Loss of car insurance excess

Harlan2

A car reversed out in front of me from a lay by, I stopped in time but it reversed into the front of my car after I had stopped.

I was shaken up from the accident and the person only gave me a mobile phone number, I called her as soon as I got home and managed to get her address but see said she was out and did not have her insurance details to hand.

My insurance company said that they would take the car in for repair on the basis of the information that I had given them, but that I would have to pay the excess of £350, the person I spoke to explained that if I could find the persons registration number then they could claim my excess back from the other persons insurance, I went around their house and wrote the registration number down.

Now some time has passed I have recieved no further information from the insurance company and it appears that they are doing nothing to recalm costs from the other parties insurance, is there anything I can do?

McKneff

Make a nuisance of yourself to your insurance company, ring them every day.

You were far too trusting to be honest, presumably yu got her reg no.

In future, if you are the innocent party, deal directly with their insurance,as long as they admit liability. It is so much easier and everything is sorted out quicker. no messing around with excess and getting it back.

Like I say, push, push push your ins. company.

forgotmyname

Phone them and show you want it back and wont give up until you do.

Your best option would have been to contact the 3rd party's insurance directly. If they admitted liability.

No loss of excess and no claim on your policy. If they dispute this now and say it was your fault you may lose that excess and no claims.

Harlan2

Thank you for both of the replies.

She said that is was her boyfriends car so had to go home to get the details, I don't know what I could have done as she did not have the details with her, I could not (legally) stop her from driving away.

I did manage to get her registration number by going to her house later in the evening, I saw the car parked outside and just wrote the number down. I then phoned her and she told me that she could not even give me the registration number as her boyfriend had gone out in the car which was clearly a lie, because it was parked outside. She also said that she would send the me insurance details by email which predicably didn't happen.


Given that their (big) car had very minor damage nothing more than a scratch and a missing reflector strip on the rear bumper I guess that they will now probably denie that the accident ever happened at all.

My yaris had a broken front bumper which has cost £850 to renew.

Quentin

Your excess isn't covered by your insurance.

it's an uninsured loss which you need to sort out yourself.

Either diy or if you have legal cover with your policy then get them to sort it for you.

Harlan2

My understand was that the excess would be paid by the other parties insurance unless the accident was my fault.

Not sure what you mean by "sort out yourself" presumablly I just have to pay it which I have done?

I do have legal cover with my policy, but don't know what you mean by "get them to sort it for you", is them the other driver or my insurance company and what exactly do I ask them to do?

Quentin

Your understanding is correct.

You have to claim it yourself which is what I mean by 'sort it'.

Ask the legal cover dept to pursue the third party and get it back for you.

Harlan2

ok thank you,

forgotmyname

I wonder if she was actually insured?

thenudeone

If an accident occurs which involves damage only, all parties MUST provide each other with their name, address, registration number, and the name and address of the car's owner (if different). If they don't do so at the scene they MUST report the accident to police as soon as practicable, within an absolute maximum of 24 hours.
http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1988/52/section/170

I suggest that you report the accident to police in person straight away and make clear that the third party has refused to provide you with the information that they are obliged to provide by law.

If you didn't give the other driver your details at the time then you have an obligation to report the accident to police as soon as practicable, or else you will be committing an offence. The police should record the details and you should be given an incident number.

They may try to fob you off but you should insist that you are effectively the victim of a hit and run accident and want the matter investigated appropriately. Make a complaint if necessary.

For all you know, the other party has already reported to police that you hit them and drove away without giving your details. If you don't report it to police, you will be the one who's in most trouble.