Car & vehicle accident claim tips
Get some tips to help you make a claim about a car or other vehicle accident.
View the story of a car accident dispute [PDF, 26 KB]
Read an example claim form for a vehicle accident dispute [PDF, 886 KB]
Contact details
If you think you’ll be making a claim after an accident, contact the person involved and get any of their contact details you don’t already have:
- name
- phone number
- home and business address
- a PO Box number
- email address
- their vehicle details.
Other people or organisations involved
If the owner of the car wasn’t driving, they are liable (you can make a claim against them) so will need to attend the hearing.
Insurance
If you have car insurance that might cover the claim, contact your insurance company.
Claim details for a car accident
For a claim about a car accident you might include:
- when and where the accident happened
- what caused the accident
- what issues you and the respondent disagree about
- how much you are claiming for
- the road and weather conditions at the time
- any witnesses who saw the accident
- details of the police report, if there is one
- what you are claiming for (for example, the cost of repairing your car or your insurance excess).
What you’ve done to settle the dispute
In the section ‘Applicant’s contact with respondent’, describe what you’ve done to try to resolve the dispute and what response you’ve had from the other party. You need to show that you’ve tried to sort out the dispute yourself before going to the Tribunal.
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