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Hit & Run, Third Party Insurance. Company Vehicle. Who pays?

-Chris_4
-Chris_4 Posts: 6 Forumite
Hello MSE members :).

I can not seem to find any information about this scenario online and I was wondering if anyone here had any experience in this field and advice to give?

Basically, I am insured on my company van to be used for work purposes as I work from my van (keep all my tools in it etc). I parked my van overnight outside my house on a public road and somebody had dented the wing panel in and clearly drove off without leaving any details.

I reported this to my company and they have billed me £250 for the damage as there was no insurance to claim off (as no information was left) and my insurance coverage is only third party so the company can not claim off their insurance.

Surely then the owner would have to pay for the costs and not the employee who is insured to drive it?

The vehicle does not actually belong to my company but is a hire vehicle.

Do I have any leg to stand on or should I just allow them to deduct £250 from my pay packet next month?

The only option I have been given is if I send it to a legitimate garage that can do the job for cheaper than £250 they are happy for me to pay that bill instead.

Any help appreciated.
Thank you!
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Comments

  • -Chris_4
    -Chris_4 Posts: 6 Forumite
    edited 2 July 2014 at 4:51PM
    and the thing that has annoyed me the most is that I would never, EVER go with a third party policy because I find them reckless.

    I only found out the vehicle was third party from talking to my transport department after they sent me a bill for a 'at fault accident'.
  • arcon5
    arcon5 Posts: 14,099 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    What does it say in your employment contract about such and deductions? If nothing they cannot legally deduct the cost from your wage. Even if it does there are rules about the max they can deduct.
  • Johno100
    Johno100 Posts: 5,259 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper
    I think arcon5 has got straight to the nub of the question.

    OP you may do better posting this query on the Employment, Job Seeking and Training board http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/forumdisplay.php?f=141.
  • dacouch
    dacouch Posts: 21,636 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper
    arcon5 wrote: »
    What does it say in your employment contract about such and deductions? If nothing they cannot legally deduct the cost from your wage. Even if it does there are rules about the max they can deduct.

    Especially if the contract describes the £250 as an Insurance excess as a) It's not b) You don't get excesses on TPO cover
  • -Chris_4
    -Chris_4 Posts: 6 Forumite
    Thanks for the responses guys. My contract was not sent to me yet (I am a fairly new employee) so it is in the post as we speak.

    I do have an insurance excess of £1000 that I have agreed to, however, I agreed to that excess under the condition that I would be at fault for the accident. As I was not in the vehicle at the time I fail to see how I was at fault and as I do not own the vehicle I also fail to see why I am paying for it. I am only insured, I do not own it... or have I got this whole insurance understanding thing wrong?

    Sorry, I know very little about insurance and this type of thing as I have never owned a vehicle before.
  • Aretnap
    Aretnap Posts: 5,525 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper
    An insurance excess is generally payable regardless of blame. If someone else was to blame for the damage you can usually claim the excess back from them (or their insurers) as an uninsured loss, but you have to find them to do that.

    Whether you're personally liable for the (uninsured) damage to the vehicle seems to be a matter of your employment contract and any other agreement relating to the use of the vehicle, rather than one f insurance.
  • facade
    facade Posts: 7,375 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper
    Nowadays "At Fault" means that the insurance cannot recover their costs from a third party, it does NOT mean that you did not cause the accident.
    I want to go back to The Olden Days, when every single thing that I can think of was better.....

    (except air quality and Medical Science ;))
  • arcon5
    arcon5 Posts: 14,099 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    -Chris wrote: »
    Thanks for the responses guys. My contract was not sent to me yet (I am a fairly new employee) so it is in the post as we speak.

    I do have an insurance excess of £1000 that I have agreed to, however, I agreed to that excess under the condition that I would be at fault for the accident. As I was not in the vehicle at the time I fail to see how I was at fault and as I do not own the vehicle I also fail to see why I am paying for it. I am only insured, I do not own it... or have I got this whole insurance understanding thing wrong?

    Sorry, I know very little about insurance and this type of thing as I have never owned a vehicle before.

    An excess for what - the works van? I don't understand as an excess is only valid where making a claim of your own policy. So if you have a fault accident & the other party claims off you then an excess isn't payable. If you have a non-fault then the other parties insurance covers costs - whereas if you make a claim of your policy you pay an excess - but your insurance is only TPF&T and the vans not been stolen or set alight....
  • Nodding_Donkey
    Nodding_Donkey Posts: 2,738 Forumite
    Ninth Anniversary 1,000 Posts
    You leave your tools in an uninsured van?
  • Gloomendoom
    Gloomendoom Posts: 16,551 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    You leave your tools in an uninsured van?

    I'm amazed the OP drives the thing at all on third party insurance.

    Does the £1000 excess only apply to TPFT insurance claims or does it limit the cost of repairs or replacement of the vehicle in any circumstances?
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