In the event of an accident or car breakdown, insurance paperwork is probably the last thing you want to deal with. That’s why drivers should understand the car insurance claims process before the need arises.

Here’s what you should know about claims with Bubblegum.

Accidents can happen to anyone on the road, no matter how experienced or careful a driver you are. Here are 5 steps to follow if you do get into a car accident:

 
Step 1: Stay calm and get help if needed.

 
Once you recover from the shock of the accident, check yourself and the people around you for any injuries. Call the ambulance hotline at 995 if anyone needs to be sent to the hospital.

 
Step 1 (again): Stay calm.

It's so important we're saying it twice. It can be easy to try to force a conversation with the other driver about who it to blame, but it's best to keep things factual. You may also think you're at fault, but there may be factors you are unaware of that contributed to the accident, so never admit anything.  

 
Step 2: Take photos.

Without moving your car (if possible), take photos of the scene of the accident. You’ll need this documentation when filing a claim later. Make sure to capture a variety of wide and tight shots showing the accident scene in as much detail as possible, as well as the licence plates of all parties involved. If you have a dashcam, its footage will also come in handy to prove that you weren’t at fault (hopefully!).  

 
Step 3: Get the other driver’s contact details.

Take down the other driver’s contact details, including his or her name, NRIC number, address, phone number and car insurance company. You will need this information if you want your insurer to make a claim against the other driver’s.

 
Step 4: Call your insurer’s hotline.

If nobody is hurt, and damage is minor, you might be ok to drive away, but only do so if you're sure.
If in doubt you can get help: for Bubblegum policyholders, call or WhatsApp our 24-hour hotline at +65 6100 1620 to report the accident and get assistance from our team. (It’s a good idea to save your car insurance 24-hour hotline to your mobile phone!).
Even if your car is ok to drive away, you should report the accident within 24 hours in all cases.

Step 5: Bring your car to the workshop

The next step is to head to the car workshop to get your vehicle repaired, arranging for towing services if necessary. If you’re not sure which workshop to go to, check with your insurer for advice. Most insurers have panels of authorised workshops. However, if you have a plan like Bubblegum car insurance's any workshop add-on, there is no restriction on your choice of workshop.

Unless you have a trusted workshop in mind, it’s best to go to one of your insurer’s authorised workshops.

Authorised workshops can make your repairs and claims process much faster since there are fewer approvals needed. In addition, the workshop should provide you with all the necessary paperwork for your insurance claim. Bear in mind you will have to pay the excess before the insurer pays the rest of the bill.

Apart from car repair costs, you may also get reimbursement for medical expenses incurred due to the accident. In the event of more serious injury, most car insurance plans also offer a personal accident benefit in the form of a payout.

Finally, if there are third-party liabilities such as damage to property or passers-by, your car insurance provider will pay for these.

Different supporting documents are needed for these types of claims, and your insurance representative can advise on what’s needed. As a rule of thumb, hang on to all receipts, invoices, medical reports, etc. after your accident.

 
With Bubblegum car insurance, it is also possible to claim insurance benefits in a non-emergency situation. With our exclusive Comprehensive + Warranty plan, we provide Engine & Gearbox coverage that covers repair costs in the event of a breakdown (certain exclusions do apply).

Simply call or WhatsApp our 24-hour hotline at +65 6100 1620 to report the breakdown and our team will advise on next steps.

To claim repairs under the Engine & Gearbox Warranty benefit, you will need to go to one of Bubblegum’s list of authorised car workshops. Not sure which one to go to? The Bubblegum customer care team can help.

At the workshop, you will not need to pay any excess out of pocket if your car is up to 10 years old. For older cars, the excess is $150.

 
You will be asked to submit supporting documents as paperwork for the claim. These include your complete car servicing records, including records from before you became a Bubblegum policyholder.

 
Do note that you will not be able to claim the Bubblegum Engine & Gearbox Warranty benefit in the first 30 days or first 1,000km from your policy start date, unless you have opted for a pre-inspection.

 
Thanks to your car insurance, you’ve managed to avert a cashflow crisis… but what will happen to your subsequent insurance premiums?

It all depends on whether you’re deemed at fault or not. If, according to the evidence, you were a blameless victim of the accident, then you get to keep your No Claim Discount (NCD) with your current insurer.

But if it turns out that you were responsible, your claim would be considered an “at fault” claim. You will therefore lose 30% of your current NCD. For example, if you had 50% NCD this year but were responsible for an accident, your discount will drop to 20% next year. On top of that, your insurer may also increase your premium in the following year, depending on how big the claim was.

Long-story-short, causing accidents will make your car insurance premium go up significantly. If you have 3 or more at-fault accidents or over $7,000 of at-fault claims in the last 3 years, it will be difficult and expensive to get insured.

 
That said, it’s not impossible to get insured. You can contact Bubblegum (https://wa.me/6598313220) and we will provide a personalised quotation for your case.