Car Accident querie

doelani

I have fully cpmp car insurance and in 20 years have never had to claim. Yesterday hubby had accident when someone drove into him and looks like car will be written off. Hubby and son where in ca and both seen doc today as they have whiplash.

Insurance company arranged for our car to go to be assessed and to have curtousy car. Other driver admitted to police he was on wrong side of road and going to fast so he could not avoid hitting my hubby as he went around a corner on country road.

My querie is....

Am I right in thinking that my insurance company will arrange for car to be fixed and if not possible then we will recieved the value ( I know it will probally not be what we think it will take to replace it ) then the insurance company will persue to other drivers insurance company to claim this money back?

Son and hubby want to claim for personal in injury. Does my insurance company deal with this or do we have to see solicitor to claim off other drivers insurance?


I could only phone emergency line for my insurance and they said have to call back on tuesday ref personal injuries. I am worried now that I am going to lose my no claims bonus and thet if my car is writen off it will take months to sort this out.

Anyone any idea how long this usually takes?

thanks

The_Economist

Have you checked your policy to see if it has legal cover?
If you have legal cover you should get the choice of the insurance company sorting everything out or an appointed solicitor as far as i know. Best thing to do is read your policy.

doelani

it does not mention on policy about legal cover but I am sure it is cover, again cannot check this until Tuesday

ben500

doelani wrote: »

it does not mention on policy about legal cover but I am sure it is cover, again cannot check this until Tuesday

Most policies nowadays will have some sort of legal cover even if it is just access to a legal helpline, it's the extent of the cover that matters, phone your insurers Tuesday and ask them to post you a copy of your full policy cover and policy booklet to ensure you have the most recent and accurate information. If you have a policy booklet any legal helpline number will be inside the front or back cover of the booklet.

doelani

Just checked renewal and it states

"....including Capita Legal Expenses cover...."


so I take it we have some sort of legal cover, wish I could speak to someone before Tuesday, but just have to wait. I take it this will only cover hubby and if son wants to claim of other driver we wll have to see solicitor.

mattymoo

doelani wrote: »

Just checked renewal and it states

"....including Capita Legal Expenses cover...."


so I take it we have some sort of legal cover, wish I could speak to someone before Tuesday, but just have to wait. I take it this will only cover hubby and if son wants to claim of other driver we wll have to see solicitor.

Normally it will cover family members so your son will be okay.
If there is any suggestion your husband was partly to blame (i.e. the other driver starts to change their story) then the legal expenses people (Capita) will appoint a different solicitor for your son to avoid a conflict of interest.

The_Economist

doelani wrote: »

Just checked renewal and it states

"....including Capita Legal Expenses cover...."


so I take it we have some sort of legal cover, wish I could speak to someone before Tuesday, but just have to wait. I take it this will only cover hubby and if son wants to claim of other driver we wll have to see solicitor.

In my experience your son will not have to make a seperate claim. Your insurance company will help you to get it sorted.

doelani

thanks guys, cannot see other driver changing his mind, Police more or less said if he denied it was his fault they would charge him with dangerous driving.

Will let you know how I get on on tuesday when Insurance company opens again

agaveworm

Under these circumstances, commonly, your insurance company is only interested in the damage to your car. Insurers won't assist you with the PI claim (it's uninsured), this will be handled by Capita. Also, bear in mind that if your Insurer is repairing the car, there could be a chance that they may send you the bill for the excess (another job for Capita).

agaveworm

doelani wrote: »

...Police more or less said if he denied it was his fault they would charge him with dangerous driving.....

I love it when the Police stick their oars in. The amount of times I've heard a claimant say "Well the Police said it would be a write off!, The Police said it wasn't my fault!" etc.

On a different note; so if this chap admits that it's his fault - the Police will let him off a Dangerous Driving?!? Was he driving dangerously or not?

trinidadone

Actually i have experienced a very simular car accident in November 2004. A car came towards me and we hit each other head on. I was convinced the other driver was in the wrong, as half his car was on my side of the road. My car was a complete right off, it took months to sort out, especially as the other guy did not accept liability and worse had a "friend" pretending to be a independent whitness. a "real" independent whitness was there, and confirmed the other car was on my side of the road, seems like he had made a number of claims during the same year (boy racer!!).

He tried to claim for whiplash, which was lies, and we were both only going between 20 - 30mph.

the insurance company gave me the full amount i put on the value of the car (3k). I also got my excess back. My no claims bonus was deducted by two points during the claim process (you will lose your no claims bonus during investigation), hope this helps