Car hit by a fire engine, any claim advice plz

dizzydusty

Hi,

Boyfriends, parked and empty car has just been hit by a fire engine. Fireman knocked his door and let him know. Not sure yet how bad the damage is.

B/f is having a fit as he thinks he's going to have to foot the bill for the repair and loose his excess, however I say that it is the Fire Services liability and therefore they should pay for the repairs.

Are fire engines covered under crown property and therefore not insured? If so, who does his insurers make a claim against and how easy is this likely to be??

Thanks in advance

Dizzy

Quentin

Just report this to your insurer and let them sort it. Whatever the outcome, your b/f won't have to pay for the repairs and his excess!

If he does end up having to pay the excess, then he can claim it back from the third party (or use any uninsured loss recovery/legal costs cover if he has this with his policy).

vaio

He'll certainly have to inform his insurance company but most relevant threads on here point towards not claiming on his insurance or using a claims management company but dealing directly with the third party insurance company.

I suspect the Fire Service self insures so there will be someone at their HQ who will deal with it.

jonnyd281

Silly question but (and not saying this is what happened) but if your boyfriend had parked his car in such a way that the only way the fire engine could get by was to hit his car would they (the fire brigade) still be liable?

gazza975526570

jonnyd281 wrote: »

Silly question but (and not saying this is what happened) but if your boyfriend had parked his car in such a way that the only way the fire engine could get by was to hit his car would they (the fire brigade) still be liable?

Yes. They hit a parked car - there is no argument

jonnyd281

gazza975526570 wrote: »

Yes. They hit a parked car - there is no argument

Isn't there something that says when you park your supposed to leave enough room for a fire engine or ambulance to get past in an emergency?

Doozergirl

jonnyd281 wrote: »

Isn't there something that says when you park your supposed to leave enough room for a fire engine or ambulance to get past in an emergency?

It hardly entitles them to crash into your car if you didn't though?!

jonnyd281

No if it's not an emergency it doesn't, and it was a hyperthetical question - if a fire engine crashes into a parked car going to an emergency because the car is parked in such a way that they can't get through who is responsible?

lisyloo

It hardly entitles them to crash into your car if you didn't though?!

Oh absolutely they are entitled to, if lives are at stake, then propery is secondary.
It's very sad you think property that can be replaced is more important than people's lives.

They will try to move it first if that is at all possible (bouncing it with 8 men), so this is an absolute last resort, but when lives are at stake YES your car comes second, it can be replaced later.

if a fire engine crashes into a parked car going to an emergency because the car is parked in such a way that they can't get through who is responsible?

Sorry I can't definitely answer that.
I'd say they weren't negligent if it was a last resort to save lives after every other possibiilty had been considered, but that's not the same as liability, so I don't know.
I'd say if they didn't crash into the car and someone died, then they'd possibly be facing getting sued for negligence.

vaio

Necessity is a defence to most things criminal & civil and would give the driver legal excuse to cause the damage but wouldn’t absolve him from liability for the damage caused.