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A week ago I had a collision with another car, caused by the other driver failing to stop at a red light.
Having only had one accident in 20+ years of driving I've found the 'what happens next' bit pretty confusing.
The other driver admitted fault, but I have not had any further contact with them since, nor heard from their insurance company.
I'm fully comp and I've spoken to my insurance company who have told me it's up to me if I wish to notify them, but if I do my premiums will go up. I've got a few days left if I decide i want to claim.
I've also spoken to my garage who have told me that because of the age of my car if I go via insurance it is likely to be a write off, so I'm best off arranging for the work myself and trying to recover this from the other driver.
Anyone know how best to approach this all?
I had something like this last year, on my way home a car I’d been following for some time indicated right at a roundabout, I carried on, and suddenly had the other car swerve across in front of me, smashing in the front offside wing.
When I asked her what she thought she was doing, she said I was driving too close, well, I’d followed her for several miles at around 25mph, with plenty of stopping distance, so when I pointed out that she had indicated right, turned right, then swerved left and cut in front of me, she said, and I quote “well, I changed my mind!”
I informed my insurance company, Saga, the next morning, they phoned her while I was on the line, and she confirmed my story, to which the bloke I was talking to said, well, she’s just shot herself in the foot!
I had a hire car for several weeks while my car was checked, it wasn’t worth repairing, it’s a 51-plate Octavia worth £900. I was given the option of keeping the car and accepting £658, with an MOT done to prove roadworthyness, which I accepted.
It now appears that the other parties insurance has still not accepted responsibility and paid my insurance companies costs, so it could go to court, which I’m fine with.
It’s cost me nothing, apart from the MOT, I had a nice hire car, which I did nearly a thousand miles in, and which cost me a tank of diesel when it went back.
This is my first real experience of an incident while driving, in over forty years of driving, and it’s all been pretty painless, really.
Saga and their claims company have been brilliant to deal with, they’ve kept me informed all the way through, with little to no effort on my part.
Apart from the initial impact, and my getting the other drivers address and phone number, I’ve had zero contact, which is exactly as it should be.
Why would your insurance go up? You need to get in touch with the third parties insurers and they are obliged to sort it. You don't have to deal with your insurer whatsoever. At time of renewal your premium may go up as you've been "involved in an accident" however mine didn't after mrsws was run in to.
As for the write off scenario you may be able to buy back the car and get it running again. Get on the phone.
Enzee, you'll have to tell them about the accident when you renew your policy which will put your premium up somewhat, (though not by much if it's not your fault). You may as well just let your company deal with it.
when you renew your policy which will put your premium up
Why do people constantly quote this? Mine did not go up and I stayed with same insurer as I was previously so they knew all about the claim
It now appears that the other parties insurance has still not accepted responsibility and paid my insurance companies costs, so it could go to court, which I’m fine with.
I don't want to be the bringer of bad news, and I'm not saying it will happen, but be wary of this. There is an obligation on you to minimise the costs incurred as a result of the accident too (so you can't hire a Bentley while your Nova is in for repair, etc.) and these claims companies have been running a bit of a scam, where they inflate the costs of the rental car they gave you to make a bit of money out of it. Not so much it's outrageous, but sometimes the other party's insurers will contest or refuse the excessive rates.
The problem is that in the small print of the claims company document that you agreed to, there might be a clause about you covering any costs the claims company can't recover. So if you go to court and the judge says that the costs are too high, then they might come for you on the rest, although I don't think it generally gets to that. But you might end up in court not as a witness, but defending why you have run up excessive hire fees.
https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.php?t=5681757
Personally I refuse to deal with Claims Management Companies, just sort it directly yourself with the garage and they'll lend you one of their cars; or hire a cheap one yourself after having phoned round to find a good price (including dox to show you did). It's more effort initially but there are some horror stories
I had this when a van wrote our car off. I now have a non fault fully settled claim to declare for 5 years. The existing ins co said it won't affect my policy with them but with others it may do. We had a hire car delivered to our home, and picked up after. Got a decent sum for the written off car.
What? Your reasonable insurance companies don't fit my ignorant prejudices at all! Surely the are all owned and run by Belzibub looking to screen the innocent motorists at every opportunity?! 😁
Just let the insurance sort it. Why pay for fully comp and not use it?
My other half was hit by a BT van on the wrong side of the road on a blind corner. Insurance dealt with it, then other side tried to claim 50:50. Went back to them with photos of skid marks or road layout taken at the time and said we were happy to go to court. They settled fully within a week. We had to declare no fault claim for 5 years but never cost us anything. Got excess refunded as well.
Your insurance will have taped her conversation. Once played to her insurance they’ll settle.
Also, lots of insurance companies will ask you to declare accidents whether or not a claim was made, so be careful not mentioning this.
If you go through the insurance process you might have to endure some out of pocket expenses while the claim is sorted, and you'll probably lose your excess as well.
If your premium is due soon that might well increase [/doom&gloom].
However, this should all come back to you, premium reinstated and refunded, etc when the claim is sorted in your favour
I'd be concentrating on evidence to support the claim because you'll have to tell the insurer come renewal anyway when your premium may increase, etc, this time possibly without the refund option. You could also offer to buy the written off car from the insurer
Once had a delegate on one of my courses who'd had a non-fault accident the week prior to meeting him. His car was something like a Corsa and he was <20 years old. His courtesy car? Well, that was a Merc s600. He'd had it for 4 days and showed us pics as no one believed him.
