Not-at-Fault Car Accident Repairs Melbourne

The short answer

If another driver caused your accident, you can usually claim the repair from their insurer and choose where your car is repaired. If you’re claiming on your own policy, check your policy, or ask us about your options. Glossworks repairs all makes and models at Moorabbin and Carnegie. We’re authorised for BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Audi and Porsche repairs, and every repair has our Lifetime Guarantee on paint and workmanship for as long as you own your car.

Been in an accident that wasn’t your fault, or does your policy let you choose your repairer? Glossworks repairs all makes and models at two south-east Melbourne shops, in Moorabbin and Carnegie, and European and prestige cars are our specialty. Both shops are authorised by BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Audi and Porsche. A hire car and third-party recovery are arranged through our third-party partner, subject to their eligibility and terms. Every repair comes with our Lifetime Guarantee on paint and workmanship for as long as you own your car.

Call 1300 145 677 (Mon–Fri 8:00am–4:30pm)
Upload accident photos for a fast assessment

Who we help

We help drivers across south-east Melbourne, from Toorak and South Yarra to Glen Waverley, Dandenong and Frankston, who:

weren’t at fault in a collision and want their car repaired properly, not just cheaply
have a choice of repairer option on their own policy and want to nominate a repairer they trust
have been offered a repairer by an insurer and want to know their options before the car is moved
don’t have comprehensive cover but were hit by an insured driver

Cars we repair

All makes and models. Our specialty is European and prestige cars: BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Audi and Porsche (both shops are authorised by all four), plus Volkswagen, Volvo, Land Rover, Range Rover, Mini, Skoda, Cupra, Jaguar and electric cars. European cars need European methods: mixed aluminium and steel structures, manufacturer bonding and riveting procedures, genuine parts where the repair requires them, and recalibration of driver-assistance (ADAS) cameras and radar after bumper, windscreen or structural repairs.

What you get when you weren’t at fault

Hire car

A hire car is arranged through our third-party partner, subject to their eligibility and terms.

Third-party recovery

Third-party recovery is arranged through our third-party partner, subject to their eligibility and terms.

Lifetime Guarantee

Lifetime Guarantee on paint and workmanship for as long as you own your car.

How a not-at-fault claim works, step by step

Make the scene safe. Check for injuries and call 000 if anyone is hurt. If it’s safe, move the cars off the road and turn on your hazard lights.
Exchange details and collect evidence. Get the other driver’s name, phone number, address, licence, registration and insurer. Photograph both cars, the number plates and the scene, and note any witnesses. Don’t admit fault. In Victoria, you must report a crash in person at the nearest police station if someone is injured and police didn’t come, or if property is damaged and the owner and police aren’t there. If the other driver won’t give their details, note their registration number and report it to police straight away. See our scene checklist.
You choose where your car is towed. If your car can’t be driven, you can ask for it to go to Glossworks Moorabbin (44 Alex Ave) or Glossworks Carnegie (1064 Dandenong Rd), or to your home, anywhere within 125 km. Before towing, the driver must explain your choice and get you to sign an Authority to Tow. Read it first. Towing after a car accident in Victoria
Call us or upload photos. Call 1300 145 677 or upload photos online. We’ll talk you through your claim options (the at-fault driver’s insurer or your own policy).
Assessment and quote. We inspect the car and prepare a repair quote to manufacturer methods. The insurer may send an assessor or review the quote.
Hire car. A hire car is arranged through our third-party partner, subject to their eligibility and terms.
Repair. Your car is repaired with manufacturer repair methods and genuine parts where the repair requires them, and ADAS systems are recalibrated where needed. We keep you updated throughout.
Quality check and handover. Final checks, a road test where appropriate, and your Lifetime Guarantee on paint and workmanship for as long as you own your car.
Recovery. Third-party recovery is arranged through our third-party partner, subject to their eligibility and terms.

Can I choose my repairer?

If you’re claiming on your own policy

Whether you can choose your repairer depends on your policy. Some policies include a choice of repairer option, some sell it as an optional extra, and some don’t offer it. Check your Product Disclosure Statement (PDS) or ask your insurer. Insurers that have signed the motor insurance and repair industry code must explain their choice-of-repairer policy in plain language in the PDS, listed in the table of contents. If your policy allows it, tell your insurer when you lodge the claim that you nominate Glossworks Moorabbin or Glossworks Carnegie. Your insurer may still need to assess and approve the quote.

If you weren’t at fault and claim against the other driver’s insurer

You’re not that insurer’s customer, so in most cases you can choose where your car is repaired and claim the reasonable cost of the repair. The insurer may want to inspect the car or review our quote before it pays. Not sure which applies to you? Ask us about your options before your car is moved.

What you should know before you choose

If your insurer chooses and authorises the repairer, the insurer takes responsibility for the quality of the repair under the insurance industry’s code of practice. If you choose us, our Lifetime Guarantee on paint and workmanship for as long as you own your car stands behind the repair instead. Either way, ask questions before your car is moved.

What to say to your insurer

“I’d like my car repaired by Glossworks in Moorabbin or Carnegie, phone 1300 145 677. Please send the assessment details to them.”

Driving a BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Audi, Porsche or another European car? See our European and prestige car smash repairs.

