Shelia's Wheels NCB issues

rdchick

Hi everyone

When all else fails come to MSE!

Anyway, I had an 'accident' in January... this is what happened:

I was parked in a Tesco petrol station, I have the pumps behind me and I am in bay 2 of 4, 1 and 3 are empty. I look out of my rear view mirror, check both sides and stick my car into reverse, handbrake still on. There is a shiney white BMW to my left driving towards me to get a space, so I wait before pulling out. The BMW finds a space in say bay 6 and I do my checks behind and to the side of me again before taking my handbrake off and starting to roll back slightly. Baring in mind I have again checked all sides and see that it's clear once more... nothing.. so I bring the car round towards to left to miss the pumps and the car at the pump.. knowing there is nothing to my right in bay 1... until I hit a car.. where she had come from I have no idea, I was looking the way I was going as I had checked a few times that it was clear... and it was.

She had some how completely disregarded the fact I was reversing and parked her car next to mine. I know I am partially to blame as I know you should check check and check again (and my god I do now!) but at the same time I was told when taking my driving lessons if you see someone reversing stay well back until they have either seen you and let you pass or they have finished their maneuver.

So we exchange details (both of us on duty as mobile care assistants at the time) and she goes into the shop... I take photos of her damage and mine and her number plate. I waited for her to come back out of the shop so it didn't look like I was running away.. she didn't say anything to me just got in her car and left.

The next day I get a text demanding for my registration number because she wanted to go through the insurance company, I said would it be possible to go to garages and see if she could get a quote for the damage and then we can settle it without the need to go through the insurers. (I believe the damage wouldn't have been a great deal for a 10 year old SEAT so figured if it meant I had to pay it I would) She then got her boyfriend to leave an aggressive voicemail on my phone stating that if I didn't give my number plate and details of my car they would go to the police (wish I called the police in the first place but as we were both working we didn't) I wasn't fussed about the police threat, I hadn't done anything wrong per say just would have liked to not get the insurance companies involved as I am building up my NCB. Anyway, I called Shelia's Wheels and hypothetically said if this situation was to happen, who's fault would it be. The claims dept. said it would have been 50/50. So I tell the girl that and again I get calls from her boyfriend being rather aggressive.

I decide well screw it if it's both our fault let it go to the insurance companies and we can pay for our own (my damage was just a scratch to the bumper that I really didn't worry about) so I call Shelia's Wheels again and this time file the report of the accident, told the guy what happened and what's that, he now says it's my fault?! ok... what ever I think, and wait for the letter and the thing where you do the drawings and sign your life away to what happened. I got nothing. No letter, no photos of damage, no claim report nothing. So I assumed she didn't claim afterall and forgot all about it.

October, renewal time, extortionate quote to renew.. call Shelia's Wheels to cancel and go elsewhere. The guy on the end of the phone informs me that the quote is because I now have 1 years NCB instead of 3 because of the claim against me in January... SAY WHAT?!

So I go away and look elsewhere for insurance with 1 years NCB and a claim against me... was asked about the amount of damaged caused in £, obviously I don't know as I know nothing about the claim... so call the claims dept at Shelia's Wheels. They tell me that the damage was over £900 and the case has been closed, they tell me to call a lady that dealt with my claim the next day to find out all the details.

Call the lady... she doesn't work there any more... surprise surprise... so I ask what the hell has gone on, why wasn't I told about the claim or asked for my side of the story. She said we left you a voicemail but you never got back to us... A VOICEMAIL?! I don't remember getting a voicemail. I also don't hold that as a formal way of communication... what happened to sending out emails and letters?! I asked why I didn't get a letter and her response was... well we get thousands of claims we can't send a letter to every one. WHAT?!

Surely to have a claim against you for you to lose your NCB you should get at least a letter stating the decision and what happens next etc?

Where do I stand on this? without my 3 years NCB my insurance goes up by more than £150 a year (and that's the cheapest) I wanted to speak to CAB but I couldn't as rang for over an hour and no answer and now their lines are closed!

