Car scratch repair
Colour-matched, blended and guaranteed, from £79*.
See details →Home / Services / Accident & Insurance Repairs
Accident & Insurance Repairs
We manage the claim, the courtesy car and the repair — you make one call, we handle the rest. It's your legal right to choose us.
Insurance approvedWritten guaranteeFree courtesy carsAll makes & models
BS10125 standard
Insurance approved
Award-winning bodyshop
★★★★★ 4.9 on Google
Been in an accident? Take a breath — from here, Thames Autos handles everything. We are an insurance-approved accident repair centre in Ilford with over 20 years of experience repairing accident damage on all makes and models, from light scuffs to major structural work.
It’s your legal right to choose your repairer
Your insurance company may suggest one of their “approved” repairers — but the law is clear: you choose where your car is repaired. Call us before you accept your insurer’s suggestion and we’ll manage the claim for you, from the first phone call to handover.
What we handle for you
- The claim itself — we deal directly with your insurer, including the engineer’s inspection and approval.
- A free courtesy car — stay mobile for the full duration of the repair.
- Collection & delivery — we can collect your damaged vehicle from home or work across East London.
- Manufacturer-standard repairs — paint-matched refinishing in our spray booth, guaranteed in writing.
What happens next
Send us photos of the damage through our free estimate form or call 0208 597 7639. We’ll assess the damage, agree the approach with your insurer, and book your car in — usually with a courtesy car waiting when you arrive. Read about our full 5-step repair process.
Worth reading before you call your insurer
Our guides cover exactly what to do in the first hour after an accident and what the law says about choosing your own repairer — two minutes of reading that can change how your claim goes.
Frequently asked
Will using you instead of my insurer’s repairer affect my claim?
No. Your premium, excess and claim proceed exactly the same — the only difference is that you choose who repairs your car.
Do I pay anything up front?
For insurance repairs you normally only pay your policy excess, which is collected when you pick the car up. We invoice your insurer directly for the rest.
How long will my repair take?
Cosmetic repairs are typically 2–4 days; larger accident repairs 1–2 weeks depending on parts. You’ll get a timescale with your estimate and updates while we work.
My car isn’t driveable — what do I do?
Call us — we arrange recovery and collection across East London, and the courtesy car keeps you moving while yours is with us.
4.9★★★★★on Google
Drivers across Ilford, Seven Kings and East London rate us on the finish of our repairs, straight-talking estimates and turnaround times.
More ways we can help
Other repairs we do
Dent repair & PDR
Paintless removal where possible, invisible repairs where not.
See details →Bumper repair
Scuffs, cracks and replacements, sensors checked.
See details →Alloy wheel refurbishment
Kerbed alloys back to showroom condition.
See details →Resprays & paintwork
Booth-sprayed, colour-coded, guaranteed.
See details →SMART repairs
Small damage, small price, often same-day.
See details →