Car accident

thegentleway

Hi,

Some kid ran into the back of my car last night. He did not give me his insurance details and sped off. I have given his plate and the details of two witnesses to the police and my insurance company (swiftcover).

Swiftcover then e-mails me to say I've got to pay my excess (£300) even if the other driver is at fault. I've checked my policy details and it does indeed say I've got to pay even if I'm not at fault!?

Is there anyhing I can do? I've found Total Motor Assist; they say they can deal with claim and there is no insurance excess to pay, no loss of no claims bonus, no cost. Are they legit?

Thanks,

Tom

Master_Blaster

thegentleway wrote: »

Hi,

Some kid ran into the back of my car last night. He did not give me his insurance details and sped off. I have given his plate and the details of two witnesses to the police and my insurance company (swiftcover).

Swiftcover then e-mails me to say I've got to pay my excess (£300) even if the other driver is at fault. I've checked my policy details and it does indeed say I've got to pay even if I'm not at fault!?

Is there anyhing I can do? I've found Total Motor Assist; they say they can deal with claim and there is no insurance excess to pay, no loss of no claims bonus, no cost. Are they legit?

Thanks,

Tom

I would be careful about going to an accident management company before establishing if the other driver has means to pay.

OnanTheBarbarian

Master_Blaster wrote: »

I would be careful about going to an accident management company before establishing if the other driver has means to pay.

That's what the MIB are for.

thegentleway

Master_Blaster wrote: »

I would be careful about going to an accident management company before establishing if the other driver has means to pay.

The police have given me his contact details and confirmed the vehicle was insured.

Aretnap

Your excess is the part of the claim that your policy doesn't cover. Your fault, somebody else's fault, nobody's fault in particular, it makes no difference - if you make a claim on your own policy, you have to pay your excess.

If the accident is someone else's fault, what you can do is reclaim your excess from them/their insurers. Obviously this depends on being able to find them, and being able to demonstrate that the accident was their fault (if they dispute it). If your own policy includes legal expenses cover you can use it to help with that process.

Alternatively you can bypass your own insurers and go straight to the other guy's insurers, either directly or through an accident management company. That way there's no excess to pay and it's usually the best option in clear cut cases, however it can get a bit slower and messier if the other guy is uninsured, or disputes liability, or claims that it wasn't him who hit you.

thegentleway

OnanTheBarbarian wrote: »

That's what the MIB are for.

I don't think I need them as the vehicle was insured. Should I use a credit hire company? Sounds like I don't have to pay excess if I do?

OnanTheBarbarian

3 main options really

1- Use your insurers and get violated for your excess and claim it back via any legal cover you have

2- Use an accident management co and credit hire with no excess to pay

3- Approach his insurers direct and see if they will deal with you directly.

thegentleway

Aretnap wrote: »

Your excess is the part of the claim that your policy doesn't cover. Your fault, somebody else's fault, nobody's fault in particular, it makes no difference - if you make a claim on your own policy, you have to pay your excess.

If the accident is someone else's fault, what you can do is reclaim your excess from them/their insurers. Obviously this depends on being able to find them, and being able to demonstrate that the accident was their fault (if they dispute it). If your own policy includes legal expenses cover you can use it to help with that process.

Alternatively you can bypass your own insurers and go straight to the other guy's insurers, either directly or through an accident management company. That way there's no excess to pay and it's usually the best option in clear cut cases, however it can get a bit slower and messier if the other guy is uninsured, or disputes liability, or claims that it wasn't him who hit you.

Thanks for explanation.

I do not have legal cover.

I really can’t see how he could dispute liability. He ran into the back of me and two witness saw the event. I really can't see how more clear cut it could be?

Would you advise going straight to the other guy’s insurer (Admiral)directly or through an accident repair management company? I don’t really knowthe pros and cons?

thegentleway

OnanTheBarbarian wrote: »

3 main options really

1- Use your insurers and get violated for your excess and claim it back via any legal cover you have

2- Use an accident management co and credit hire with no excess to pay

3- Approach his insurers direct and see if they will deal with you directly.

Thanks. I do not have legal cover so option 1 is out. I guess I should approach his insurer directly in the first instance. If they don't deal with me then I will use an accident management co. Has anyone dealt with them?

Johno100

Are the witnesses independent or passengers in your car?

thegentleway

Johno100 wrote: »

Are the witnesses independent or passengers in your car?

Two independent witnesses, one either side of the road. I also gave the details of a third witness, the passenger in my car (my girlfriend), but she was deemed not independent by the police officer.