Any help would be appreciated, apologies for the long post! xxx

scheming_gypsy

You hit somebody, they claimed you lost your NCD. It's the way it works, you don't get a letter as it's not a decision going against you but a claim on your insurance.
I've been involved in a couple of accidents and the only letters I got from the insurance companies were the ones that had the cheque attached when the car was written off. Everything else has been done by phone.
You probably can't appeal it because as you've said yourself... you reversed into her.

rdchick

Thanks for your reply, just seems very odd that you wouldn't get asked about what happened formally or maybe I'm just too old hat?!

POPPYOSCAR

It does sound like you were at fault, but I agree it is ridiculous that they settled a claim without informing you or asking for any details.

Glad I am not insured with them.

fivetide

Basically, you hit a stationary object so no idea why they'd say it wasn't your fault really.

Well worth taking out protected no claims though, especially once you get the three years as the benefit outweighs the cost by that point and you'd still have your three years now (although your premiums would ahve gone up for a fault claim anyway).

This is all a bit hindsight but I wouldn't have let someone leave you aggressive messages like that. I would have reported them to the police for harassment.

However, I had a claim earlier in the year with Hastings and I got numerous letters and calls, including voicemails asking me to call back so you could certianly see your way clear to a complaint about customer service. You never know, they might give you some sort of credit for it.

I'd check they had the right number though. If you changed your mobile and didn't tell them, not much they could do. I'm assuming you never got the voicemail by the way.

rdchick

Like I say if it's my fault it's my fault that's fine but I would have liked to have known before hand and perhaps then I could have saved a bit harder knowing I'm back to square one with my NCD Also for the damage done to her car wouldn't have cost £900 to repair... the car was probably worth less than that! xxx

scheming_gypsy

rdchick wrote: »

Thanks for your reply, just seems very odd that you wouldn't get asked about what happened formally or maybe I'm just too old hat?!

I've got a feeling it might have been because you didn't raise a claim. You've swapped insurance details and not called yours to advise that you were involved in an accident and wanted to claim. So when she's called her insurance, they've started a claim against you, they've tried to contact you but no response and then just taken it that you're not disputing it.

You mentioned calling the police after the accident but it's unlikely they'd come out as there was no injuries. If I remember rightly they only need to come out to an RTA if there is a reason to; a couple of scratches is just a civil issue and not a police issue.

OddballJamie

Gotta be a double blow, what with Shelia's Wheels not being able to give sexist discounts anymore

POPPYOSCAR

fivetide wrote: »

Basically, you hit a stationary object so no idea why they'd say it wasn't your fault really.

Well worth taking out protected no claims though, especially once you get the three years as the benefit outweighs the cost by that point and you'd still have your three years now (although your premiums would ahve gone up for a fault claim anyway).

This is all a bit hindsight but I wouldn't have let someone leave you aggressive messages like that. I would have reported them to the police for harassment.

However, I had a claim earlier in the year with Hastings and I got numerous letters and calls, including voicemails asking me to call back so you could certianly see your way clear to a complaint about customer service. You never know, they might give you some sort of credit for it.

I'd check they had the right number though. If you changed your mobile and didn't tell them, not much they could do. I'm assuming you never got the voicemail by the way.

Yes, my credit card company swore blind they had left a message for me once. I asked what number they had left the message on and it was not even my dialling code , so do not know where on earth they got it from!

rdchick

Yeah hindsight I wish I had protected myself. Thing is she'd obviously just got in beside me as I hit her as her engine was still running etc

I have never changed my number and they have called me before so I know they have it, I plan to complain to customer services but I doubt they will give me the time of day as I have gone elsewhere to insure my car...

Never again!

OddballJamie

rdchick wrote: »

Like I say if it's my fault it's my fault that's fine but I would have liked to have known before hand and perhaps then I could have saved a bit harder knowing I'm back to square one with my NCD Also for the damage done to her car wouldn't have cost £900 to repair... the car was probably worth less than that! xxx

Courtesy car and admin charges would have bumped up the claim.

My insurance claimed for close to £1000 for a courtesy car for me for a couple of weeks once.