What is a claim on car insurance?

[Greg Wilson]

Reviewed by: Greg Wilson
Founder & Insurance Expert

Written by: Katie Gawley
Insurance Content Writer

Fact-checked by: Quotezone Editorial Team

This content follows our Editorial Guidelines

Last Updated: 10 October 2025
Read time: 4 min

An insurance claim is the process of utilising your insurance policy in the event of an accident or situation in which your car or another vehicle has been damaged. For example if you’ve been in an accident and your car is damaged or you have caused damage to another driver’s vehicle then you will need to make a claim with your insurer. What will be covered by your claim is dependent on your level of cover…

Standard levels of cover in the UK

There are three levels of cover that are considered standard in the UK..

1. Third-Party – This insures against damage you cause to another vehicle or vehicles if you are at fault for an accident
2. Third-Party, Fire & Theft – This insures you against everything that a standard third-party policy covers with the additional security against damage from fire and theft to your vehicle.
3. Comprehensive – This offers the protection of the previous two levels plus any damage to your car that may be caused when you’re at fault.

What is a claim?

A claim is simply when you submit a request to your insurer to cover any damages which your policy protects you from. You will pay an agreed excess fee which you will have had stipulated when you took out your policy and the insurer will cover the rest. Making a claim can affect your insurance premiums as regardless of who’s at fault the fact you’ve been involved in an accident will raise your risk profile. Your premiums are the monthly payments that you make to the insurer to keep your policy active. This will obviously affect any no-claims bonus you have however this is only relevant at the renewal of your policy.

What is a CUE claim on car insurance?

The CUE (Claims and Underwriting Exchange) is a central database for insurance claims reported to insurance companies that may have given rise to a claim. It is a useful source of information to protect against fraudulent insurance claims in the UK. This ultimately is a good thing for policy holders who are honest as it helps reduce risk to insurers and keep premiums down for the general public.

What is a fault claim on car insurance?

A fault claim is split into two categories…

1. The driver is at fault for the accident
2. The driver is not at fault but the other driver cannot be located to cover the cost, for example they drive away from the scene

If you feel you have been treated unfairly in a claim then you can contact the Financial Ombudsman Service for advice.

What is classed as a claim on car insurance?

A claim is when you have initiated a formal request with your insurer for them to cover the cost of losses you’ve suffered or caused under your insurance policy.

At Quotezone, helping people find better deals is important to us. We can help you find the best deals on your car insurance with our panel of dedicated UK specialists. Whether youre looking for third-party, third-party fire and theft, or comprehensive cover, Quotezone has you covered. We help around 3 million users every year, with over 400 insurance brands across 60 different car insurance products as well as cover for bicycles, motorbikes and home insurance. Recommended by 97% of reviewers on Reviews.co.uk.

This article is intended as generic information only and is not intended to apply to anybodys specific circumstances, demands or needs. The views expressed are not intended to provide any financial service or to give any recommendation or advice. Products and services are only mentioned for illustrative rather than promotional purposes.