Not-at-fault guides

Plain-English guides from our workshop:

Why Glossworks

Authorised by BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Audi and Porsche at both Moorabbin and Carnegie
Hire car and third-party recovery arranged through our third-party partner, subject to their eligibility and terms
Lifetime Guarantee on paint and workmanship for as long as you own your car
We work with all major insurers
Two south-east Melbourne shops, so one is always close by across the catchment
Manufacturer repair methods, genuine parts where required, and ADAS recalibration

Our two south-east Melbourne shops

Glossworks Moorabbin

44 Alex Ave, Moorabbin VIC 3189 · 1300 145 677 · moorabbin@glossworks.com.au

Closest for Bayside, Kingston and the Mornington Peninsula side: Brighton, Hampton, Sandringham, Black Rock, Beaumaris, Highett, Cheltenham, Bentleigh, Mentone, Mordialloc, Dingley Village, Keysborough and Frankston.

Glossworks Carnegie

1064 Dandenong Rd, Carnegie VIC 3163 · 1300 145 677 · carnegie@glossworks.com.au

Closest for Glen Eira, Stonnington, Port Phillip and Monash: Caulfield, Malvern, Malvern East, Armadale, Toorak, South Yarra, St Kilda, Elsternwick, Murrumbeena, Oakleigh, Chadstone, Glen Iris, Mount Waverley, Glen Waverley and Clayton.

Both shops: Monday–Friday 8:00am–4:30pm. Closed Saturday and Sunday. Phone 1300 145 677 · info@glossworks.com.au

We also see customers from across the roughly 30 km south-east catchment, including Kew, Camberwell, Hawthorn, Wheelers Hill, Mulgrave, Rowville, Dandenong and Mount Eliza.

Not at fault? Talk to us before your car is moved.

Call 1300 145 677 or upload your accident photos and we’ll come back to you with the next steps. Tell us which shop suits you: Moorabbin or Carnegie.

Call 1300 145 677 · Upload accident photos

Frequently asked questions

Can I choose my own repairer in Victoria?

It depends on how you claim. If you claim on your own policy, your right to choose a repairer depends on your policy: some include a choice of repairer option, some sell it as an extra and some don’t offer it, so check your Product Disclosure Statement (PDS) or ask your insurer. If you weren’t at fault and claim against the at-fault driver’s insurer, you can usually have your car repaired where you choose and claim the reasonable repair cost, although that insurer may want to assess the damage first. We can help you work out which applies to you. Check your policy, or ask us about your options.

I wasn’t at fault. Do I have to use the other driver’s insurer’s repairer?

Usually not. You are not that insurer’s customer, so you can usually nominate Glossworks as your repairer. The at-fault driver’s insurer is generally only required to pay reasonable repair costs, and it may inspect your car or our quote. If you have been offered a repairer and would prefer us, call us before your car is moved and we’ll explain your options.

Do I pay an excess if the accident wasn’t my fault?

If you claim directly against the at-fault driver’s insurer, there is generally no excess on your own policy. If you claim on your own policy, your insurer may charge the excess and refund it if fault is confirmed and it recovers its costs; check your PDS.

Will I get a hire car while my car is being repaired?

A hire car is arranged through our third-party partner, subject to their eligibility and terms.

What if the other driver is uninsured or disputes fault?

You still have options. If you have comprehensive cover, you can claim on your own policy. Some third-party property policies also include limited cover for damage caused by an uninsured driver, so check your PDS. You can also seek the repair cost directly from the other driver. If fault is disputed, your evidence from the scene matters: photos, witness details and a police report number if there is one. Call us and we’ll talk you through your options.

Are you authorised to repair my BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Audi or Porsche?

Yes. Both our Moorabbin and Carnegie shops are authorised by BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Audi and Porsche. We repair to the manufacturer’s repair methods, use genuine parts where the repair requires them, and recalibrate driver-assistance (ADAS) cameras and sensors where needed. We also repair Volkswagen, Volvo, Land Rover, Range Rover, Mini, Skoda, Cupra, Jaguar and all other makes and models.

What does your Lifetime Guarantee cover?

Every repair we carry out comes with our Lifetime Guarantee on paint and workmanship for as long as you own your car.

Should I sign forms after a car accident?

Read anything before you sign it. After an accident, some businesses ask drivers to sign forms that let a lawyer act or start a court case in their name. Ask what you’re signing and what happens if the cost can’t be recovered.

What should I collect at the accident scene?

The other driver’s name, address, phone number, registration, the vehicle owner’s details and their insurer. Take photos of both cars, the number plates and the scene, and get witness names and phone numbers. Don’t admit fault.

Do I have to report the accident to police?

You must report it in person at the nearest police station if someone is injured and police didn’t come, or if property is damaged and the owner and police aren’t there. If the other driver won’t give their details, report it to police straight away.

Can the tow truck take my car to its own yard?

You choose where your car goes, anywhere within 125 km, such as your home or Glossworks. The tow driver must explain this and get you to sign an Authority to Tow before towing.

This page is general information, not legal or insurance advice. Your rights depend on your policy and circumstances. The hire car and third-party recovery are arranged through our third-party partner, subject to their eligibility and terms.

Not-at-Fault and Choice-of-Repairer Accident Repairs in Moorabbin and Carnegie