Looking for some advice about a hit & run

biscuitdunker

KatP wrote: »

There is a time limit, to recover the cost of your vehicle it is 9 months so get a lawyer now, do not delay. Call your home insurance and ask if you have legal cover. If you are a union member you may have cover through your union or with certain bank accounts (normally the ones you pay a fee for). If not don't worry, post your geographic area and I'll suggest a couple of possible firms. But you need to act quickly.

Chippy - what do you mean????

Thanks for this, I'm in north London. I'm actually still living at home, so it would be my dad's home insurance, really not sure it would cover me! I'm freelance, so not a union member either!

Chippy_Minton_2

KatP wrote: »

Chippy - what do you mean????

My understanding of the MIB is that they cover uninsured/untraced drivers. Out of this collision there is a court case. The accused could turn up at court and admit everything (Unlikely we know). So until the matter is dealt with a court how do we know we've got an uninsured driver?

Katie-Kat-Kins

If she admits it was her driving and is insured then her insurance take over the claim. Better for everyone! And if the police were minded to do so they could have her for failing to stop and wasting police time!

Chippy_Minton_2

Also from the MIB site.

We will need a police report if liability is in dispute, conflicting evidence is presented
or any person is seriously injured. It can take some time to obtain a police report, as

the police can not release the report until criminal prosecutions are concluded.


They won't get involved until the court case is finalised.

Chippy_Minton_2

KatP wrote: »

There is a time limit, to recover the cost of your vehicle it is 9 months so get a lawyer now

Where did you get that from?

Three years for injury and six for property.

Katie-Kat-Kins

The MIB website, FAQ section, checked it because the agreement has changed since I dealt with this type of claim.

The crucial thing is getting the claim registered ASAP, the MIB may not deal with it until after the court proceedings (although these are for failure to nominate rather than relating to the facts of the case so may not be an issue) but you still need to lodge the claim urgently.

Further if OP gets no win no fee solicitors (they will normally deal with MIB claims if there is an injury) a solicitors letter about a nice expesive claim being made might just prompt her to tell her insurers.

Chippy_Minton_2

biscuitdunker wrote: »

I also had to go to hospital for some minor injuries.

Nonetheless, it is helpful if you contact MIB as quickly as possible and you should note that applications under the agreement can only be considered if they are received within three years of the date of accident for personal injury or 9 months in respect of property damage claims.

So he has three years?

biscuitdunker

May I just mention that my insurer did tell me that the other driver (if it is her) IS insured, but that she was refusing to reply to contacts made by her own insurer asking whether she was involved in the collision. I eventually stopped ringing my insurer to check whether they had made any progress because I thought that maybe the registration was wrong, as my insurers did say that this could be the case. Now that the police are charging her, I know the registration may not have been wrong. Is it worth getting back in touch with my old insurers to see if they can help me? I'm not with them anymore, so the answer will most likely be a no..

Premier_2

If you were insured 3rd party, your insurer won't be interested in any claim you have, only in any possible claim being made against you, which since she hasn't contacted her insurance company sounds like there wont be.

biscuitdunker

Premier wrote: »

If you were insured 3rd party, your insurer won't be interested in any claim you have, only in any possible claim being made against you, which since she hasn't contacted her insurance company sounds like there wont be.

Yeah I remember looking into this at the time, there was the possibility that if she was cooperative, that it could all have been sorted out by my insurer claiming through her's, but since she wouldn't respond to her own insurer, my insurer didn't pursue it any further. This aside, since she does or did apparently have insurance at the time, does this make it easier for me to claim through MIB since they will be able to claim back the money from her insurer?
I am definitely going to look up a no win no fee, but if anyone has any good suggestions of firms in North London, I'd be really grateful!