He did crap himself when we explained he may be liable for the costs...
Mind you, I also know of a 38k hire charge for 3 months of porsche boxster. 😉
I don’t see the point in having spent money on a fully comprehensive policy and then not using it.
Yes, your next premium may be a little higher but you’ve already bought the cover you’ll be using at the moment.
If you don’t intend to use your cover in circumstances like this why bother with fully comp insurance (unless it’s the cheapest option for you?)
Use your insurance they’ll do all the work that’s why you pay them.
I’ve been with Direct Line most of my driving career, not always the cheapest, but there or there abouts, and i’ve had a few minor bumps and scrapes through my driving career, mostly the other persons fault and a couple 50:50 and one my fault. In every case i’ve exchanged details with the other driver, informed my insurance company and that is it. The insurance companies have sorted it, i’ve had no further contact with the other party, certainly no phone call where I listened in, and the insurance company has arranged a courtesy car for me, iv’e never had to pay and recoup courtesy car costs or anything the insurance company makes all the arrangements. You pay your insurance it’s for them to sort out and establish fault, thanks the service.
If you’re not at fault then your premiums shouldn’t be affected. If there is a share of blame then they might.
If I were you pass on the other parties details to your insurance company and get them on the case.
I had a not at fault excess recovered accident and my renewal premium more than doubled. I shopped around and got it back to around the previous figure with another company.
I’ve spoken to my insurance company who have told me it’s up to me if I wish to notify them, but if I do my premiums will go up.
And if you don't notify them (unless their T&C are unlike every other insurer I've used) you'll be in breach of your policy conditions and they can refuse future claims. But if you've spoken to them, isn't that notifying them already?
because of the age of my car if I go via insurance it is likely to be a write off, so I’m best off arranging for the work myself and trying to recover this from the other driver
Sounds a lot of hassle. If you claim and it's a write off, they'll give you the opportunity to buy it back cheaply. Then you get the work done to fix it. In my case they said the car was worth £1300 and would cost £1280 to fix. They paid me the £1300, less £250 excess, less £299 to buy it back (23% of their valuation), so I had the car in damaged condition plus £750. I did no negotiation with the other party, just a 5 min phone call my insurer. It cost me about £50 to fix the car, plus £40 to get it MoTed so that they would continue to cover it.
I had my car written off by a van last year, pulled out without looking.
He admitted liability, I called my insurance co. They sorted a like for like hire car until the car was assessed, written off and received a cheque for the amount agreed.
I didn't speak to the guy who hit me or the his insurance co, mine sorted it all out.
By chance my policy was due for renewal the following month - I asked before the claim was made if it would effect my premium and they said it wouldn't if the other party admitted responsibility and their insurance co paid out.
I insured a more expensive, higher insurance group car with the same insurer post claim for give or take the same price as my old car which backed this up.
His car was something like a Corsa and he was <20 years old. His courtesy car? Well, that was a Merc s600. He’d had it for 4 days and showed us pics as no one believed him.
He did crap himself when we explained he may be liable for the costs…
When my 3 Series was in the shop for an insurance repair a couple of years ago I had a Hyundai i10 courtesy car. Just playing it safe here...
I’ve just renewed my insurance and completely forgot a no-fault accident my wife had three years ago which the other driver’s insurance covered. Have just had a snotty letter saying this has shown up on the database (fair enough) and an additional charge of £18. Not the end of the world but the no-fault accident has raised our premium.
When my 3 Series was in the shop for an insurance repair a couple of years ago I had a Hyundai i10 courtesy car. Just playing it safe here…
What did you think about the upgrade? 😉
That was probably a courtesy car from your own insurer / approved repairer. The ones above are from a claims company as they will recover the cost from the third party (hopefully).
No, not declaring it has probably raised your premium, that is most likely an admin charge. Frankly you're lucky you haven't just had it cancelled as I've heard of in the past.
If you've spoken to your insurers then they know about the accident and I would guess it is already on your file! Your insurance may go up but if it does shop around.
Notify them immediately and make a claim. Greybeards advice re buying the car back is a good option imo
What did you think about the upgrade?
Joking (if any) aside, I liked the i10 a lot! If I did fewer long distance trips and carried less stuff it'd do me just fine. And you're quite right, it was an insurer/repairer job rather than via some claims shysters.
if you get it fixed yourself be aware that the insurance may tell the dvla to write the car off, meaning I think you cannot use it, until you sort that out with the dvla. The costs of repair will be much higher than an independent garage may quote you. Mine did this without telling me. I had to contact the dvla and get them to reverse it which they did no problem. The quote from the garage included a new panel and a massive spray job, hence the write off. I got it fixed privately for less than £150. The fix may be of higher quality, ie fitting new panels instead of using filler and spraying more of the car than is neccessary. Ok the quality will be higher but that probably will not bother you on an older car.
What work needs doing? Maybe get a quote from a small independent for yourself not the insurance company.
If you go ahead with your insurance company they will probably write it off and you buy it back off them with the insurance payout. If you go down this route check to see how things stand if your car is a write off, and will future insurance cost more due to this reason.