Getting sort of Threats from uninsured driver

technium

Today I was driving to work and a police car was coming in oposite direction with lights flashing, I slowly pulled over like we should and the car behind wasnt paying attention and hit me from behind. The police car saw this and turned round to assist us both. The driver gave me his details and I took details of his car, company details on side of his van (just in case) and also got the details of the policeman who assisted.

When I got home I had a telephone message saying give me a call so we can sort out insurance details etc, and I rang and gave the guy my address so he could pop round. A while later this guy turns up who happens to be the guys dad and also the owner of the small company of the van that hit me, he said his son was uninsured and that I should say "his wife was driving the car" so that we could both claim! I told him I wasnt prepared to do that as its insurance fruad but he then said that hes already told the police their son was uninsured and the police are dealing with that matter and also said that If I dont go along with his plan then I wouldnt receive a penny! he also said the contact number and address I was given was the fathers details (not name but just address and phone number) and he wasnt driving so having no part of it and not to use either for contact or else he wont respond to anything.

Im now annoyed and stuck as to what to do, this guy obviously isnt going to play ball, his son I have no details for and im not sure if the police would do anything, does anyone have any advice at all?

thanks in advance

vikingaero

Tricky one.

Call the officers involved and tell them what the dad has told you and tell them that you feel threatened too.

From my insurance days, there is a way that the insurer of the van can be forced to pay out but it needs the Police to apply to a court to make them do so under the Road Traffic Act.

If the son really is being done for driving uninsured then he either has taken the vehicle without consent too or with the knowledge of his father in which case his father is also culpable.

joshm_2

I agree, tell the police and your insurers eveything and try not to worry about it - you're just an innocent who's been dragged down into their lowlife affairs. Hopefully your insurance policy has legal cover so they'll fight your corner as necessary. The police should take action if you claim that you were threatened and feel vulnerable, but I would tread carefully there since it may get nasty. I believe there is a publicly-accessible fund to help victims of uninsured drivers so it's not out of the quetion that you won't get your damage repaired.

I try to carry a camera with me in the car (cheap disposable one). If there is an incident, I can then take pictures of the scene and any parties involved. I have had occasion to use it once when someone drove into me, and it helped.

nullogik

joshm wrote: »

I try to carry a camera with me in the car (cheap disposable one). If there is an incident, I can then take pictures of the scene and any parties involved. I have had occasion to use it once when someone drove into me, and it helped.

Excellent advice! A cheap disposable camera, or if you haven't got one to hand, then the camera on your mobile phone if it takes good clear pictures. Take as many pictures as you can of the accident, AND of the occupants from the other car(s) involved. Obviously this accident as already occured, but in future you know what to do.

Conor_3

joshm wrote: »

Hopefully your insurance policy has legal cover so they'll fight your corner as necessary.

When I was hit in the rear by an uninsured scum which cracked the bumper, he then went down the "I'm not gonna pay" routine. I pointed out that as I pay my insurance and also pay the legal cover premium I had £10,000 of legal cover to haul him through small claims court with and had no qualms about bankrupting him and losing him his house, the money magically appeared.

Sometimes it's worth reminding the other party that you have lawyers who'll hound them.

mattymoo

If the father or the wife have cover for driving that van it does suggest an insurance policy is in place, but that the son was not a named driver.

He will have provided details of that insurance cover to the police so hopefully they can pass those on to you. Sometimes they do wait until criminal procedings have been concluded and this can take months.

In the meantime, you should apply to the MIB (Motor Insurers Bureau) who are funded by a levy on insurance companies to compensate victims of uninsured and hit and run drivers. See https://www.mib.org.uk

They will investigate the circumstances and approach the insurers (they have access to the Motor Insurers Database) and ask them if cover is in place. If it is not due to a technicality (driver not named in this case) they will ask the insurer to deal as Road Traffic Act Insurer. This means they have to compensate you the victim and then reclaim money paid out from their policyholder afterwards.

Hopefully the lowlife who threatened you will be out of pocket for your repair costs and see a substantial premium increase as well at next renewal. Do not go along with his little game - you have a legitimate claim and attempting fraud may jeopordise that.

PS: Have requested thread to be moved to insurance forum.