What do you do at the scene?
The first priority is safety. Move vehicles to the hard shoulder or a safe position away from traffic if it is safe to do so. Switch on hazard lights.
For accidents involving injury: call 999 immediately. Do not move injured persons unless there is immediate danger from fire or traffic.
For non-injury accidents: call Dubai Police on 901. This is the non-emergency accident reporting line for Dubai. Outside Dubai (other emirates), use the relevant emirate police non-emergency line.
Do not admit fault at the scene and do not move vehicles from their accident positions until police arrive or you receive confirmation that this is permitted. Exchange the following details with the other driver: full name, Emirates ID number, driving licence number, insurer name and policy number, vehicle plate number and phone number.
Photograph everything before vehicles move: accident positions, all vehicle damage from multiple angles, the other party’s documents, any relevant road markings, traffic signals or signage.
How do you get the police report?
An official accident report from Dubai Police is required by all UAE insurers before a claim can proceed. There is no exception to this; an insurer cannot process a claim without it.
For most accidents in Dubai, the report can be filed via the Dubai Police app or at police.gov.ae under traffic services. You will need to provide the accident details, the other party’s information and any evidence. Some accidents require a physical visit to a police station, particularly those involving serious damage, injury, or disputes over fault.
Dubai Police also operates a system for minor, non-injury accidents where both parties agree on responsibility. An agreement is reached on-site or via the app; an official document is still produced that insurers accept for claim processing.
The report includes an official fault determination. This determines whether your claim runs against your own comprehensive policy (own-damage claim) or against the at-fault party’s third-party liability policy. Keep the report reference number safe; you will need it in every subsequent step.
How do you notify the insurer and what’s the deadline?
Open your policy document and find the claims notification clause. Deadlines vary: some policies require notification within 24 hours, others within 2-7 days. The deadline runs from the date of the accident, not from when the police report is ready. Late notification is the most common ground for claim rejection in the UAE; it is also the most avoidable.
Notify via the insurer’s 24-hour claims helpline, mobile app or online portal. Record the notification: save the call reference number, screenshot the app confirmation, or keep the email acknowledgment. You need evidence that you notified in time if the insurer later challenges the date.
What to have ready when notifying: police report reference number, Emirates ID, driving licence details, Mulkiya (vehicle registration), accident photos and the other party’s details. You do not need the full physical report to make the initial notification; the reference number is sufficient for most insurers.
Notify your insurer regardless of who was at fault. If you were the not-at-fault party, your insurer will assist in pursuing the third-party liability claim against the at-fault driver’s insurer.
How does repair authorisation work?
The insurer must authorise repairs before work begins. Sending the car directly to any garage without insurer approval is one of the most common grounds for claim rejection. Wait for written or digital authorisation before dropping the vehicle.
Most insurers will arrange a surveyor to inspect the damage. Some do this in person; others use a mobile inspector or remote photo-based assessment. The insurer’s claims team confirms the route when you notify.
Repair route depends on your policy: if you have agency repair cover, the car goes to an authorised manufacturer dealership. Without agency repair, it goes to an insurer-approved garage. If agency repair matters to you (for warranty preservation or vehicle age reasons), check whether it is included in your policy before an accident happens. See comprehensive car insurance in the UAE for the full list of what is and is not standard.
Your excess is paid directly to the repair garage. The insurer pays the balance of the authorised repair cost to the garage. The excess amount is fixed in your policy schedule; it does not change based on the severity of the accident.
What if the claim is rejected or stalls?
If your claim is rejected, request a written rejection reason. This is a consumer right; the insurer must provide it. Read it carefully before responding: the most common valid rejection grounds are late reporting, policy lapse at the time of the accident, unauthorised repairs and undeclared modifications or drivers.
If you believe the rejection was wrong: escalate to the insurer’s internal complaints team. This step is required before the regulator will accept a complaint. Document the escalation and keep a record of the response or non-response.
If the internal complaint is not resolved: file a complaint with the CBUAE Insurance Consumer Protection function. Verify the current submission mechanism at cbuae.gov.ae before filing; the portal URL and process may change.
For not-at-fault accidents where the third party’s insurer is delaying settlement: your own insurer can intervene and pursue the third-party claim on your behalf. Ask the claims team about this option if you are stuck.
Car accident insurance claim in Dubai: the sequence
- Make the scene safe. Move vehicles if safe to do so. Call 999 for injuries; call 901 for non-injury accidents in Dubai.
- Request the police report. Via Dubai Police app, police.gov.ae or in-person station visit depending on the accident. Keep the reference number.
- Notify your insurer. Call the helpline or log via the app within the deadline in your policy. Record the notification reference.
- Submit documents. Police report, Emirates ID, driving licence, Mulkiya and accident photos. Submit the full report as soon as it is available.
- Await repair authorisation. Do not send the vehicle to a garage before the insurer confirms authorisation in writing or digitally.
- Pay excess and collect. Pay your excess to the garage on collection. The insurer pays the repair balance directly to the garage.
Information, not advice. InsureCompare.ae is an independent comparison site. We are not licensed by the CBUAE to advise on insurance products. Nothing on this page is a recommendation to buy any specific policy. Always read your policy document for the exact reporting deadline and claims process; these vary by insurer. Verify the current CBUAE complaints route at cbuae.gov.ae.
Related reading
- Comprehensive car insurance in the UAE: what’s included, what’s not
- How to check your car insurance status online in the UAE
- Car insurance renewal in the UAE
- Car insurance comparison
Frequently asked questions
Step by step, what happens after a car accident in Dubai?
Call 901 (non-injury) or 999 (injury), get the police report, notify your insurer within the policy’s reporting deadline, submit documents, await repair authorisation before sending the car to any garage, then pay your excess on collection. The police report is mandatory; late notification to the insurer is the most common claim rejection reason.
My car insurance claim was rejected in Dubai for late reporting. Can I dispute it?
Yes, through the insurer’s internal complaints process first, then through the CBUAE Insurance Consumer Protection function if unresolved. If you can show that you notified within the policy window (call log, app record, email) the rejection may be reversed. If the notification was genuinely late, the insurer has a contractual right to reject; the regulator will assess whether the rejection was proportionate.
After an accident in Dubai that wasn’t my fault, does my premium still go up at renewal?
For a not-at-fault claim, most UAE insurers do not apply a premium loading or NCD reduction because the fault rests with the third party. The practical position depends on the insurer’s own underwriting policy and the fault determination in the police report. Check your insurer’s NCD terms. If you did not make a claim on your own policy (because the third-party insurer paid), there should be no impact on your NCD.
What is the Dubai Police accident reporting number?
For non-injury accidents in Dubai: 901. For any emergency including accidents with injuries: 999. You can also file via the Dubai Police app or at police.gov.ae for many accident types.
Does my excess apply if the accident wasn’t my fault?
If the claim runs against the at-fault party’s third-party liability policy (and the at-fault insurer pays), your own policy excess does not apply. If you claim on your own comprehensive policy first (because the third-party route is disputed or slow), your excess applies but may be recoverable from the at-fault party’s insurer once liability is resolved. Check with your insurer’s claims team on the best route for your specific case.
What happens if the other driver in Dubai has no insurance?
If the at-fault driver is uninsured, your claim runs against your own comprehensive policy for own-damage. Third-party liability (TPL) claims against an uninsured driver are a civil matter; CBUAE rules require UAE drivers to hold TPL, so an uninsured driver has committed an offence. Report this in the police report. Your own insurer can advise on recovering costs via the courts; this is a lengthy process. This is one reason why comprehensive cover has value even if you are a careful driver.