insurence

I would really like some advice, on the 17th of August 2016 I reversed into a garage at snails pace a gentleman inspected the damage and checked it operated ok and seem ok so I left no details were exchanged and I did not report it to my insurance as there was nothing to report. Monday 20th feb 2017 I received a bill of over £800 from his home insurance as he had made a claim on his home insurance he must have got my details from the sign writing on my van. His home insurance want me to pay there costs for the garage door. I find this hard to believe there is no proof I did any damage to the door and if I did the gentleman who inspected the door should have said so at the time so I could give my insurance details and then the insurance companies can sort it out between them. I believe the home insurance company did not follow any claims procedure surely they cannot just send an invoice to a person so long after an incident with no proof I did any damage.
Hope you can help
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Comments

  • forgotmyname
    forgotmyname Posts: 32,517
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    Was the gentleman qualified to assess the damage? Probably not.

    You should have reported it to your insurance because you had an incident. All accidents or incidents even if no claim is being made should be reported. The wording of your policy may say something similar.

    You may find it hard to believe but are you qualified to assess the damage also?

    His home insurance did not follow whose complaints procedure? Your not their customer, complain to your own insurance.

    Either pay up or explain to your insurance why you didnt declare this incident and pass the claim onto them.
    Censorship Reigns Supreme in Troll City...

  • ok thanks for your reply as he did not take my details and I did not ask his i assumed he was happy there was no damage.
  • Perhaps when he opened the garage door, or perhaps when the weather was sunnier, he saw some damage that he didn't see before.

    Either way, you reversed into his door, why are you upset he's now claimed?
  • thanks for reply ok so his claimed, the thing is if the insurance have already agreed a settlement why send me the bill when the damage was not proved that I caused the damage there were several dents already in the door who knows he maybe claiming for those, think I will give the claim to my insurance and let them decide I wish he contacted me at the time so I could have gone through my insurance then instead his insurance sending me the bill 7 months later.
  • You have a couple of options.

    If you pass the bill to your insurers, you're admitting to an incident. This then needs to be declared for the next (usually) 5 years, regardless of the outcome. However, if you pass the bill to them, they will pick it up on your behalf. They will also fight (or not as the case may be) on your behalf, but they won't need authority to act/settle on your behalf. You agreed to this when taking out the policy.

    You could also write back to his insurer disputing that you caused the damage. You could state (as you have above) the door was already damaged. It is up to them to prove you liable. Depending on the cost and the strength of their case, they may persue, or they may drop. If the latter then you're in the clear!
  • Thanks for your reply, I have now informed my insurance it will be interesting to see if they fight my corner or just pay up I think they will just pay up as it easier for them if it was for say £3000 it might be a different.
    I would of done this in the first place if the owner of the door contacted me and told me it was damaged which is what a lot of people would have done if they wish to make a claim against a person for damages, instead I got an invoice from there insurer for over £800 7 months later no claims procedure there, I did not know everything about the claim until then .
  • forgotmyname
    forgotmyname Posts: 32,517
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    He claimed on his insurance they fixed it and then bill you or your insurance. I wonder what your insurance are thinking about the fact you failed to declare the incident?

    Not just the claim that you only know about now, but the incident in the first place.
    Censorship Reigns Supreme in Troll City...

  • Thanks for reply, but it is not be late to report. there was nothing to report I know that the insurance say report every incident but this was very minor most people would not have reported it as there was no claim against me if I had a crystal ball I would of reported to the police and insurance.
  • Would I be right in saying that the owner of the door failed to give me his details if he wished to make a claim against me for the damage.
  • Retrogamer
    Retrogamer Posts: 4,215
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    Yes, the owner failed to give you his details by your own account but he doesn't need to.
    All your base are belong to us.
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