Car Insurance

bj_of_bristol

A few months ago I was involved in a accident in a supermarket car park. Basically myself and the other driver both reversed out of parking spaces opposite each other and collided. There was not much damage but we agreed to exchange details.

Later that day I reported the accident to my insurance company and was asked if I wished the claims advisor to speak to me before making a decision over blame, which I agreed to.

So I was shocked the next day when there was a message on the answer machine advising me that my Insurers had accepted blame for the accident. I imediately called them and it transpired that they thought I had reversed into a moving car. Apparently the other driver had misled them. They immediately withdrew blame but expected it would end up 50/50. They also agreed that the claims advisor was at fault and would be spoken to.

I have ended up referring the case to the ombudsmen as I have not got a satisfactory response from them. They have offered to repay my excess + £50 for any stress caused, but what I was really hoping for was that they would remove the accident recorded against my protected no-claims.

What I would like to know is as the claims advisor was at fault and did not follow procedure is it worth my while rejecting the offer and trying to get the accident removed from my insurance.

dacouch

If you have both reversed out of opposite spaces at the same time and collided the claim is likely to be deemed 50/50. This basically means each insurer pays 50% of their own clients damage and 50% of the other drivers damage.

In light of the above it is very unlikely your Insurer will remove the accident from your record as if they had not made the mistake you would still have an accident registered against you.

The offer of reimbersing your excess plus £50 is a fairly generous offer as without the mistake you would have only received 50% back of your excess assuming the accident was deemed 50/50

bj_of_bristol

Thanks dacouch

I did wonder about the excess as they sent me a cheque refunding 50% of my excess about a month ago.

What really annoys me is the bad customer service, they either sent me misleading information, or no information at all. I appreciate that the accident may have ended up 50/50 anyway but I believe once they had initially accepted blame there was no way the other insurance company was going to later accept blame.

The fact that they are now offering me compensation leads me to believe they accept they were in the wrong. You have confirmed my thoughts on the matter that they are unlikely to remove the accident from my record.

iamana1ias

bj_of_bristol wrote: »

Basically myself and the other driver both reversed out of parking spaces opposite each other and collided.

Which is why you should either reverse into the space or look where you're going when you reverse out!

bj_of_bristol

iamana1ias wrote: »

Which is why you should either reverse into the space or look where you're going when you reverse out!

Cheeky. I had almost reversed out and the other driver hit me straight on. Thats why the damage to my car was on the left hand corner of my bumber and central on the other drivers car.

iamana1ias

bj_of_bristol wrote: »

Cheeky. I had almost reversed out and the other driver hit me straight on. Thats why the damage to my car was on the left hand corner of my bumber and central on the other drivers car.

still wouldn't have happened if you'd reversed in, or, having seen the other driver about to hit you, leaned on the horn

bj_of_bristol

iamana1ias wrote: »

still wouldn't have happened if you'd reversed in, or, having seen the other driver about to hit you, leaned on the horn

OK OK its if's and but's is'nt it! if i had done this or but what if I had done that.

You have obviously never had an accident or a near miss, Mr Perfect.

I was looking for advice not sarky comments.

iamana1ias

bj_of_bristol wrote: »

OK OK its if's and but's is'nt it! if i had done this or but what if I had done that.

You have obviously never had an accident or a near miss, Mr Perfect.

I was looking for advice not sarky comments.

That's Miss Perfect

And I've not once had an accident in a car park, no.

bj_of_bristol

iamana1ias wrote: »

still wouldn't have happened if you'd reversed in, or, having seen the other driver about to hit you, leaned on the horn

iamana1ias wrote: »

That's Miss Perfect

And I've not once had an accident in a car park, no.

One accident in 25 years driving. How many accidents will you have had by then.

iamana1ias

bj_of_bristol wrote: »

One accident in 25 years driving. How many accidents will you have had by then.

I've been driving for 17 years without any so the odds look good for none in 25.

Mind you, I'll steer clear of Bristol, just in case

rev_henry

Even if the accident was entirely the 3rd pary's fault it would still go down on your insurance record. Your insurers seem to have done everything as normal to me, apart from customer service of course, which usually leaves a lot to be desired tbh.