3rd party motor claim - Computer says No

castalla

Briefly, my claim has been refused.

I was involved in an incident where the car in front of me stopped at a junction blocking my way. The passenger got out approached my car and asked for directions. Distracted, my wife was talking to him when he grabbed through the window and snatched her bag. She screamed, I jumped out of the car to give chase - my car then rolled forward off the road and was badly damaged when it crashed slowly into a deep ditch. The third party thieves then disappeared into the distance. I had no recollection of the registration due to shock and distress.

Given the damage occurred through the actions of a third party vehicle, can the insurance argue this was not a third party incident?

vaio

You can argue whatever you like but what actually determines if a claim goes down as “fault” (with attendant future premium loadings, loss of NCB & excess) or “non fault” (where you get to keep your NCB & excess) is whether your insurance company manage to get their outlay repaid by someone else.

If they do it goes down as “non fault”, if they don’t then it goes down as “fault”

InsideInsurance

What do you mean "a third party incident"?

Given the circumstances, and with no one to make a recovery against even if they felt there was an argument to be made, then it will impact your policy going forward.

Quentin

It sounds like two separate issues:

1) The robbery

2) The damage caused to your car when you left the brake off.

They are separate issues, and your insurer will only be interested in the damage issue. In any case unless you can identify the driver/vehicle involved, this is going to be a fault claim irrespective!

FlameCloud

Have you only got Third Party Cover?