Car Insurance Payout

Mrz_Evz

Hi I'm looking for some advice. At the beginning of the year we had a bump in our car. We were at a standstill at a very busy roundabout, the woman in front pulled off, my husband looked to the right to see if it was ok so we pulled off not realising that the woman in front had stopped suddenly and we went in to the back of her. It was the first bump we have ever been involved in and we were both more concerned for this woman rather than ourselves. She openly admitted to us that it was as much as her fault as ours as she had originally thought she could make it then hesitated and stopped. And we was as much to blame for not looking. There was barely any damage to either cars, a broken number plate on hers and a scratch on ours. She then took our insurance details and we contacted the police but they weren't interested as no one was injured. A few months ago we had a phone call off our insurance company saying that there was a claim being made against us for a damage and a personal injury claim. The details this woman had given were completely different from what actually happened, she told them that we hit her at about 30mph and hit her in to the middle of the roundabout! She also told them that there was £6000 worth of damage to her car. We gave our side of the story and they said they would contact us again before a decision was made. Two days ago we had a quote for our new insurance and it was an outrageous price, so my husband rang our insurance company and they then informed us that we had lost all our no claims bonus and a payout of £6000 for the damage to the car and a personal injury claim payout had been made! I am absolutely reeling at this as we are now suffering financially, as there is no way we could possibly afford our new insurance, for a woman who is clearly a compulsive liar and an insurance company who didn't even fight our case, just paid out the money. What I am wondering is, is there in any way possible that we can appeal against this? The insurance company said it may not be possible as a payout has already been made, but like I said we had not been given any opportunity to appeal before the payout, because we had not been told the decision had been made. We would have been more than happy to pay any damage we caused, which we did tell her over the phone. Any help on this matter would be much appreciated as it makes me so angry that this woman who seemed so nice and genuine has completely done a 360 on us and ruined us now. Thanks in advance. Vikki.

forgotmyname

Her insurance will see it as 100% your fault. Whether she had a reason to stop or not.

You can put in a complaint. Nothing to lose.

Why did you lose all your no claims? How many did you have?

ILW

Sadly 100% your fault (technically). Get more quotes come renewal time.

facade

You could try writing to your insurance asking why they have paid out £6000 on your behalf for an accident that resulted in a cracked number plate.

However, £6000 is a small claim nowadays, so it may be the damages, including the hire car and the physiotherapy for the whiplash came to that.

I had a £3000 claim against me about 7 years ago for a dent in a door panel of a parked car (I came off my 'bike and bashed it with my head) turned out the owner had one of those ambulance chaser insurances that airlifted a hire car to her for the 3 weeks that it took to get the dent pushed out by dents away, as she couldn't possibly drive a car with a dent in the door)

Insurance companies are well aware of fraudulent claims, and don't usually pay out unless they have to, or if they think payment is cheaper than contesting it.

The pulling forward and stopping accident on an island is very common, in my youth I hit someone like that. A gap appears, they go, you go in the next gap, and they still haven't moved by the time you get on the barakes you bump the back of them.

Taught me to always look where I am going.

arcon5

She openly admitted to us that it was as much as her fault as ours as she had originally thought she could make it then hesitated and stopped.

If in doubt it's usually always wise to err on the side of caution, the lady was too hard on her self, she questioned to gap and decided it's better to be safe than sorry - unfortunately the numpty behind her wasn't paying attention and crashed in to her!

Technically and morally your husband was 100% at fault.

That aside, she sounds like an opportunistic bit*h.

Is there any cameras there?
Did you perhaps get the number plate of any other cars around you?