Car insurance - not my fault - will I lose my no claims?

DanS

I've got Third Party Fire and Theft cover for my car and am just a month away from renewal. I was due to get two years no claims discount.

This morning I was in the outside lane on a dual carriageway when the car on the inside lane pulled into the side of me as I was passing and has scraped the side of the car and caused damage around my rear wheel arch. She had more damage on her car at the front-right corner of the car.

We have exchanged details and she has told me that it was her fault.

Just wondered if someone could tell me the best way to proceed from here? Am I right in thinking that I have to tell my insurance company even though it was not my fault? Should I pass them her details and will they pursue the claim through her insurance company even though I only have TPFT cover? Is there any benefit of dealing with her insurance company directly or getting an estimate for the repair and asking her to pay?

I would be grateful for any advice.

Many thanks

Daniel

livinginhope

Hi DanS
You have to inform your insurance company,give them all details of the accident and they will sort it.If the accident was not your fault,you will not lose your no claims discount,it makes no difference if you are fully comp or 3rd party
Good luck.

uberzoldat

Someone reversed into me once, and I was told I needed to inform my own insurance company even though it wasn't my fault, so I called the insurers, and they said they didn't need to know. Maybe different insurers deal with it differently.

I got the number of the "offender's" insurance company, and called them myself, and they arranged for an inspector to call and check the damage, and they sorted everything from there.

Best to check with your insurance company and ask them if you need to inform them if you have an accident that isn't your fault.

Dazza.mk_2

It's probably better to inform your insurance company as I've had a couple of ocassions where people have admitted liability at the scene and later refuted that they have said so.

In terms of if you'll lose your no claims, that only happens if your insurer has to pay out money that they can't reclaim from a 3rd party (assuming no no-claims protection), in your case as its 3rd party only the other driver would have to claim for their damage against your insurer.

mattymoo

Notify your own insurance company "For Information Only". That way they know about the incident in case the other party plays silly beggars and try to say it was your fault.

If you have legal expenses cover - normally sold as a £15-20 bolt on cover, ask the legal expenses insurer to pursue claim on your behalf. They will appoint a solictor for you who will deal with the other drivers insurance company.

If you decide to deal direct with their insurer, you may get lucky. Some more enlightened companies choose to treat third parties (i.e. you) as a policyholder and settle repair costs with the garage and even offer a hire car. They do this because a) it means they control the cost of the claim and hopefully reduce it and b) if they do a good job, you may select them as your next insurer.

Other companies treat third parties like second class citizens though in which case, the legal expenses route is the best.