Independent guide — VIP Claims is not affiliated with General Accident.
How to Make a General Accident Car Insurance Claim
Aviva Insurance Limited
The short answer
General Accident encourages customers to start a claim online, where you can submit the incident details and any photos, and it can help to do this on the same day as the incident. You can also call the claims number on your policy documents if you need to speak to someone.
Official General Accident claim contacts
These are General Accident's own contact details, published on General Accident's website. They are not VIP Claims numbers.
Claim online at General Accident- New claim0345 030 7956
Official General Accident contact number · Not separately confirmed on generalaccident.com beyond 'call us straight away'
For our joint protection, calls may be recorded and/or monitored
Policy types: General Accident car insurance policies are underwritten by Aviva Insurance Limited; General Accident itself operates as a mainly online, self-service brand, so exact steps can vary slightly by cover level shown on your schedule.
VIP Claims — independent
Was the accident not your fault?
If another driver was at fault, you may have options beyond claiming on your own General Accident policy. VIP Claims Ltd is an independent accident management company and can check, free of charge, whether we're able to manage the claim for you. Eligibility depends on the circumstances of the accident, and nothing is guaranteed.
This is a VIP Claims contact number, not a General Accident number. VIP Claims Ltd is not affiliated with or endorsed by General Accident.
Step by step
How to start a General Accident claim
- 1Go to the General Accident 'making a claim' page and follow the steps to make a new claim or notify them of an incident
- 2Try to submit your claim on the same day as the incident to help speed things up
- 3Call the claims number on your policy documents if you'd rather talk to someone or need urgent help
Before you call
Information to have ready
- Contact details of anyone else involved, including witnesses
- Any documents or images, including photos of your vehicle and the damage
Our car accident checklist covers what to record at the scene.
What happens next
After you report the claim
- General Accident's claims team reviews the information you've submitted
- They'll confirm your excess and next steps
- They'll advise on repair arrangements if your cover includes this
Costs
Excess and your no-claims discount
Excess and No Claim Discount details are set out in your policy schedule and the car insurance policy wording, and can differ depending on your chosen cover level.
Your policy schedule sets your compulsory and voluntary excess — check it before assuming an amount. See also our guide to non-fault claims.
Staying mobile
Courtesy car or replacement vehicle
Whether a courtesy car applies depends on your level of cover and any options selected, as shown in your policy documents.
Provided under your own cover, usually only while the car is with an approved repairer, and typically a small standard model.
Where another driver is at fault and you are eligible, a like-for-like vehicle may be arranged as part of the claim against them.
A hire vehicle supplied on credit, with the cost pursued from the at-fault insurer. Subject to eligibility and your obligations if the claim fails.
None of these is automatic. Read more in our replacement vehicle guide.
Repairs
Approved repairers and your choice of garage
General Accident's claims team confirms repair arrangements once your claim has been registered.
Your options
If the accident wasn't your fault
After a non-fault accident you generally have three routes. Which suits you depends on your cover, your excess, and how quickly you need a vehicle.
Claim through General Accident
- Simplest single point of contact.
- Your excess is usually payable first and recovered later if liability is admitted.
- The claim is recorded against your policy, which can affect renewal even when you are not at fault.
Claim against the at-fault insurer
- No excess payable to your own insurer.
- You deal directly with the other side, which can be slower if liability is disputed.
- You are responsible for evidencing your losses.
Use an independent accident manager
- VIP Claims can handle repairs, recovery and the claim where you are eligible.
- Services are subject to eligibility and the circumstances of the accident.
- Not guaranteed, and not a substitute for your policy obligations.
Whichever route you choose, most motor policies require you to notify your own insurer of the accident, even if you do not make a claim on your own policy. Check the notification condition in your policy wording.
VIP Claims — independent
Was the accident not your fault?
If another driver was at fault, you may have options beyond claiming on your own General Accident policy. VIP Claims Ltd is an independent accident management company and can check, free of charge, whether we're able to manage the claim for you. Eligibility depends on the circumstances of the accident, and nothing is guaranteed.
This is a VIP Claims contact number, not a General Accident number. VIP Claims Ltd is not affiliated with or endorsed by General Accident.
Existing claims
Tracking an existing General Accident claim
You can check on an existing claim via the 'making a claim' page on the General Accident website or by calling the number on your policy documents.
If something goes wrong
Complaining about a General Accident claim
General Accident's website explains how to contact them if you want to raise a concern about your policy or a claim.
Questions
General Accident claims: frequently asked questions
Is General Accident part of Aviva?+
Does it matter when I report an incident to General Accident?+
Do I need to call General Accident to start a claim?+
Where this came from
Sources
The General Accident details on this page were taken from General Accident's own published information on the dates shown. Insurers change contact details and processes, so please confirm anything important in your policy documents.
- General Accident – making a claim — checked 30 August 2026
- General Accident car insurance policy wording (v14) — checked 30 August 2026
- General Accident car insurance IPID — checked 30 August 2026
- General Accident – who we cover — checked 30 August 2026
Read our editorial policy and correction process.
Related guides
- Non-fault claims explainedYour rights and options when the accident wasn't your fault.
- What accident management isHow an independent accident manager differs from your insurer.
- Replacement vehiclesCourtesy cars, like-for-like hire and who pays for them.
- Car accident checklistWhat to do and record in the first minutes after a crash.
- Write-offs and total lossHow valuations work and how to challenge a low offer.
Other insurer claim guides
VIP Claims Ltd is an independent UK accident management company. We are not affiliated with, appointed by or endorsed by General Accident, and we are not an insurer. This guide is general information, not legal or financial advice.
Our services — including replacement vehicles, repairs and excess recovery — are subject to eligibility and the circumstances of your accident, and are not guaranteed. You should check your own policy for its accident notification requirements.