Chances are at some point in your driving career you will be involved in an accident, there are some things you can do to make it a less painful process.
Spend a few pounds and buy the following, a disposable camera, a couple of pens, a notepad, a tape measure and a torch. Put them in a small bag and tuck them away somewhere in your car, do not remove them when cleaning out your car!
In the event of an accident take photo's, take a few brief measurements, sketch the position of the vehicles, include any road markings etc, make a note of the other person's name address and vehicle make and model and registration number. Also look around and see if there were any independent witnesses (other drivers that stopped to help or passer's by) and get their name address and phone number.
Even if the accident was your fault DO NOT admit liability, by all means confirm to the other driver the circumstances (ie I admit you were stationary and I drove into you etc BUT DO NOT admit liability or sign anything to say you were at fault).
If anyone is injured you must call the police, if you suspect the other driver is intoxicated call the police and state this (stressing why you feel that ie smells heavily of alcohol, is slurring words, cannot walk straight).
Complete your claim form as soon as possible and include everything you noted on the night. Taking photo's at the scene is a great way to deter the other party from changing their story at a later date, so get them developed and send them in as well.
If the accident was your fault and you think it's only minor damage to the other vehicle that you would rather pay out of your own pocket rather than lose your no claims discount I would still suggest you let it go through your insurance. You have a duty to notify them of all accidents anyway so let them sort it out, you can always reimburse them for their outlay and protect your no claims discount (it's a no claim discount so if you reimburse them you have not made a claim), this will deter the chancers who inflate the repair costs or try and sneak other things into the bill, plus it's a good idea because in a few months time the other person may claim injuries and that could be expensive if you are dealing with the matter personally.
Keep a copy of everything you fill in (claims form etc), letters you send etc.
If the accident was not your fault you will probably have uninsured losses, ie the excess on your own policy, recovery charges, cost of repairs, hire of alternative transport, telephone costs, stationery costs, time spent reading and replying to letters, out of pocket expenses, personal injuries, pain suffering and
hardship, loss of earnings, loss of enjoyment, damage to goods or personal property damaged in the accident etc etc. Make a list of everything, get receipts where possible and itemise each seperate item of claim. (Some of the above won't be applicable if you have comprehensive insurance).
One phrase that keeps coming up after a motor vehicle accident is 'Knock for Knock', a lot of people use it but few understand EXACTLY what it is.
Knock for Knock is an agreement between certain Insurance Companies NOT to recover their outlay, it in NO WAY reflects liability.
Let me explain.......
In any given year there will be a number of accidents between people insured with Insurance Company A and people Insured with Insurance Company B. Sometimes it will be the fault of Company A so Company B will write to Company A and ask for their money back, other times it will be the fault of Company B and Company
A will write asking for their money back.
Insurance Companies realised that they spend a lot of time and money writing to ask for money back whilst at the same time they spend a lot of money sending money out to other Insurance Companies so they started keeping records to see how much money in any given year they paid out to Company X and how much money they received back from Company X. If the two amounts are fairly close then they set up a knock for knock agreement, which means that each Insurance Company pays for the repairs to their own Insured's car (providing they are fully comprehensive policies) and neither Insurance Company pursue the other for the cost of repairs to their own policyholder's vehicle.
Knock for Knock exists simply to save the Insurance Company time and money, under a knock for knock claim the policyholder who was not responsibile still pursues the other party for their unisured losses and if successful will not lose their no claims discount.
Knock for knock does NOT exist between all Insurance Companies, only those whose records show that they pay out roughly the same as they get back from.
The only reason Knock for Knock exists is to save Insurance Companies time and money sending/claiming money back from other Insurance Companies, it has nothing to do with liability.
A policyholder CANNOT state that an accident will not be dealt with under the knock for knock agreement because it has NOTHING at all to do with the policyholder, the accident or liability.
Mossy
Car Accident - Do's and Don'ts 
