Been in first car accident tonight - what do I need to do

lexilex

Thanks for that.

The PCSO told us it didn't need reporting and we wouldn't need a crime number Insurance haven't asked for one either. I'll ask my insurance about that tomorrow when they ring.

I have had to bite my tounge actually when people have been saying about the prices of insurance increasing because of people claiming for insurance. I paid over £550 for my insurance this year, and that is only third party fire and theft. Last year my insurance cost me over £700 for the same level of cover. I know about high insurance costs due to other people. My insurance is high because of other irresponsible bad young drivers. I pay a lot of money for my insurance and I'm going to make sure they do the work now that I'm paying them for.

I think the painkillers are def kicking in now, although the pain is spreading. It was initially in the right side of my neck and shoulder only, I now have pain in the left side too and lower back. Just hoping I'm going to get in to see my gp before xmas.

DirectDebacle

lexilex wrote: »

Thanks for that.

The PCSO told us it didn't need reporting and we wouldn't need a crime number Insurance haven't asked for one either. I'll ask my insurance about that tomorrow when they ring.

I have had to bite my tounge actually when people have been saying about the prices of insurance increasing because of people claiming for insurance. I paid over £550 for my insurance this year, and that is only third party fire and theft. Last year my insurance cost me over £700 for the same level of cover. I know about high insurance costs due to other people. My insurance is high because of other irresponsible bad young drivers. I pay a lot of money for my insurance and I'm going to make sure they do the work now that I'm paying them for.

I think the painkillers are def kicking in now, although the pain is spreading. It was initially in the right side of my neck and shoulder only, I now have pain in the left side too and lower back. Just hoping I'm going to get in to see my gp before xmas.

A PCSO is not a police officer and may well not be fully aware of the Road Traffic Act. If owing to the prescence of a motor vehicle on a road an accident occurs whereby any person is injured.... These accidents must be reported to the police as soon as practicable and in any event within 24 hours. You would not need a crime number as you are not reporting a crime. You will need an accident report number as you are reporting an accident.
I suspect the PCSO was insufficiently trained to know how to deal with this situation. Ensure the accident is recorded as such at your police station. I know this is a chore but may be important later on.

This may be useful to you.
http://www.dft.gov.uk/collisionreporting/reporting.asp

As regards a hire car. You say you are unable to drive at the moment and your boyfriend does not have a vehicle. If your boyfriend has a full licence and your insurance covers you for a hire car ask if it would be possible for a hire car to be provided with your boyfriend insured to drive it until such time you are fit to drive.

lexilex

Thanks again. I'll have to go tomorrow, can't get anywhere today, my mum and dad are away so will have to wait until they get back so I can get a lift. It's now been almost 48 hours since the incident though?

My boyfriend doesn't have a license, I'm normally his taxi :rolleyes:

DirectDebacle

lexilex wrote: »

Thanks again. I'll have to go tomorrow, can't get anywhere today, my mum and dad are away so will have to wait until they get back so I can get a lift. It's now been almost 48 hours since the incident though?

My boyfriend doesn't have a license, I'm normally his taxi :rolleyes:

Shame he doesn't have a licence. Don't worry about it being 48hrs. As far as you are concerned a PCSO is a police officer and you fulfilled your legal obligation. If there is no accident report (I doubt there is) then it is the PCSO that is at fault, not you. You can start by phoning the police station and asking for the accident report no. If they have no record of the accident then one will have to be created and if one has been created ask for the no. and the name and no.of the reporting officer. At some point your insurers or the legal people will want it. I know from experience that a police report of the accident is a definite plus for you, apart from the legal requirement to report such accidents.

lexilex

I'm not sure if the PCSO sorted it tbh. I was sat in the car (a shaking and crying mess) whilst my boyfriend talked to the PCSO and the woman. I'll have to see exactly what was said later on (boyf is currently cooking sunday dinner :eek: there is a perk to been stuck in bed!). I'll either give them a ring this afternoon or pop in tomorrow (on my way back from the dentist, absess, so you can imagine how much pain i'm in, on top of the whiplash, lovely!) and see what they have to say. If it's going to help then it's worth doing.

I've another question, I don't know if this is a really stupid question to ask. I've not yet got my travel insurance sorted for my holiday in a couple of weeks time, will I need to mention whiplash to them? Maybe might be better asking this on the travel board. I just now how fussy travel insurance companies can be.

DirectDebacle

In theory when the PCSO attended the scene of the accident then the accident should have been dealt with correctly. That is the PCSO, or a police officer if the PCSO was not qualified to deal with it, should have done the following.
Taken the details of all parties involved including witnesses and short statements. Established if any persons were injured and if medical attention was required. Requested the driver and vehicle documents to be produced and if not available issued a 'producer'. Considered reporting the other driver for driving without due care and attention.

As you were clearly in a state of shock it may well be that your injuries did not become noticeable until sometime later. The PCSO may well have thought at the time that this was a non injury accident but as the scene was attended some record should have been made.

A record may be helpful to you in a variety of ways. One is that a record would show where the 'fault' lies and may help you preserve your NCD particularly if the other driver denies any culpability. She may claim you reversed into her. Ridiculous as it may sound, I have known this to be claimed by a driver rear ending a stationary vehicle.

As far as travel insurance goes insurers usually ask if there are any existing medical conditions. Where this has not been declared and a claim is subsequently made the insurers can refuse the claim even if the injury claimed for is totally unrelated to the pre-existing one. Be honest when filling out your proposal. If you wish contact insurers before buying the travel insurance and see what the quotes are with and without the 'whiplash' being declared. It probably won't make too much difference to the premium.

I do not advise making false statements.

lexilex

I'll let travel insurance know when I sort it then. I had no intentions of lying just wasn't sure if it was something they needed to be made aware of.

I'm having second thoughts about claiming after talking to my mum and dad. They have just said what happens when it comes to looking for insurance next year. They always ask if you have made any claims in the last 3 years. If I say yes over this are my insurance premiums going to go up?

Maybe worth asking this on the insurance board too actually.

anewman

You're going to have made a claim anyway for repairs to your car. It may even be written off yet if the chassis has been bent - it might look ok but the damage could be hidden. Injuries would be added to this claim I believe. So it would only be one claim, which will increase premiums - but at least if you've claimed for injuries you have a little bit of cash to cover the increase.

beccam

lexilex wrote: »

I'll let travel insurance know when I sort it then. I had no intentions of lying just wasn't sure if it was something they needed to be made aware of.

I'm having second thoughts about claiming after talking to my mum and dad. They have just said what happens when it comes to looking for insurance next year. They always ask if you have made any claims in the last 3 years. If I say yes over this are my insurance premiums going to go up?

Maybe worth asking this on the insurance board too actually.

Try not to let it worry you too much about the insurance, if it wasn't you at fault and her insurance pays up it won't neccesarily affect your quote at all. We had a claim when OH was hit by someone and our quote went down the next year. Might not be so lucky next time since I currently have someone claiming against me for rear ending them!!:o
If you are genuinely in pain then I see no reason for you not to claim, not to scare you but OH was in an accident years ago (was quite a bad one) but he was unable to work for weeks and still has problems with his back years later though he was told it was 'only whiplash'.

Yorkshire_Bred

when I had an accident a few years ago I just drove it to a top of the range Repair Center who had a loss adjuster, he sorted the whole thing out. Within the hour I had a replacement vehicle and the repairs were done in a week, all I had to do was inform my Insurance I had been involved in an accident and that the other person had admitted full liability.

It never affected my NCB or premiums whatsoever.