Car and wife hit by another car!

Ivrytwr3

The other day OH was picking up kiddies from school. By the time she got back to the car school had been over approx 15 minutes. She told one child to get into the back (4 years) and the other she carried onto the road and started to strap into the back (3 years old).

It was raining heavily, to the front of our car was a parked car with a mum doing the same, strapping a child into the back seat on the road side. Across the road were another two mums walking home after picking up their children.

All of a sudden there was a huge bang and our car door struck my OH in the upper leg and lower back, causing her to fall onto our daughter. Daughter not hurt, but both kids screaming hysterically!

OH dazed and hurt, but composes herself and takes a look around. All 3 women are pointing at a car and yelling that the driver was going to fast.

It seems that the other driver had dodged the car in front of ours and then struck our back door with their wing mirror (their wing mirror was hanging off by wires and there were pieces of it on the floor; fortunately only minor damage to ours).

Other driver kept apologising and saying she didn't see our car door open and all witnesses confirm our version of event.

Now..........the husband of crazy driver contacted me and i said that as there was only minor damage to our car as long as it was paid for i don't mind if if the insurance companies are involved. He stated he wanted to go through the insurance. So i have started a claim against him.

Any idea why he would WANT to involve the insurance? I appreciate it keeps it all legal and correct, but i would have been happy with getting a quote for the damage and if it was too much for them THEN involve the insurance, but if it is only say £50 to repair?????

Quentin

All incidents have to be reported to the insurer. (You must inform yours as well).

The third party here may have NCD protection, and as you don't pay any excess for damage done to third parties by letting his insurer deal with it it cuts out all the hassle for him. Also, his liability may not be cut and dried, so he is letting the insurer decide on this - which is what you pay them for.

Also any other claims that turn up (maybe PI, car hire, loss of earnings etc) are verified by the insurer, so it cuts out any future problems if you let your insurer deal with everything.

Should the eventual final cost be minimal, one can reimburse their insurer and have any NCD lost as a result of the claim reinstated.

Paradigm

Possibly he's just taking precautions in the event of a personal injury claim which would run to far more than the damage to your car.

Keith

Perhaps they consider that you opened your door and caused the accident? It's an offence to open your door into oncoming traffic

Ivrytwr3

witnesses all state that OH already had the car open before the other driver showed up. I personally beleive she was late picking up kids, but can't prove that.

davemorton

Perhaps he was hoping that you would not pursue it if it had to go through the insurance, if it was only a small claim.

Ivrytwr3

yeah, quite possibly. When he said "I'd like to go through the insurance" I said i would do whichever, but if he wanted to go through the insurance, i would start my claim when i got home" He did look a bit crest fallen; lol!

Quentin

davemorton wrote: »

Perhaps he was hoping that you would not pursue it if it had to go through the insurance, if it was only a small claim.

It makes no difference how small the claim is, both insurers have to be informed.

And were one party to simply pay up to the other, then they leave themselves open to future claims turning up for associated problems turning up (PI, "hidden damage" coming to light etc)

mikey72

A mirror for his car could be upwards of £100, maybe £200+ fitted. What's the minor damage? New door skin, re-spraying? It soon adds up.

Zazen999

Company car?

hewhoisnotintheknow

Im waiting for the "should of walked to school" post