car accident rant

s1ipmatt

Not really a question more of a moan.

I was unfortunately involved in a car accident yesterday. So three lanes of queuing traffic on a motorway, I'm in the middle lane. My vehicle is stationary, the car behind me goes in the back of me.

We move to the hard shoulder, and he starts kicking of at me saying its my fault for lane hogging. I'm not sure how that works in three lanes of stopped traffic. The reason why this occurred was he was to busy reading a news paper at the steering wheel. I saw him moments before, he denies this. Wish I could prove this.

Now I have to mess around getting quotes to repair my bumper all because of this idoit who thought reading a paper was more important. And I still don't know if he's going to amight liability.

Main thing is every ones OK, other than me aching a little this morning.

DUTR

Be wary of how you report this to the insurers, adding unnecessary details can sometimes add complications which leads to some of the sob stories we see here.
A vehicle registration ????? collided into the rear of your vehicle registration YYYYYY at such and such a time on such and such a road. The weather conditions were .... and you take pictures near the scene with your camera and perhaps get a gps location (north eastings) . Case closed.

prowla

Yep - bloody annoying, but as far as the claim goes, it seems cut and dried.

Quentin

Find the third party insurer and ring and ask if they have an innocent third party claim department that will deal with you.


They will sort out your repairs (at your choice of garage) and organise you a replacement car if needed.


You are no way to blame from your account, and so don't need to do any running round getting quotes etc.

arcon5

The guy obviously couldn't just apologise because it would hurt even further his already dented pride.

Fortunately, it doesn't matter what his opinion as to lane hogging blah blah blah is - he rear ended you. Text book case. Even if you was lane hogging - it hardly mitigates crashing in to the back of somebody!!

harveybobbles

Just ask for his insurance details so you can claim from him.

prowla

arcon5 wrote: »

The guy obviously couldn't just apologise because it would hurt even further his already dented pride.

Fortunately, it doesn't matter what his opinion as to lane hogging blah blah blah is - he rear ended you. Text book case. Even if you was lane hogging - it hardly mitigates crashing in to the back of somebody!!...

...who was stationary.

Loopy28

He went in to the back of you while you were stationary, he is trying it on to worry you but the insurance will go in your favour.

My husband was hit from behind at a roundabout, the other driver tried to say he shouldn't have stopped as the car coming on to the roundabout was miles away. The insurers laughed this out and my husband was fully covered by the other parties insurers.

Let your insurance sort it out, it won't affect your NCB or future premiums, my husbands haven't been affected.

Shame on him for trying to blame you!

Quentin

Loopy28 wrote: »

Let your insurance sort it out, it won't affect your NCB or future premiums, my husbands haven't been affected.

When you are the innocent driver in an incident one of the reasons why it is better not to claim off your own policy is that after any claim your NCD is usually (temporarily) reduced until the insurer has received full reimbursement from the third party.


This can cause issues if your renewal falls due before the matter is concluded as you only have the reduced NCD to transfer should you want to move company.


And your husband's experience is not the norm - irrespective of where you make your claim, a claim on your record (irrespective of fault or non fault) does usually affect the next premium.


If you claim off the third party insurer you also find it much easier to be able to use the repairer of your own choice, get a hire car if needed till yours is fixed and don't have any issues over having to pay your excess then reclaim it subsequently.