Advice Please Regarding Accident

Diamond78

As I was driving home with my son today, we was driving along in an area where there has been a lot of road works and due to this temporary traffic lights have been put up. Traffic was very slow moving for ages and I was going quite slow when the lights changed from amber to red in which I stopped and the van hit us from behind. I have never been involved in an accident and think Im still in a bit of shock as Im shaking and my son screamed his back hurt. Luckily there was a woman and her child who witnessed it and so did a shop, who gave me their details and said they saw what happened and would give a statement. My bumper is damaged with a dent and what looks like small cuts in a few places and a slight crack in the right light area. My main concern was my son so I was a bit shakey when it happened. the driver gave me his name, company details and reg number. I asked if the police should be called but he said there was no need as we were exchanging details.

As soon as I got home, i took my son to the doctors and he said he had mild whiplash and that he should not attend swimming or football as this could make it worse but only for a month and gave my son some paracetamol. Hopefully he will recover and it won't cause no long term damage as neither of us have ever suffered from whiplash

I am with tesco car insurance, fully comp and have phoned them with all the details. Tesco said my car will be taken into repair by one of their approved car mechanics and repaired and I will also get a courtesy car for up to 14 days. My excess is £550 which is what I am confused about. Does this mean that is what I have to pay that amount once the car has been repaired? I paid £700 to buy the car I don't have that kind of money to pay the excess. It would not be worth it. If damage is not too bad and it is only the bumper would that cost a lot of money to repair? Sorry for all the questions. Tesco also said they would instruct a solicitor to get in touch with us for the injury to my son but it all seems to much for me to take in right now, I feel like crying and a bit to scared to drive again.

cyclonebri1

Put it in the hands of your insurers, everything is in your favour. :T

Do not exagerate your claim, you/we will all pay for it in the long run , (not suggesting you would for a moment).

Go to bed, low speed collision, no one seriously hurt, it will seem a whole lot simpler tommorrow. ;)



It's actually the best accident you can have in a modern car, if there is such a thing as a "best accident"

mcjordi

the excess is only payable if the car is repaired.. if its written off then the excess is normally deducted from any settlement.. but bare in mind your policy may also come to and end with the write off and if you pay monthly the remaining premium may also come out of any settlement..

glad your ok though..

magpiecottage

As you have taken your son to the doctor, it is as well to let the Police know.

This is simply to protect your own position because an accident involving an injury should be reported within 24 hours. What you don't want is the Police coming after you for not reporting it. A phone call should be sufficient.

McKneff

stop worrying OP, the accident was a no fault (on your part) accident and you will not have to pay anything at all.
Let your insurer deal with it all, after all, thats what you pay them for.

Just give the facts as they happened and also to the solicitor for your child.

But please, stop worrying.

King_Nothing

magpiecottage wrote: »

As you have taken your son to the doctor, it is as well to let the Police know.

This is simply to protect your own position because an accident involving an injury should be reported within 24 hours. What you don't want is the Police coming after you for not reporting it. A phone call should be sufficient.

Never heard of that like. Got a claim currently going through, with no involvement from the police needed at all.

spadoosh

Didnt think you had to pay excess in a third party claim!? i didnt anyway

King_Nothing

I didn't I did however recieve a letter saying I would have to, then claim it back, but I think that was all sorted out when it was passed on to the claim management company, and not the insurers directly.

vein

spadoosh wrote: »

Didnt think you had to pay excess in a third party claim!? i didnt anyway

Thats what I thought too. Surely the only person who should worry about excess is the van driver (or his company)?

Diamond78

Thank you everyone for all your advice. I am a bit more confused now, not on your side with the advice you have given but by a friend I have asked an also a mechanic. I took my car to my local garage and he said that the damage is between £500 to £700 or it could possibly be a write off as it is an old car with high mileage. When I got the car it was 123,000( I know very high but I knew nothing about cars when I brought it so my own fault for not looking into things) The mileage is now just over 124,000. The mechanic said I shouldn't claim through Tesco as I would have to pay the excess and then if im lucky to try and claim it back through Tesco. He said I should go through one of those accident management companys as I would not have to pay anything then. However my friend told me to go through Tesco and that I shouldn't have to pay the excess. But if the mechanic is right and the damage is between £500-£700, then am I right to think I would then have to pay? Also, the company that will be repairing my car, do they repair it first or do they check it then inform me of the cost? And if the car is a right off then I won't be getting the amount I paid for the car and I would still have to pay the excess, that is what the mechanic also told me.

I do feel a lot better now, thank you and I will try and not let it put me off but driving in south london is really horrible so I only drive to get my food shopping, to my brothers and to take my son swimming lol.

Hammyman

spadoosh wrote: »

Didnt think you had to pay excess in a third party claim!? i didnt anyway

If its repaired by your insurers before the third party pays out then yes you pay and then its reclaimed from the third party. This is where legal cover comes in useful sometimes.