Collision with a foreign Lorry - What to expect going forward?

Nodding_Donkey

Don't confuse driveable with roadworthy. Would it pass an MOT in the state it is in, if not then it is not roadworthy.

I do like the phrase 'deranged rear suspension' though

iltisman

I think if this happened to me I would prefer to avoid insurance all together especially if there was no damage to the truck. There would be the worry of the foreign truck making a claim but the worry,time wasted on letters etc puts me off getting involved with a claim. Insurance for me is a means of getting a tax disc and paying for the mown down bus queue.
The bent suspension sounds bad but I could put up with legal body panel damage for a while.

Peater

It's a £5k car, with probably about £4.5k's worth of damage. So it's not a hit I can afford to take on the chin.

Suspension issue is that the left rear is now toeing in a few degrees thanks to the whack. If the right rear tyre loses traction for any reason (pot hole/loose surface/drain cover) the rear skips over slightly. I'm pretty mechanically sympathetic so not sure how many people would notice, but i certainly wouldn't want the wiggle to happen at any sort of speed.

This car officially has magnets on - I was sooo nearly hit this morning by an old boy in the 'left-only' lane of a junction who decided he wanted to go straight-on with me.

nomoneytoday

Peater wrote: »

It's a £5k car, with probably about £4.5k's worth of damage. So it's not a hit I can afford to take on the chin.

Sounds like a write off there IMHO...

colino

First of all, stop using that car, you are endangering yourself and everyone around you (and your certainly not mitigating costs of repair). Secondly get on to your insurance and tell them it is unroadworthy and get someone to take the decision on sending an assessor, or make you wait for its collection for estimate. I can only presume they think your car just has panel damage, they're not going to expose themselves to risk of a further accident if you update them about the cars status.
Realistically the other driver isn't going to admit liability and it does sound, without other witnesses or evidence, that your insurance wont pursue that avenue.
Thanks for the new failed suspension description.

Peater

I presented the car yesterday to the appointed garage and showed them the damage. They said they would only provide a replacement car when the car was with them for repair, not beforehand.

I did also explain this to the insurer over the phone but all they are willing to say is that they will send their own assessor if they feel they need too following the garage engineer's report. When that'll be? Who knows.

I've already decided to empower myself and simply buy a temporary replacement car instead of waiting for Caesar's thumbs-up. Besides, having now delved deeper into my policy, I'm only entitled to a courtesy vehicle for 4 days!

colino

Before committing yourself to buying an extra car and the insurance hassles that will give you, get on to your insurance company and tell them a) The first assessing garage are a joke and leaving you liable to have another collision and b) Your not getting off the phone until someone treats you seriously!

gingerdad

I don't envy you. It took nearly two years for me to sort a claim when hit by a Spanish lorry a few years ago. My car was parked. If I hadn't dot all his details including phone numbers and lots of pictures of truck I don't think MIB would every have sorted it. They seem to use every excuse in the book suggesting they couldn't find details. Not sure why they can't/don't just phone the foreign company.

Good luck and keep fighting. If was every hit again would want the cash out of the driver.

Peater

Right, just by way of an update.

Car has been declared beyond economical repair. Insurers offered me a decent (surprised!) amount for it. Now just got to scramble to find a replacement before they collect my car.

Seemingly nothing has been done about pursuing the foreign TP. I spoke with the Foreign claims department and they had no reference of my claim. *sigh*

topdaddy_2

Who is your insurer? They sound incompetent.