FAQs - Had an accident or need to make a claim?
Am I entitled to a courtesy car in the event of a valid claim?
Yes. If the vehicle is repairable and our approved repairer is utilised, every effort will be made to supply you with a courtesy car, subject to the conditions of the policy.
Emergency treatment cover and medical costs
If you or any of your passengers are injured in an incident involving your car, we will pay medical expenses of up to £100 for each insured person. We will also reimburse any person, using any car which is covered under the policy for payments made under the Road Traffic Acts for emergency treatment. This is subject to the terms of your policy.
What is an approved repairer?
This is a motor vehicle repairer approved by Holiday Extras and authorised to repair your car following the claim under your policy.
Should I contact the police after an incident involving my car?
You need to report the incident to the police if your car has been stolen, broken into, maliciously damaged, or if someone has been injured because of an incident involving your car. They will give you an incident number which you should write down and keep safe as we will need to know this as part of a claim.
Then contact our Claims Team on 0800 083 5474, it will speed up the process if you have your policy details and incident details to hand.
Who will repair my car?
We have a panel of Approved Repairers, one of which will repair your car. Our Approved Repairers provide excellent customer service and quality repairs for our customers.
The Approved Repairer will provide you with a free courtesy car for the duration of repairs, each repair is carried out in accordance with recognised industry standards, and guaranteed for 3 years.
You can use a repairer of your choice but this will mean we can't guarantee the work and you will need an estimate for us to approve before work can commence. You also lose your right to a courtesy car.
What is a total loss or write off?
If the cost of repairs exceeds the market value of your car it is likely we will consider it to be beyond economic repair. This is referred to as a total loss or write-off.
If you write off my vehicle as a total loss how much will I receive in settlement?
If you have fully comprehensive cover, one of our engineers will inspect your car and place a value on it, this is based on the current market value of the vehicle which reflects market trends and car value guides.
We consider your cars condition including bodywork, mileage, interior and service history. Once the engineer has completed their report we will carry out a series of industry database checks designed to safeguard our policyholders against fraud.
Once these are complete, payment will be sent to you, subject to the deductions i.e. outstanding finance, outstanding premiums, and excess as per the conditions of your policy.
If you have Third Party Fire and Theft cover this means we cover damage to any third party in the event of an accident with your vehicle, i.e. another driver, but are unable to deal with any damage caused to your vehicle including a total loss.
How long will it take to sort out my claim?
We are unable to give exact time scales as each claim is different but we try to resolve all claims as quickly as possible. We understand that making a claim can be a stressful time and can assure you Holiday Extras is committed to providing excellent service, as is our partner company Somerset Bridge Limited who handle our claims. We take all claims seriously and once submitted your claim will be reviewed by one of their experienced claims handlers who will always look to keep you informed of how your claim is progressing.
What happens if an accident is the other drivers fault?
We will put you in touch with one of our partners who will look to repair your car and keep you mobile, they will then make a recovery directly from the at fault insurers. If you are injured, we can also recommend a solicitor who you can contact to discuss any injury claim.
Our priority is to get your car repaired and back on the road, or a settlement to you if it is a total loss (write-off). We consider your cars condition including bodywork, mileage, interior and service history. Once the engineer has completed their report we will carry out a series of industry database checks designed to safeguard our policyholders against fraud.
After this, we will try to recover our outlay from the person responsible for the accident. If we are successful, then making the claim will not affect your No Claims Bonus*
*No claims discount protection can be added if you have a minimum of 4 years no claims discount (NCD). This can be added before you buy the policy, and cannot then be added until the next renewal.
The accident was my fault, what happens?
This depends on the cover you have.
If you have Comprehensive cover, we will arrange for an inspection of your vehicle, any repairs (or agreement if it's a total loss), and handle the other driver's claim.
In both cases, if you receive any correspondence from the other driver, or their insurers, it's important you contact us as soon as possible so that we can respond on your behalf.
What if the other driver disputes the accident and says it's my fault?
We will always try to fight your corner and to do this we may ask you to complete an Accident Report Form providing an accurate and detailed description of how the incident occurred. This can include a sketch showing all vehicles involved, any road markings, and the position of the vehicles before and after impact.
Independent witness statements and police reports can also be used as evidence and can assist us in receiving an admission of liability from the other driver's insurer. Also, if you have any dash-cam footage of the incident, please forward a copy to us as a matter of urgency. Similarly, if you aware of any CCTV cameras at the accident location please make us aware of this A.S.A.P, as quite often there is a time limit on obtaining copies before is the footage is deleted, this can often be as little as 14 days.
It is important to note that the more evidence we have available the greater our chances of successfully holding the Third Party at fault.
Will a claim affect my No Claims Bonus?
If the incident is not your fault and we make a full recovery from the responsible person, your no claims discount will be unaffected. However, if we are unable to recover the cost, your no claims discount will be reduced at the renewal of your policy*.
If the incident is your fault, your no claims discount will be reduced*.
In the event of a theft claim your no claims discount will be reduced, as it is unlikely we will locate the persons who stole your vehicle and recover the costs*.
*No claims discount protection can be added if you have a minimum of 4 years no claims discount (NCD). This can be added before you buy the policy, and cannot then be added until the next renewal.
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Terms, conditions and limitations may apply. Please read the full Terms & Conditions for more details.
Holiday Extras Car Insurance Services is a trading name of Somerset Bridge Insurance Services Ltd who are authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (Firm Reference Number 477112). Registered in England and Wales (No. 6334001). Registered office: Lysander House, Catbrain Lane, Cribbs Causeway, Bristol, BS10 7TQ.