Trustpilot
Show More

How Do Car Insurance Companies Know Who Is at Fault? - Money Expert

Enter registration no. (optional):

UK Flag Icon
Retrieve an existing quote

How Do Car Insurance Companies Know Who Is at Fault? - Money Expert

When a car insurance claim is made off the back of an accident, the blame game begins between insurers. Working out who is at fault in these situations is far more than establishing the moral high ground.

The conclusions have financial ramifications for the providers, as the one whose customer is at fault needs to pay out. You, the policyholder could also be affected, especially if you only have third-party insurance, as an at-fault claim against you will mean the damage to your vehicle is going to come out of your pocket. 

While it might seem obvious who was at fault for a collision directly after, for two companies picking up the pieces, it’s not so simple. So how do they do it?

Generally speaking, liability will be decided by evidence provided by the policyholders. This can include photos of the aftermath, written accounts, and eyewitness testimonies from third parties. Where this is not enough, an insurer might turn to other forms of evidence, such as CCTV that may have caught the accident.

This to and fro could go on for some time between providers until one of them accepts the blame. If neither party is willing to do this, then there are two outcomes:

The first is that the claim is split 50/50 with both insurers stumping up the funds. If this isn’t an option, then it could go to court. This is fairly rare however as having to take cases before a judge is an incredibly expensive and time-intensive process. Unless there are huge amounts of money at stake, say in the case of personal injury, it probably won’t get to that stage.

If you have been involved in an accident that wasn’t your fault, it’s important that you gather the following from the scene:

  • A photo of the collision/damage

  • The other vehicle's registration number

  • The other driver's insurance details

*51% of consumers could save £518.14 on their Car Insurance. The saving was calculated by comparing the cheapest price found with the average of the next five cheapest prices quoted by insurance providers on Seopa Ltd’s insurance comparison website. This is based on representative cost savings from June 2025 data. The savings you could achieve are dependent on your individual circumstances and how you selected your current insurance supplier.

Related guides

A Guide to Speed Awareness Courses

If you've been caught committing a speeding offence, there's a high chance you'll be asked to attend a speed awareness course as a way to avoid getting points on your licence and/or paying a fine.In this guide, we'll explain how the courses tend to run, what you can expect to learn from them, and why they're worth attending. 

What are the cheapest cars to insure?

After a home,buying a car will likely be one of the biggest investments you will make in your life. But once you've paid for the vehicle itself, you have to pay for a whole host of other things, from fuel to insurance. Car insurance rates can vary significantly, so to give yourself the best chance of getting a cheap car insurance policy, choose a car that's cheap to insure. These are usually the smaller and less powerful models, and ones less likely to be targeted by thieves.

Can You Buy a Car with a Provisional Licence?

Buying your first car can be a huge moment. It offers independence, flexibility, and freedom from unreliable public transport timetables.Traditionally, people tend to purchase a vehicle after they’ve passed their test, as driving is somewhat limited as a learner. However, that doesn’t mean it isn’t an option.There are certain situations where it actually makes sense to buy a car before you pass your test, and in this guide, we’ll be exploring what they are and what you need to do to make it happen.