None Fault Accident - Act of God

wibbs01

My van was recently hit when parked outside my house.
I have found out today that the 3rd parties insurance will not cover them as they claim it was an act of god.

The 3rd party had a stroke at the wheel and hit over 20 cars within a short period of time.

As it stands if what i have been told is correct my only options are either claim on my own insurance or continue to drive my van with dents all down one side..

Anyone any ideas?

thanks

Quentin

What you have been told is correct.

Though another option is to pay yourself.

Annoyingly this will have to be disclosed even if you do pay yourself.

InsideInsurance

Unless you can prove they knew about being seriously unwell prior to getting in their car then it is an act of god an no ones fault

System

Some stuff here on acts of God:

http://www.carinsurancequote.net/insurance-and-natural-disasters.html

It depends on the policy. Elephant for example specifically say they cover acts of God.
http://www.elephant.co.uk/help/jargon.php

Quentin

You misunderstand.

All comprehensive policies would cover you. As does the ops.

But it means making a claim and paying your excess and losing ncd even though you are innocent.

olly300

wibbs01 wrote: »

As it stands if what i have been told is correct my only options are either claim on my own insurance or continue to drive my van with dents all down one side..

Anyone any ideas?

thanks

What you are told is correct.

Depending on the age of the van and the cost to fix the dents, it may be more cost effective to drive with the dents in it.

I would ask a local body shop how much it would cost to fix it.

thenudeone

Insurers only pay out if they are obliged to by either criminal or civil law. The latter usually requires their insured to be at fault for the accident. If the insured isn't to blame, they won't pay out.

I presume the police were involved? Ask for a copy of their report.

There was a very similar case some time ago. The police report included information that the driver was driving against medical advice. This was enough to persuade his insurance company to pay out, because the driver was at least partly to blame for the accident.

System

thenudeone wrote: »

If the insured isn't to blame, they won't pay out.

.

You mean if I have a tyre blow out because of a nail dropped entirely accidentally by an unknown person, and it causes an accident, my insurance won't pay out because I wasn't to blame?

Quentin

Clifford_Pope wrote: »

You mean if I have a tyre blow out because of a nail dropped entirely accidentally by an unknown person, and it causes an accident, my insurance won't pay out because I wasn't to blame?

Be a bit harsh saying God dropped the nail!

Dangermac

Clifford_Pope wrote: »

You mean if I have a tyre blow out because of a nail dropped entirely accidentally by an unknown person, and it causes an accident, my insurance won't pay out because I wasn't to blame?

If you are Comprehensively insured, you will be covered for the damage to your vehicle.

Whether the 3rd party that you hit would be able to recover their costs from you (or your insurer) would be a legal matter. Could you be deemed to be negligent in any way?

Ultimately, you would be covered. Whether the 3rd party coUld make a successful claim against you would need to be decided in relation to the law.

DM

dacouch

Clifford_Pope wrote: »

You mean if I have a tyre blow out because of a nail dropped entirely accidentally by an unknown person, and it causes an accident, my insurance won't pay out because I wasn't to blame?

The person that hit the OPs car was going through what is called "Automatism"

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/8370674.stm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Automatism

http://www.accident-compensation-people-uk.co.uk/news-mp-calls-for-car-crash-compensation-change.htm

At the moment it's a specific defence against liability in a road traffic accident