Car Insurance FAQ

Photograph any damage or other evidence. If you’re in a motor collision, it’s a good idea to take photos before any vehicles are moved if it’s safe to do so.

If you're in a motor collision involving another vehicle, gather as much information as you can.

Find out:

• the registration number of the other vehicle
• the details of any other driver involved - their:
  • name
  • address
  • phone number
  • insurance company details
• if you can, the name and phone number of any independent witnesses.

Talk to us, or your broker or adviser before admitting liability or entering into a settlement agreement.

The sooner you contact us, the sooner we can help. For example, we may be able to arrange quicker repairs.

Before you start, make sure you have:

1. Your policy number
2. The details of what has been lost, damaged or destroyed

If you’ve lodged your claim online or via email, we’ll review the information you’ve provided. If anything essential is missing, we’ll contact with you within two business days to progress your claim.

If you’re claiming over the phone, we can talk you through what you need to do.

An excess applies to each and every claim, however we do try to recover costs from the responsible party if their details are known to us.

If we are successful in the recovery, we will refund any excess paid by you.

To ensure that we have the best chance of recovery, it is helpful if you can obtain a name, phone number, vehicle registration and insurance company of the person who has caused the damage.

Vero has a nationwide network of approved repairers, where you can get your vehicle repaired quickly and professionally. Plus if you choose one of our approved repairers, you'll receive our Repair Guarantee which means their work is guaranteed for as long as you own the vehicle. Check our Repairer Locator to find one near you.

Once your vehicle is with the repairer, they will do an assessment of the damage, take photos and provide us with a quote for the repairs. Once the quote is approved, the repairer will book a suitable time with you to complete the repairs.

There can be several factors that will affect the time it takes for your vehicle to be repaired. For instance, it may depend on the extent of the damage, availability of parts, whether a courtesy or loan vehicle is required, and your repairer's schedule

If the outcome of the repairer assessment is that the cost of the repairs is uneconomical, we may choose to "write off" your vehicle. This is also referred to as a "total loss". We will determine the value of the vehicle. We will pay you the value less any applicable deductions such as the excess. The Claims consultant will contact you to explain this in more detail.

Establishing the value of your vehicle depends on the type of policy you have. If your vehicle is covered for Market Value we will arrange for a registered valuer to provide a fair value based on what it would have sold for immediately prior to the loss or damage.

If your vehicle is covered for an Agreed Value, the value is the Sum Insured as shown in your policy schedule. Please refer to your policy to understand what you are covered for or speak to our Claims team.

The value of the vehicle is compared to the cost to repair it. If the repair cost is higher than the value, the repair cost is referred to as “uneconomical”.

If the outcome of the repairer assessment is that the cost of the repairs is uneconomical, we may choose to "write off" your vehicle. This is also referred to as a "total loss".

In this situation we will pay you the value, less any deductions that may apply. The Claims consultant will contact you to explain this in more detail.

Many Vero-approved repairers provide a courtesy or loan vehicle. If you require one, please check availability with your repairer and whether they charge for loan vehicle use. Always remember to bring your driver licence with you when collecting a courtesy or loan vehicle.

Our Motor policies provide a legal liability benefit. This can cover you if you are legally liable for causing bodily injury to others or damage to their property, caused by an accident involving your vehicle in New Zealand.

If you are involved in an accident, it is important that you do not admit fault, but speak to us in the first instance.

See your policy wording for more details or contact our team to find out what you’re covered for.