In an emergency, call 999 first. If anyone is injured, the road is obstructed or there is immediate danger, contact the emergency services before you contact us.
Car accident claims support from report to repair
Send five clear photos and the basic accident details. A Sterling claims specialist will review what happened, coordinate the vehicle claim and explain the practical support available.
Prefer to explain it in writing? Email claim@sterlingaccident.co.uk.
Five photos are enough to get started
You do not need paperwork, reference numbers or a full account of what happened. Send what you can now and we will collect the rest during your call-back.
- 1 Front of your vehicle
- 2 Rear of your vehicle
- 3 Damage close-up
- 4 Other vehicle
- 5 Number plates
Photographs tell us more than a phone call can
Clear images let our team see the vehicles involved, read the registrations, judge the extent of the damage and brief a repairer or engineer accurately. That means fewer repeat questions and a quicker start.
- Take photos in daylight where it is safe to do so
- Stand back far enough to show the whole vehicle
- Include the number plate of every vehicle involved
- Never step into live traffic to get a picture
Your information is used to handle your accident report. See our Privacy Policy.
The Sterling Promise
Send five photos.
We take on the coordination.
A prompt specialist call-back
Once your report arrives, a claims specialist reviews it and aims to call you back promptly to confirm the details and explain the options open to you.
Free Accident Recovery
If your vehicle is not safe or legal to drive, we can recover it at no cost and arrange onward storage where the claim qualifies.
Replacement-vehicle assistance
Where you are eligible, we look at a replacement vehicle matched to reasonable need while yours is off the road.
We handle the administration
Engineer assessments, repair authorisation, documentation and third-party correspondence are coordinated from one place.
Suitable repairers across the UK
Your repair is coordinated through a suitable independent network repairer working to Sterling's published documentation and quality requirements.
Updates from start to finish
You will know what stage your claim and repair have reached, and what happens next, until your vehicle is back with you.
Recovery, replacement-vehicle and repair services are subject to claim eligibility, liability, availability and applicable terms. Sterling Accident coordinates accident support and claims administration; it is not an insurer and does not provide legal advice. Where a third party or insurer must authorise a decision, that decision remains theirs.
Vehicle-claim support built around what happened
Sterling is an accident-management company rather than a retail bodyshop. Choose the route that best matches your situation, or start the accident report and let a claims specialist guide you.
Car accident claims
One route from the first online report through recovery, assessment, repair and vehicle return.
View accident-claim guidanceAccident management
See how one Sterling case contact coordinates the organisations and decisions around a vehicle claim.
View accident managementNon-fault accident claims
Understand the review, liability, recovery and replacement-vehicle position when another driver may be responsible.
View non-fault guidanceThe Sterling Return Ready package
Repairing the accident damage is the job. Handing your vehicle back in good order is the finish. Qualifying repairs completed through our network include a practical care package before your vehicle comes home.
- Engine oil and filter change
- Screenwash topped up
- Tyre pressures checked
- Interior vacuumed
- Exterior wash
- 12-month vehicle health check
The Return Ready package applies to qualifying repairs completed through the Sterling repair network. Oil service suitability, oil specification and filter availability follow the vehicle manufacturer's requirements. Inclusions are subject to Sterling Accident's published terms and may be varied where a manufacturer service schedule or vehicle condition makes an item unsuitable.
How we help you
One point of contact from your first report through to the day your vehicle is back on the road.
1Report your accident
Send five photos and the basic details of what happened, where and when.
2We review and coordinate
We check the information, discuss eligibility with you and start the administration.
3Repair and mobility
We arrange the assessment and repair and, where eligible, look at a replacement vehicle.
4Back on the road
Your vehicle is returned once the repair has passed its quality checks.
Repairs coordinated with people who do this every day
We arrange the damage assessment, agree the repair method with the repairer, obtain the authorisations needed and keep the work moving. You deal with us rather than chasing several parties.
- Damage assessment and engineer liaison
- Repair authorisation and variation handling
- Parts ordering coordinated with the repairer
- Quality checks before your vehicle is released
Managed repair network
Staying mobile while your vehicle is off the road
Losing your vehicle affects work, school runs and everything in between. Where your claim is eligible, we look at a replacement vehicle matched to reasonable need — from a small hatchback to a van or an adapted vehicle.
- Matched to reasonable need, subject to availability
- Delivery or collection arrangements discussed with you
- Your responsibilities explained before you accept a vehicle
Replacement-vehicle assistance is subject to claim eligibility, liability, availability and applicable terms. It is not automatic and is not offered on every claim.
Why choose Sterling Accident
Practical, plainly explained support at the point where most people are least sure what to do next.
Accident specialists
Our focus is one thing: getting the right support in place after a road accident.
Repair network across the UK
Access to independent repairers we work with regularly, coordinated by us.
A straightforward start
Report online whenever it suits you; our team picks it up and calls you back.
Costs explained upfront
Charges, obligations and anything you may be responsible for are set out before you commit.
Quality focused
Repairs are managed against the standards we publish for network partners.
The questions we are asked most
Stop, make the scene as safe as you can and check whether anyone is hurt. If anyone is injured, the road is obstructed or there is immediate danger, call 999 first. When it is safe, exchange details with the other driver and take photographs of the vehicles, the damage and the number plates.
No. Report what happened and tell us if you are unsure. Liability is decided on the evidence between the parties and their insurers, not by us, and being unsure does not stop you making a report.
Not automatically. Replacement-vehicle assistance depends on claim eligibility, liability, availability and the applicable terms. We will tell you honestly whether it is likely in your circumstances before anything is arranged.
Tell us who you would like to use and we will look at whether the repair can be coordinated there. Where a repairer cannot meet the standards required for the work, we will explain why and suggest an alternative from our network.
They are used to assess and progress your accident report and are shared only with the parties who need them to do that, such as an engineer or repairer. Our Privacy Policy explains how we handle your information and how long we keep it.
Report your accident and let us take the next steps
It takes a few minutes. You will not need paperwork to start, and you can email the team if you need help completing it.