Insurance Complaint - Advice Please

22Dreams_2

Hi, I was wondering if anyone in the know could offer me some advice please.

I went into the back of a car on a roundabout (accept it's my fault even though 3rd party pull out and then stopped even though nothing was coming)
Both cars had no visible damage. Exchanged insurance details and personal details and said if after investigation the 3rd party discovered any damage contact me direct and I would pay without insurance involvement.
Police were driving by, pulled up along side commented that there appeared to be no damage but were we ok? Both said yes.
Heard nothing from 3rd party until my insurance company contacted me to say 3rd party was making a personal injury claim.

I rang my insurance company and requested that they were not to proceed with the claim as I wanted them to contact 3rd party to advise them that I wished to contact the police for a statement and advise I wanted to dispute the 3rd party's claim. This all happened in July this year.

The crux of it is, since my phone call to my insurance company in July I haven't heard anything from them until this week when they advised me that my NCB protection would be removed on renewal as I had made 2 claims within a rolling period (another bump about a month ago. Not me driving another insured driver, I'm not that accident prone - honest!)

My question is if I asked them not to proceed without advising me first thus allowing me time to contact the police who witnessed the aftermath of the accident and to state my dispute of 3rd party's claim, how do I stand with regard making a complaint to the Insurance Ombudsman about my insurance company for the complete disregard of my wishes and that they never even advised me that they had made a payment for PI claim against my insurance. (If car hadn't been in another accident I wouldn't even know now that the PI claim went ahead).

Another question, my insurance company advise that an assessor looked at 3rd party's car to access whether any damage was consistent with 3rd party's injuries which was what enabled them to pay 3rd parties claim, would that be right as they didn't even ask to look at my car, is that fair as 3rd party could have been involved in another accident subsequently.

Sorry it's so long, I'm absolutely fuming and wondered if it was worth complaining to the Ombudsman, I'm hoping they will reinstate my NCB protection. :mad:

Thanks so much in advance for those who persisted with my post and can offer any advice.

dunstonh

I had made 2 claims within a rolling period (another bump about a month ago. Not me driving another insured driver, I'm not that accident prone - honest

Statistically, it is quite common for people to have a second bump in quick succession even when its not their fault. This is often why insurers will increase the price even on non fault claims.

I went into the back of a car on a roundabout (accept it's my fault even though 3rd party pull out and then stopped even though nothing was coming)

that, coupled with the claim that followed suggests it may have been planned by the other driver and is one of those fraudulent/planned claims you read so much about.

You need to get past the first line of contact at the insurance company. Unfortunatly, this means that you probably have to raise a complaint otherwise the front line will just keep fobbing you off. You may not get anywhere with your complaint as its largely up to the insurance company how they settle your complaint. However, it may draw their attention to what on paper looks awfully suspicious.