What To Do After A Car Accident
27 March 2025 | 
Phil Evans
A car accident can be a stressful experience, but knowing what to do in the immediate aftermath can make a huge difference. Whether it’s securing your vehicle, contacting emergency services, or exchanging details with the other driver, staying calm and following the right steps is key. If you have comprehensive insurance, as is provided with our temporary car policies, you’ll be covered for damage to yourself and anyone else involved.
For extra peace of mind having optional extras like breakdown cover, excess protection, or legal protection cover in place in the case of an accident can be invaluable.
If you ever find yourself in a collision, here’s what you should do afterwards…
Steps to Take After a Car Accident
If you’re involved in an accident:
- Pull over safely, away from traffic if possible, and switch off your engine.
- Turn on your hazard lights.
- Ensure all passengers and drivers are safe. Check for injuries—if anyone is hurt, call 999 immediately.
- Call the police if anyone is injured, behaving aggressively, or if there’s damage to property, animals, or the road is blocked.
- Exchange details with the other driver.
Important: Don’t admit fault or apologise at the scene. It can be instinct to apologise even if something wasn’t your fault but this can affect liability and insurance claims. So it’s always best to avoid doing so.
Should You Call the Police After an Accident?
Yes, in a lot of cases you will need to call the police after an accident. However, if it’s a minor accident with no injuries and minimal damage, you can simply exchange details and let insurers handle it. If any of the below apply to an accident you’re involved in you will need to call the police:
- Someone is injured and needs medical attention.
- Property, vehicles, street signs, or railings have been damaged.
- Any animals have been injured or killed (you can face fines for not reporting some animal injuries)
- The other driver appears intoxicated, is behaving aggressively, or refuses to cooperate.
- You suspect the accident was intentional (e.g. a ‘crash for cash’ scam).
- The other driver flees the scene or is driving without insurance.
- The road is blocked, causing a hazard (call 101 in non-emergency cases).
What Details Should You Take After an Accident?
After an accident, it’s important to stay calm and collect the relevant information as best as possible. You’ll need to take some details from anyone else involved, and you’ll also need to record some details yourself.
Details to get from other drivers involved:
- Name, address, and contact details.
- Driving licence number.
- Insurance provider details.
- Vehicle registration number, make, model, and colour.
The adrenaline from being in an accident can make it hard to remember things correctly later, so it’s a good idea to take notes of the below for yourself, as soon as it’s safe to do so:
- Time, date, and location of the accident.
- Driving conditions (weather, lighting, road surface).
- Photos and videos of damage, the scene, and any relevant details.
- Witness contact details.
- The timeline of the accident as you recall in as much detail as possible.
If you have a dashcam then it’s a good idea to check the footage is securely saved and usable as soon as safe to do so. Your insurers will need to know if this is available to help speed up any claims.
What Happens if Someone Fails to Stop After an Accident?
Leaving the scene of an accident is a criminal offence under Section 170 of the Road Traffic Act. Failing to stop if involved in an accident will result in penalties that can include fines, penalty points, and even up to six months in prison.
If someone drives off, call the police immediately and provide as much detail as possible about the other vehicle. The police can use CCTV, ANPR cameras, and other tools to track them down.
Who’s Insurance Should You Call After an Accident?
You should only contact your own insurance provider – whether or not the accident was your fault. Even if you’re not planning on making a claim you still need to call your insurance, to inform them of the event.
- If another driver caused the accident, report it to your insurer, who will handle a non-fault claim against their insurance.
- If the accident was your fault, you still must alert your insurance provider.
- If the other driver is uninsured or fled the scene, you can apply for compensation through the Motor Insurers’ Bureau (MIB), which helps victims of uninsured or hit-and-run drivers.
How Soon Should You Report an Accident to Your Insurer?
Contact your insurer within 24 hours of an accident, even if you’re not making a claim. Most providers allow up to 48 hours, but it’s always best to report it as soon as possible.
How Long Do You Have to Make a Claim?
It’s always best to claim as soon as possible after an accident. But different time limits for claims do exist, as insurers know some injuries could take a while to become apparent after a collision.
In the UK, the typical time frames you have to make claims following an accident include:
Vehicle damage claims: Timeframes vary—contact your insurer directly.
Personal injury claims: Up to three years after the accident.
Will an Accident Affect Your Insurance?
Yes, an accident will usually affect your insurance premiums – typically increasing them – even if you weren’t at fault. Insurers view any collision as an indicator of potential future risk.
No-claims discount: If you claim, you’ll likely lose some or all of your no-claims bonus unless you’ve paid for protection. However, if the accident is minor and you don’t need to make a claim, this won’t be impacted.
At-fault claims: Your insurer will pay for the other driver’s costs, and your premium is likely to rise.
Non-fault claims: Your insurer may still increase your premium slightly, even if they recover the costs from the other driver’s insurance.
What Happens After an Accident That Is Your Fault?
If you’re involved in an accident that was your fault, you’ll still need to follow the steps highlighted above. These are some things to be aware of though:
- Do not admit fault at the scene—it’s up to insurers to assess liability using dashcam footage, witness statements, and police reports.
- Your insurer will handle the other driver’s claim.
- If you only have third-party insurance, you won’t be covered for your own repairs.
- You may face a higher premium at renewal and lose your no-claims discount.
- If you’ve caused an accident through careless or reckless driving or have been found to be driving under the influence, the police will be involved and you could face prosecution.
If you’re involved in a car park accident, or you hit a parked car and the owner isn’t present, you must always leave your contact details or report it to the police within 24 hours.
Car accidents are stressful, but knowing what to do can make the process smoother. Follow these steps to stay safe, protect your legal rights, and handle claims efficiently.
Want extra peace of mind whilst on the roads? Get comprehensive temporary insurance with us today, so you’re always covered.
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