even if you didn’t make an insurance claim. Most insurance policies require you to report any accident to your insurer, regardless of whether you intend to make a claim. Failing to declare an accident could invalidate your policy or result in higher premiums in the future.
Do I have to tell my insurer if I don’t claim?
In most cases, yes. The majority of car insurance policies require you to report any accidents to your insurer. This applies whether you intend to make a claim or not.
Your policy documents should outline your obligations after an accident. Read these carefully to check the reporting requirements. Failing to declare an accident when required could potentially invalidate your policy.
Some policies may only require you to report an accident if you want to claim. However, it’s safer to disclose any incidents to avoid potential problems later on.
Why declare if I’m not claiming?
There are several reasons why insurers require notification of all accidents:
To accurately assess risk
Insurers use your claims history to gauge the level of risk you present. More claims can indicate you are prone to accidents. This may result in higher premiums.
Declaring all accidents provides a complete picture of your driving record. This allows insurers to calculate premiums based on accurate risk profiles.
To detect potential fraud
Insurers want to avoid fraudulent claims. Failing to report an accident could be a sign you intend to make a dubious claim later on. Prompt notification helps insurers investigate incidents thoroughly.
To comply with regulations
Insurance providers must retain detailed records of all accidents for compliance purposes. Reporting all incidents allows them to meet their regulatory obligations.
What accidents do I need to declare?
Most insurers require you to notify them of any accident involving your vehicle. This includes incidents where you are not at fault.
Common examples of accidents you would need to report:
- Collisions with other vehicles
- Hitting stationary objects e.g. bollards, barriers
- Damage from loose road debris
- Accidents involving pedestrians or cyclists
Your insurer may have specific thresholds about the type and severity of damage that requires notification. Check your policy wording for full details.
When do I need to declare the accident?
In most cases, insurers expect prompt notification following any incident. Many policies specify an exact timeframe, usually 24-48 hours.
Leaving it too long before reporting an accident could be considered a breach of your policy terms. Insurers may ask why you delayed contacting them.
If safe to do so, it’s advisable to notify your insurer at the scene of the accident. Alternatively, contact them as soon as is reasonably practical.
The longer you leave it, the more difficult it becomes to investigate the circumstances. Late reporting may arouse suspicion, even if you have legitimate reasons for the delay.
How do I report an accident without claiming?
Most insurers provide a phone number to call to report an accident. This will put you through to their claims department.
Explain that you wish to report the incident but don’t intend to make a claim. Have your policy details and information about the accident to hand.
Alternatively, insurers may provide an online portal or app to notify them of accidents. Use these facilities where available.
Your insurer will take some details about the incident. Make sure this is consistent with information you provided at the scene.
What details do I need to report?
When reporting an accident without claiming, insurers typically need:
- Your policy number
- Date, time and location of the accident
- Description of damage to vehicles/property
- If police attended the scene
- Details of any injuries
- Names and contact details of others involved
- Insurer details for other parties, if known
- Brief circumstances of the accident
- Why you don’t intend to claim
Having this information to hand will allow insurers to record the incident efficiently.
Can I change my mind about claiming later?
Yes, in most cases you can decide to make a claim later on, even if you initially didn’t intend to.
Your insurer may ask why you changed your mind. As long as you have legitimate reasons, you’re unlikely to experience issues. For example, the damage was worse than first thought, or you developed pain/injury after the accident.
However, insurers will be warier if you suddenly decide to claim weeks or months down the line. Your reasons would need to stand up to scrutiny.
To avoid problems, it’s best to consider your position carefully before reporting an incident. Don’t rush into stating you won’t claim then change your mind.
Will my premium increase if I don’t claim?
Possibly, but likely not by as much as if you claimed. Each insurer uses different formulas to calculate premiums based on risk profiles. The number and cost of claims substantially affects this.
Even without claiming, insurers may perceive you as higher risk if you have multiple accidents on file. This could still translate to higher premiums, although smaller hikes than if claiming.
However, the impact should be minimal if accidents were clearly not your fault and no claims arise. Insurers acknowledge some incidents are unavoidable.
How long will an accident stay on my record?
Insurers can only consider accidents within a fixed period, regardless of whether you claimed. For most, this is 5 years. Incidents older than this cannot legally impact your premiums.
However, some insurers may factor accidents into their risk calculations for shorter periods, such as 3 years.
So while an unclaimed accident may influence your premiums for a few years, it will eventually disappear from your records. The impact diminishes over time.
When would I not need to declare an accident?
There are a few scenarios where you may not need to report an accident:
- If the policyholder was not involved in the incident e.g. your friend was driving your car
- Very minor ‘scratch and dent’ damage where you don’t exchange details
- Incidents not covered by your motor policy e.g. theft/vandalism
However, it’s still advisable to notify your insurer if in any doubt. A failure to report when required could still potentially invalidate cover. Check with your provider if unsure.
Could failing to report affect my claim?
Yes, not declaring an accident when required by your policy can jeopardize claims you make in the future.
Insurers may refuse to cover a subsequent claim if they discover you failed to report a previous incident. This could leave you seriously out of pocket.
At the very least, failing to report accidents is likely to complicate and delay potential claims. Your insurer will need to investigate why you breached your policy conditions before progressing any payout.
To avoid issues, always disclose incidents promptly, even if you don’t intend to claim at that time.
Conclusion
For most policies, you must notify your insurer about any accident regardless of whether you claim or not. This allows them to maintain accurate records and assess premiums based on risk profiles.
Failing to report accidents could invalidate cover and complicate future claims. While your premiums may still increase slightly, the impact should be less than if you claimed.
To avoid problems, disclose incidents promptly and keep your insurer updated on any change of plan about making a claim. Honesty is always the best approach.
| Do I need to report? | Potential impact of not reporting |
|---|---|
| Yes, in most cases – check your policy documents | Higher future premiums |
| No clear timeframe to notify stated in policy | Claims being declined |
| Serious incident where vehicles were damaged | Insurer voiding policy |
| Very minor scratch with no exchange of details | No major impact but still risky |