Accident Management Guide
If you run a fleet in the UK then you’ll know all about the hassles associated with accidents. Even if your employee is not hurt in the accident your business is still likely to be stung as the accident management process in the UK can be so time consuming and complicated: indeed it is one of the most complex issues facing fleet owners.
Now however, many companies, including leading carmakers such as Mercedes-Benz, Ford and Subaru, are offering fleet accident management services. So how do they work? This accident management guide investigates.
What is accident management?
Accident management refers to handling a motorist’s claim following a road traffic accident in a centralised manner. It will usually involve employing an intermediary service that aims to get motorists back on the road as quickly as possible and assist them through the complicated claims process. This concept has now been expanded to companies too, with accident management services willing to assist with fleet accident management in case an employee is involved in an accident.
What services are included in accident management?
The exact services that your company benefits from through accident management will vary depending on the firm you use – however, most will incorporate the following:
- 24hr vehicle recovery: Meaning your vehicle can be removed from the accident scene 24hrs a day.
- Damage assessment: Offering an overview of the extent of damage suffered by the vehicle and the likely repair costs.
- Arrangement of vehicle repairs: Most accident management companies have their own approved garages which they will use to organise vehicle repairs. If the accident management company is the carmaker itself, then it is likely to use an approved dealer.
- Replacement car provision: You will usually be attributed with a courtesy car for the length of time that the vehicle is off the road so your business can continue to function as normal.
- Contact with insurers: Accident management companies will usually liaise with insurers on your behalf including helping with the recovery of uninsured losses and loss of earnings; policy excess recovery; and determining fault.
- Personal injury assistance: Helping with any claims for an employee’s injury.
Is there anything else to know about accident management in the UK?
The industry was established in the 1980s and was meant to deal with the issue of innocent motorists having to cover the cost of replacement cars while they wait to be reimbursed by the at-fault motorist.
Accident management companies have grown in popularity thanks largely to their links with fleet owners. In recent years, some companies have also expanded to help motorists regardless of fault.
One aspect that has become particularly crucial is their willingness to cover uninsured losses – this is effectively a form of insurance that can be taken out in addition to car insurance. It will help businesses in non-fault collisions to recoup potentially large expenses ranging from loss of earnings; to private medical bills; policy excesses; personal belongings; and more.
What about accident management software?
If you don’t want to hand over accident management to another company, but would like to make the process less expensive and less time consuming for your business then another option is accident management software.
This software is designed to help businesses deal with accidents proactively and effectively sets up a centralised database from which they can record and report accidents while fulfilling their legal obligations. It should help ensure that a business does not overlook any aspect of accident management and will guide fleet owners from the moment an accident occurs until the claim has been concluded. This can include personal injury claims, credit hire and repair management.
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Arnold Clark Vehicle Management (ACVM) is one of the UK's premier vehicle leasing and fleet management companies. We specialise in contract hire and vehicle leasing and we help corporate businesses, small businesses and Government departments achieve genuine savings, improvements in productivity and reductions in carbon emissions. We're part of the Arnold Clark family of companies; the largest privately owned automotive group in Europe. As one of the UK's premier contract hire and leasing companies we understand how important it is to ensure that your vehicles are being managed by a company who has the scale and the breadth of coverage you need. Our operations centre is in Glasgow, and from there, we operate vehicles for corporate, SME and Government clients throughout the UK.
Part of BNP Paribas, Arval is the leading fleet and fuel management company in the UK with over 30 years of experience in the industry. We manage over 145,000 vehicles and have over 1.2 million drivers using our fuel cards. We provide services to both small business and large corporations including internationally managed contracts. We take our commitment to the fleet industry seriously. We proactively research and educate both companies and drivers on fleet issues, particularly focussing on ‘the complete cost of vehicle ownership’, Health &Safety and the fleet’s impact on the environment. We also understand that good fleet management means – hassle free driving, and we reflect this with our comprehensive product range.
![OcC_022_[7]](http://www.fleetdirectory.co.uk/cms-images/OcC_022_7.jpg "OcC_022_[7]")
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