Tesco want me to pay excess - is it right?

lawtz04

Hi

Today as i was driving along (not fast) and a car pulled out of a carpark junction without looking or stopping and i couldnt stop in time and my bonnet met the front driver side of his landrover.

I took his details but didnt ask if he accepted responsibility as i presumed it was a given as he pulled out of the junction withiut looking.

I phoned tesco insurance (my insurer) when i came in from work and they have arranged a local garage to repair my car but i will have to pay the 250 excess until the other drivers insurance accepts responsibility.

Is that right? What if the deny responsibility? I dont feel like i should pay anything.

Advice needed!!

Quentin

Your excess isn't covered by your policy, so they are quite correct in insisting you pay it.

They seem better than most insurers in that they will refund you if the other side are found liable. (Though they probably will want paying back by the third party first before they refund you). Usually you have to chase the third party yourself (or use a solicitor or any "legal cover" you might have)

Next time you are involved in an incident where you are not to blame, consider pursuing the third party insurer instead of claiming off your own policy.

If they agree to accept your claim then you won't have any issue over excess etc.

lawtz04

I wasnt intending to claim off my own policy?! Its their fault, i just called my insurance to let them know. Have i done this wrong then?!

McKneff

lawtz04 wrote: »

I wasnt intending to claim off my own policy?! Its their fault, i just called my insurance to let them know. Have i done this wrong then?!

You should have told your insurance specifically that it was for 'information only' and then contacted the third party directly to claim off them yourself, that way there is no faffing on with excess paying and getting it back later.

Torry_Quine

lawtz04 wrote: »

I wasnt intending to claim off my own policy?! Its their fault, i just called my insurance to let them know. Have i done this wrong then?!

You haven't done anything wrong. Your claim will be off your own policy for now and when the other company admits laibility then the money will be paid to your company and it becomes a non-fault claim. If they don't accept responsibility they won't pay up and it will be a fault claim.

mothershipton

no you have done the right thing, you claim off your policy then your insurer gets the money off their insurer assuming they accept liability. Its a bit worrying that you are driving around not understanding how car insurance works though.

FreddieM

mothershipton wrote: »

no you have done the right thing, you claim off your policy then your insurer gets the money off their insurer assuming they accept liability. Its a bit worrying that you are driving around not understanding how car insurance works though.

I would say that not understanding how insurance works is normal. They readily confuse their customers with various clauses and liabilities. And now some of them are doubling the excesses, ie VOLUNTARY excess is in addition to the standard excess required. Also many drivers don't even know a lot about their cars, I notice that some cars don't even have indicators on them..... Which says a lot about the standard of driving in the UK. The OP has done the right thing, even though it's a long journey to recover the excess