Is the number you’ve searched for really your car insurer?

Companies can create an ad on search engines to promote their business and services. It appears at the top or bottom of the search results page, clearly identified by the ‘ad’ logo beside the website’s URL. The ad will appear based on how relevant it is to what someone searched for, how much the company bid to appear there and a few other factors too ^{Footnote [1]}.

Let’s say you’ve just been in an accident. In all the confusion and shock, you may be in a hurry to find your insurer’s contact details. If you're struggling to find them, it's likely that you’ll head straight online to look for their number.

If you search something like ‘Aviva car insurance number’, one of these claims management company ads could appear at the top of the results page.

As soon as you click some of these ads, they automatically start dialling – so you won’t be able to check who you’re speaking to first. Although they may not say they’re your insurer, they may be vague about who they really are – calling themselves a ‘claims department’.

One member of the public clicked on one of these ads, believing they were contacting their insurer. They told BBC’s Rip Off Britain that the consequences of that call proved more upsetting than the accident itself ^{Footnote [2]}.

The Times reported that these companies use advertising to lure drivers into making claims with companies that look like real insurers, but aren’t ^{Footnote [3]}.

Some claims management companies need you to use potentially pricey claims services to make their money. You may already be covered for these services with your own insurer.

You’ll incur these charges almost straight away. If you decide you want to claim through your own insurer, the claims management company is likely to charge you for any costs up to that point. 

If the accident wasn’t your fault, the other party’s insurer will need to pay the claims company’s costs. But if it’s found that you were at fault in any way, you’ll have to pay a big portion of their bill, which could run into the thousands.

We don't want you to think you're making a claim with us when you're actually speaking to a completely different company.

That's why we're always on the lookout for any search engine ad from other companies that could mislead you into thinking you're calling us.

By keeping your car insurer’s details saved in your phone or in your car, you know you’ll always have the right information to hand. 

It’s also a good idea to keep a note of your policy number – you can find this on your policy documents. 

Here are some other things you can do to make sure you’re speaking to your insurer.

• Be cautious with ads and make sure you know where they’re taking you before you click on them.
• Ask the person on the phone which company they’re from – your real insurer will have no reason not to tell you, so be wary if they don’t give you a straight answer.
• If you don’t have your insurer’s number saved, go directly to their website or check any letters or emails from them to find their contact details.