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Accident only involving me, what to do with insurance.

malkom
malkom Posts: 10 Forumite
Right, I've just managed to write off my car. Not a great start to the week! I'm insured third party fire and theft and since the car is (was) only worth £500 I wouldn't normally claim for, well, pretty much anything really.

However, since the car had to be recovered (the police requested a recovery company as it was obstructing the road) I'm not sure how to proceed and what the likely outcome will be. The police were happy it was a bit of a freak accident and won't be taking any further action so their happy. I wasn't inured and no one else was involved. No damage was done to any property or the road etc.

Obviously I don't want to break any laws but do I have to tell my insurers? I won't be making a claim as my insurance is only third party and I really don't want to make my policy more expensive. I have four years no claims and have only had one accident in eight years of driving and that was a week after my test plus I have never claimed for anything else. I narked enough as it is because of the accident but if my lovely £200 insurance goes up massively even though I don't want to claim anything I'll be fuming!

Any advice would be gratefully received.
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Comments

  • southernscouser
    southernscouser Posts: 33,745 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    Sorry can't offer any advice but I'm really intrigued in what the 'freak accident' was. :)
  • malkom
    malkom Posts: 10 Forumite
    Me driving along at about 50mph, hit a pothole at the edge of the road, everything goes a bit squiffy then I'm upside down hanging by the seatbelt.

    Same route I drive every day, not going particularly fast, utterly bemused to the end result!
  • Hintza
    Hintza Posts: 19,420 Forumite
    10,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    Personally if nobody else was involved and no other property was damaged I would be keeping quiet. Technically I think you arte required to tell your insurance company though.
  • Kingsd316
    Kingsd316 Posts: 1,394 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    I would have thought that even if you told them you wouldnt lose your no claims bonus as you are not claiming anything
    :beer:
  • southernscouser
    southernscouser Posts: 33,745 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    malkom wrote: »
    Me driving along at about 50mph, hit a pothole at the edge of the road, everything goes a bit squiffy then I'm upside down hanging by the seatbelt.

    Same route I drive every day, not going particularly fast, utterly bemused to the end result!

    Bloody hell. You're a lucky man. Make sure you buy a lottery ticket. :beer:
  • worried_jim
    worried_jim Posts: 11,631 Forumite
    10,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    glad you are okay ! did your legs turn to jelly afterwards ?
  • malkom wrote: »
    Me driving along at about 50mph, hit a pothole at the edge of the road, everything goes a bit squiffy then I'm upside down hanging by the seatbelt.

    Same route I drive every day, not going particularly fast, utterly bemused to the end result!


    Send a bill for the excess amount to the council if the pothole was dangerous & caused the accident.
    Not Again
  • GT60
    GT60 Posts: 2,375 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper Combo Breaker
    Send a bill for the excess amount to the council if the pothole was dangerous & caused the accident.

    You must
    Phone your insurer and tell about the rta and it is for INformation purpose ONLY.
    Also if you have legal protetion get the legal team to recover all uninsured losses from the council in question.
    Spending my time reading how to fix PC's,instead of looking at Facebook.
  • malkom
    malkom Posts: 10 Forumite
    You should have seen the car afterwards! I couldn't believe I'd just clambered out of the back window with nothing but cut on my knuckle.

    I was strangely calm afterwards too, it was all a bit surreal. I think I was mostly annoyed that I'd just filled it up with petrol!
    niall24 wrote: »
    You must
    Phone your insurer and tell about the rta and it is for INformation purpose ONLY.
    Also if you have legal protetion get the legal team to recover all uninsured losses from the council in question.

    When you say it is for information purposes only do that mean it won't effect my no claims?
  • violetta
    violetta Posts: 2,625 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts
    Anyone who spots a pothole can find details of how to report it to their local council through www.potholes.co.uk. If the pothole has been reported and the council does not repair it reasonably quickly the council becomes liable for damage caused by it. The website also gives advice on how to claim compensation if your car has been damaged by poorly maintained roads.

    See if you can photograph the pothole before the council come along and get rid of the evidence!
    A chicken crossing the road is poultry in motion
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