The first 24 hours after a crash that was not your fault
You are stopped at the lights on Military Road at Neutral Bay, or parked outside the office on Pitt Street, and someone drives into you. In the next 24 hours a handful of decisions decide whether your car is repaired properly and whether you spend the next month in a base-model hatchback or in something equivalent to what you were driving. This hub walks through those decisions in order, from the moment of impact to the moment a replacement car is in your driveway.
The first hour is about safety and evidence. Move off the road if you can, check on everyone in both cars, call 000 if anyone is hurt, and then photograph everything before the cars are moved: all four corners of both vehicles, the road position, the traffic signals, the number plates, and the other driver's licence and registration papers. Swap names, addresses, phone numbers and insurer details. If the other driver leaves without giving you those details, that is a police matter, and in NSW you should report it.
The next few hours are about paperwork. You can lodge a police report online for most non-injury crashes in NSW, and you should notify your own insurer even when the crash was not your fault, because they need to know about the incident and about any claim made against you. What you do not have to do is accept the first hire car you are offered by the at-fault driver's insurer, or pay for a replacement yourself while you wait. In NSW, a driver who is not at fault can hire a comparable vehicle and recover the reasonable cost from the at-fault driver's insurer. That principle was confirmed by the High Court in Arsalan v Rixon, and you can read the plain-English version at Arsalan v Rixon explained.
Then there is the car itself. If your Range Rover Sport is in the panel shop for three weeks, a like-for-like replacement means a Range Rover Sport, not a compact SUV. That is what this site arranges: a prestige replacement vehicle delivered to your home, your workplace or the repairer, with the hire cost recovered from the at-fault insurer. Examples on the fleet include the Range Rover Sport 2023, the BMW M3 Competition G80 2021 and the Porsche Macan GTS 2024. The guides below cover each step in detail, including what to say to insurers, what to sign, and what to do if the other driver's insurer disputes liability.
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First 24 hours after a crash on the Princes Highway
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Crash in heavy Sydney rain: the first 24 hours
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Crash on the school run: the first 24 hours
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Crash on the Hume Highway: the first 24 hours
Hit on the Hume Highway? Here is what to do in the first 24 hours, from safety and evidence to towing, insurers and a like-for-like replacement car.
First 24 hours after a crash in a brand new car
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Crash on the Harbour Bridge or Harbour Tunnel: The First 24 Hours
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Crash on the M1 Pacific Motorway: what to do in the first 24 hours
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Crash on the M2: the first 24 hours
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Car park crash at a Sydney shopping centre: what to do
Car park crash at a Sydney shopping centre? Learn who is at fault, what to collect before the other driver leaves, and how to arrange a like-for-like replacement.
Crash on the Princes Highway: the first 24 hours
Hit on the Princes Highway? Here is what to do in the first 24 hours, from photographing the scene to getting a like-for-like replacement car delivered.
What to do after a car accident that was not your fault
A minute-by-minute NSW checklist for the first 24 hours after a not at fault crash: what to photograph, what to say, and how to get a like-for-like replacement car.
First 24 hours versus the first week after a crash
What must happen in the first 24 hours after a not at fault crash versus what can wait until the first week, with NSW timelines, insurer contact and replacement.
Getting a replacement car the same day in Sydney
How a prestige replacement car can be in your driveway the same day in Sydney: what gets confirmed, signed and delivered after a not-at-fault crash.
Crash on the Old Pacific Highway: the first 24 hours
Hit on the Old Pacific Highway? What to do in the first 24 hours, from no phone signal to towing a performance car and getting a like-for-like replacement.
Can I get a replacement car the same day?
Yes, a replacement car can be in your driveway today if fault is clear, documents are ready and a like-for-like vehicle is free. Here is what actually decides it.
Hit by a company vehicle: first 24 hours
Hit by a work ute or fleet vehicle in NSW? Here is how to identify the company, deal with its insurer, and get a like-for-like replacement car fast.
First 24 hours after a crash with injuries
Injured in a not at fault crash in NSW? Medical steps, police reporting, evidence, and how a like-for-like replacement car works while you recover.
First 24 hours after a crash in a car wash or service lane
Low speed crashes in car washes, service stations and drive-throughs are heavily disputed. Here is who is usually at fault and how to get a replacement car.
First 24 hours after a crash with no visible damage
No dents does not mean no damage. Learn what to photograph, how to report a minor crash in NSW, and whether you can still get a replacement car.
Crash on the Cahill Expressway: first 24 hours
Cahill Expressway accident? What to do in the first 24 hours, from stopping safely to arranging a prestige replacement car in Sydney the same day.
What to do if the other driver won't share details
If the other driver won't give details after a crash, record what you can, report to police and your insurer. You can still claim and get a replacement car.
Hit by a truck or bus in Sydney: not-at-fault first steps
Hit by a truck or bus in Sydney and not at fault? Here are the first steps: stay safe, pin down the operator, report it and get a like-for-like replacement car.
The first 24 hours checklist after a not-at-fault crash
A printable first 24 hours after car accident checklist for NSW: safety, photos, police, insurer calls, towing and a like-for-like replacement car.
Winter rain crash in Sydney: the first 24 hours
Hit by another driver in Sydney rain? Learn the first 24 hours: photograph evidence, report, and arrange a like-for-like replacement car.
