Car insurance scam - made up witness !!!

badboybill

[quote=[Deleted User];discussion/1211503]My wife had an accident a few months ago, where a car pulled out when parked and my wife hit the side of her car.

Stupid thing is that their witness statement says they were standing at a bus stop opposite. My insurance company has already noted that their view would be obscured by our car and there'd be no way they could see the other car pulling out.[/quote]


Paulfoel,

Given what you have written you really have nothing to worry about. All the insurance company are doing is delaying the payment to you.

Unfortunately Insurance companies are past masters at taking months if not a year or two to pay out even if you are in the right.

A friend of mine worked for an insurance company for 25 years so I’ve learnt a few things.

You see I’ve taken two of your quotes. The first one lays the blame at the other driver irrespective of what the other witness says. Your car has right-of-way from any car entering the flow of traffic from the left. The second quote is a convenient delay that the other insurer has used to delay payment.

hope this helps

sillygoose

Same sort of thing happened to me, years ago. One quiet night at a big traffic light controlled junction, my light turned green and I slowly started pulling away. A very fast minicab driver who had been racing against his lights (and lost badly) sliced the front half of my car off. Luckily everyone pretty much walked away. Later on a witness magically happened to be standing at this junction (8.30pm middle of nowhere, spending an evening watching the pretty colour lights?) and saw me 'go through' a red light. I was 'out-of-town' and the minicab was local otherwise I would have retaliated with my own 'convenient' witness. The insurers were sympathetic but could not help and advised me to accept blame. I also got a fine and 3 points for doing nothing wrong. The lesson I learnt was I would be a lot more bullish next time - fight their witness, talk to the police about a possible offence by this person, go back to the accident spot, any CCTV around? camera in a shop that might have been looking out and shown where the witness was? don't take this is what I am saying - you shouldn't have to be a victim twice!

[Deleted User]

badboybill wrote: »

Paulfoel,

Given what you have written you really have nothing to worry about. All the insurance company are doing is delaying the payment to you.

Unfortunately Insurance companies are past masters at taking months if not a year or two to pay out even if you are in the right.

A friend of mine worked for an insurance company for 25 years so I’ve learnt a few things.

You see I’ve taken two of your quotes. The first one lays the blame at the other driver irrespective of what the other witness says. Your car has right-of-way from any car entering the flow of traffic from the left. The second quote is a convenient delay that the other insurer has used to delay payment.

hope this helps

Thanks for the info.

The other person is actaully alledging that they didnt move/pull out at all and that my car hit theirs.

badboybill

Paulfoel,

The point of impact damage to both cars will also determine who was at fault.

Bill

laalaa

Conor wrote: »

I would write to your insurers clarifying again that there was nobody present and the woman drove off.

Your insurers will do you proud on this I think you'll find though as they don't like to pay out so any excuse not to. The "witness" could also find the Police knocking on their door as it is actually a criminal offence both they and the woman are comitting.

Sorry, for personal experience I can say it will probably be quite the opposite.

My mum had a similar accident a few years back.

Agreed not to go thru insurance as only scratched bumper to other car (a F reg), and cracked indicator on my mums car.

Six months later claim came thru for £1000! Lots of details that didn't match up, invention of witness on other party side. Said our car was green hatchback, when it was infact blue people carrier.

Tried to challenge due to dodgy stuff, but insurance company said they'd rather settle than contend it. Said it would be cheaper than fighting it legally, even though my parents had paid for legal cover.

[Deleted User]

Update

Its been 8 months now. Latest is that the other persons insurers have yet to answer any questions about the made up witness. Last I heard they said they were taking the matter to court.

Only trouble now is my insurance is due for renewal and since this an unsettled claim it still counts as an at fault claim.

[Deleted User]

Update

Other person has now decided to take it to court, so we have to go to the small claims court in August.

Not that big a deal because its being held in the court near where we live.

Not quite sure why my insurance company arent fighting this a bit more though. Like someone mentioned theres the point of impact issue.

I'm assuming its because the third party is trying to get their liability removed. As for me, I've already had to pay the excess and lost the no claims for me.

Anyone know if the court case would be just to decide if they can get any money? For instance, if they lose, would the judge just refuse for them to get their excess back, and then it'd be up to my insurance co to try and get mine back? Or does it work both ways?

robnye

did you have legal cover with your policy?
if so would it not be worth contacting them?

[Deleted User]

robnye wrote: »

did you have legal cover with your policy?
if so would it not be worth contacting them?

Yeh. I have. They are the ones who told me about the court case.

hethmar

This happened to my mother some years ago, she was coming down a hill, bloke coming the other way in the middle of the road hit her. At the time accepted it was his fault but later produced a "witness" who said mother was the one in the middle of the road.

Sickening, particularly when she found out the "witness" lived some 10 miles away and in the same road as the other guy.

Id want your insurance company to go and take photos to see if anyone would be able to witness from the bus stop and also ask the "witness" where they live and where they were going on that day to be at said bus stop.

Unfortunately, as said above the insurers probably want an easy life but that doesnt help you and the awful feeling of injustice.