Possible vandalism claim after renewal

Cuff

Ok, not sure if I can relate this in a simple, easy to understand way but here it goes!

My car insurance is due for renewal next week but I may have to claim on my existing policy for vandalism that occurred a few weeks ago.

The reason for the uncertainty is that the person who damaged my parked car admitted the damage and was charged by the police as a result. I am in the process of pursuing them for the cost of repair through the small claims court. I have a very strong case but worst case scenario, I can always claim on my car insurance which is soon to expire.

At this stage I don't believe it is classed as a 'pending claim' and it's not an accident (regardless of claim) so I don't see that I need to mention it for new quotes or the renewal. However, if I do have to resort to using my cover to claim retrospectively, it could transpire that a few weeks or months into my new policy, my answer to that question would have to change.

Can anyone direct me or explain what my best course of action would be?

TighterThanTwoCoatsOfPain

you are technically supposed to declare incidents regardless of if you claimed...

If you dont declare it on renewal, i wouldnt count on making a claim later (at least no without your premium being whooped upwards when they apply the loading retrospectively)

Oscar_The_Grouch

Hi there

All insurance policies require you to notify them of an "Event" regardless of whether you intend to claim or not. Essentially, if the policy covers it, you have to tell them.

You can phone your insurers and say "this is for information purposes only, as I'm claiming off the chap that caused the damage", but you still have to tell them about it.

So my recommendation would be to phone your insurers on Monday and let them know what's happening.

Cuff

Thanks for the replies, I note with interest the points you raise. Surely though, if the form specifically asks "any accidents or claims in the last ... years" the answer is truthfully no.

Otherwise it could be argued that every nick, scratch, ding or even stone chip could be classed as an "event" or "incident" which strictly speaking you could claim for?

Quentin

You have been correctly advised. It's up to you whether or not you are prepared to risk the consequences of breaching your policy conditions!

Cuff

How is it a breach of policy conditions?

huckster

Cuff

Unless you have been advised that the vandal will definately pay for the car to be repaired, if I were you, I would contact the Insurers. From experience of advising people many years ago, I found people were often left disapointed by the court system. Even if you were successful, trying to get money off some people is difficult, as it is very difficult to enforce.

Normally if you want to claim, you have to advise Insurers within a certain time period and if you don't meet this requirement, the Insurers could refuse the claim.

If you decided however not to bother with a claim and put all your faith in getting the money from the vandal, then I would not bother to declare, as it not an accident or claim.

darich

Cuff wrote: »

Thanks for the replies, I note with interest the points you raise. Surely though, if the form specifically asks "any accidents or claims in the last ... years" the answer is truthfully no.

Otherwise it could be argued that every nick, scratch, ding or even stone chip could be classed as an "event" or "incident" which strictly speaking you could claim for?

Doesn't it normally ask if you have incurred any "losses" rather than claims? If so then you are obliged to disclose the vandalism.

Quentin

Cuff wrote: »

How is it a breach of policy conditions?

Read up your policy conditions and you will find that you must report all incidents that could lead to a claim whether or not you intend ro claim.

Cuff

Quentin wrote: »

Read up your policy conditions and you will find that you must report all incidents that could lead to a claim whether or not you intend ro claim.

So, applying that reasoning, a 'ding' in the door from a supermarket trolly shoud be disclosed?

Cuff

huckster wrote: »

Cuff

Unless you have been advised that the vandal will definately pay for the car to be repaired, if I were you, I would contact the Insurers. From experience of advising people many years ago, I found people were often left disapointed by the court system. Even if you were successful, trying to get money off some people is difficult, as it is very difficult to enforce.

Normally if you want to claim, you have to advise Insurers within a certain time period and if you don't meet this requirement, the Insurers could refuse the claim.

If you decided however not to bother with a claim and put all your faith in getting the money from the vandal, then I would not bother to declare, as it not an accident or claim.

Thanks Huckster, you sound like you know what you are on about and your comments make sense to me. I am very confident about winning the case anyway and will enforce the order with bailffs so I'm not worried about getting the money if all goes as it should. It's just bad timing that my renewal is due before the court case.