Not-at-fault crash in the wet: Sydney rain first steps
Rain accident not at fault in Sydney? Learn first steps after a wet weather crash, aquaplaning fault questions, evidence to collect and replacement car options.
Hit by a rideshare or taxi: not-at-fault first steps
Hit by a taxi or rideshare in Sydney and not at fault? Here is who pays, whose insurer you chase, and how a like-for-like replacement car works in NSW.
Crash on the Cumberland Highway: what to do in the first 24 hours
Hit on the Cumberland Highway? Here is what to do in the first 24 hours, from scene steps and towing to a not at fault replacement car in Parramatta.
Do you need a police report after a crash in NSW?
Do you need a police report after a crash in NSW? When to call 000, when to report online, what a police event number does for your not-at-fault claim.
First 24 hours after a crash on the Spit Road or Spit Bridge
Hit on Spit Road or Spit Bridge? What to do in the first 24 hours: clearing the scene, towing, insurers, and a like-for-like replacement car.
Crash on the M7: the first 24 hours
Hit on the M7? Here is exactly what to do in the first 24 hours after a not-at-fault crash, from securing evidence to getting a like-for-like replacement car.
Notifying your insurer when the crash was not your fault
Notifying your insurer after a not-at-fault crash is not the same as making a claim. Learn what to report, why it protects your no-claim bonus and your repairer.
Crash on the M5 Motorway: the first 24 hours
Hit on the M5? Here is exactly what to do in the first 24 hours after a not-at-fault crash, from evidence to towing and a like-for-like replacement car.
Crash in a Sydney roadworks zone: what to do in the first 24 hours
Hit in a Sydney roadworks zone? Here is what to do in the first 24 hours, who to get details from, and how to secure a like-for-like replacement car.
Seven things to do in the first hour after a crash
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Crash during Vivid Sydney: the first 24 hours
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Not at fault on a Sydney toll road: what to do next
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Hit by a Sydney bus or government vehicle: the first 24 hours
Hit by a Sydney bus or government vehicle? Here is what to do in the first 24 hours, who to notify, and how to get a like-for-like replacement car.
Crash on Military Road: the first 24 hours
Hit on Military Road? Here is exactly what to do in the first 24 hours, from photos and buses to a like-for-like replacement car delivered to Mosman.
First 24 hours after a crash with a Sydney council vehicle
Hit by a council vehicle in Sydney? Learn who insures council trucks and buses, what to do in the first 24 hours, and how to get a replacement car.
Nine not-at-fault crash myths that cost you money
Nine not at fault crash myths NSW drivers believe in the first hour, from claiming on your own policy to small hire cars, and what NSW law actually says.
Accident on the M4 or M5: what to do next
Hit on the M4 or M5? Here is the exact order of steps for a motorway crash in NSW, from stopping safely to getting a like-for-like replacement car.
What to Say to the At-Fault Insurer on the First Call
The first call from the at-fault insurer is usually recorded. Learn what to say, what to keep to yourself, and how to keep your claim clean.
Credit hire versus the insurer's own hire car
Credit hire vs insurer hire car after a not-at-fault crash in NSW. What you get, who argues with the insurer, and which route suits your repair timeline.
Multi-vehicle crash in Sydney: who is at fault and what next
How fault is sorted in a Sydney multi-car crash, what to collect at the scene, and how a like-for-like replacement car is arranged while liability is still argued.
First 24 hours after a crash with a cyclist or motorcyclist
Hit a cyclist or motorcyclist in Sydney? Here is exactly what to do in the first 24 hours, from calling 000 to protecting your no-fault replacement car claim.
Not-at-fault crash with a Sydney council vehicle
Hit by a council truck in Sydney? Learn how to claim against council risk teams, collect evidence and get a like-for-like replacement car while liability is sorted.
Crash in a new car: first 24 hours and what it costs you
A crash in a new car is more than a repair bill. What to protect in the first 24 hours after a not-at-fault accident in NSW, including diminished value.
First 24 hours after a crash on the M2 Motorway
Hit on the M2 between the Lane Cove Tunnel and Windsor Road? Step-by-step first 24 hours, towing, insurer calls and a like-for-like replacement car.
Hit by a police or ambulance vehicle in NSW
Hit by a police, ambulance or fire vehicle in NSW? Learn how government fleet claims work, who pays, and how to get a like-for-like replacement car fast.
Towing after an accident in Sydney: who to call and who pays
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Crash on the Gore Hill or Warringah Freeway: first 24 hours
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School run crash on the Northern Beaches: first steps
A 3pm crash outside a Northern Beaches school: secure the kids, gather witnesses before the car park empties, report it, and get a like-for-like replacement car.
Company car crash: the first 24 hours for drivers
Company car crash? The first 24 hours for drivers and fleet managers: who to call, what to collect, and how a not at fault replacement car works.
First 24 hours after a crash in a Sydney roadworks zone
Hit in a Sydney roadworks zone? Here is who to swap details with, what to photograph and how a like-for-like replacement car gets arranged while fault is sorted.
Hit by a hire car or courtesy car: who pays and how
Hit by a hire car or courtesy car in NSW and not at fault? Here is who pays, which insurer you deal with, and how to get a like-for-like replacement car.
Crash in a new car: the first 24 hours
Crashed a new prestige car? What to do in the first 24 hours: photos, dealer notification, insurer repairers, diminished value and same-day replacement.