Advice please re: car insurance claim

snuffalilly

Please help! Im March someone hit our car when they shot out at a t-junction we were driving past and went inot our car.They admitted liability.We rang the police but they just said get his number plate.We rang Direct Line & told them.Problem was we were off on holiday the next morning so they said leave it until then.Rang them as soon as we got back and they said it was fine, we could have a hire car and booked us in for reapir.They said their assessors could tell who's fault it was anyway.
Few weeks later they asked for a written statement and diagram which we did.
Today had a letter from Direct Line saying they have received photos of where it happened and it makes our diagram and explanation all wrong, basically accusing us of lying!:mad: We have looked at these photos and dont even recognise the place?! Seeing as this accident was practically outside our house, we would recognise the photo.Presume this other guy has sent these pictures to his insurers.Rang Direct Line and had a moan and they said it seems we have got all our details wrong....BUT WE HAVEN'T. They have told us to go & take photos of where we think it happened and send them in.
It really feels like our insurers are taking the other side! What do we pay our premiums for? Im really worried we will end up losing out in this becasue this other guy is changing his story and now blaming us even though he failed to stop at the t-junction.
Help!!

jimbo_the_jetset

Just stick to the truth. Try to explain things as calmly as possible (I know it must be frustrating) to the insurance people.

If photo's were taken I assume these were of the supposed site after the incident. No pics of cars is-situ? No whitnessess? Where was the damage to yours? I assume the front corner?

rjm2k1

If the accident was practically outside you house, were there any witnesses? Take your own photos of where it happened and send them in, they should agree with your description. Also, did the police take a record of the call, time of day and location etc? Maybe you could get hold of the tape recording if they have it.

snuffalilly

Thanks for your replies. There wasn't any witnesses although our neighbours were out the front when we pulled up outside and the other guy pulled up and we explained to them what happened...does that count?
Hubby rang the police as soon as it happened and told them but it was only a quick call, they basically said contact insurers and get them to sort it! My husband reckons the guy had been drinking but he never said anything at the time.We had just come home from my daughters birthday party and were trying to get sorted for our holiday so it was all a bit of a nightmare.Wished he'd told the police now as they might have some out.Too late for that now, I suppose.

snuffalilly

jimbo_the_jetset wrote: »

Just stick to the truth. Try to explain things as calmly as possible (I know it must be frustrating) to the insurance people.

If photo's were taken I assume these were of the supposed site after the incident. No pics of cars is-situ? No whitnessess? Where was the damage to yours? I assume the front corner?

These photos are just of some random roads....no idea where they are.Didnt get any photos at the time, im afraid, too busy panicking about the whole thing! The damage to our car was at the back corner.He didnt wait for us to go past when he came out of the turning.We had to have a new wheel, new bumper, new back wing (is that right? the wheel arch bit! You can tell I'm female, can't you?)

rjm2k1

I would have thought that your neighbour seeing you and the other driver pulling up and discussing the accident would be a good start, not likely that you would have driven for miles from this unknown place to your house is it?!

jimbo_the_jetset

On the subject of the neighbours, did they hear the person admit liability. If so, report that. Or could they substantiate you claim that they may have been drinking?

Secondly, as you were hit on the rear corner. As long as you can get them to agree the location, there is no way for you to hit their car with your rear, unless you were reversing down the road on the wrong side of the road!! Therefore, it was their fault. I'm guessing that's why you were told that it was obvious who's fault it was.

It seems either the insurance company has got the wrong info from somewhere, or the other party is trying to throw off the claim by putting in false information.

If you can ask them where the random photo's are of, can you prove you never drive that way or near there? Is the location of these random pics anywhere near where you pulled up to sort out details? i.e. you wouldn't drive accross town before stopping. You'd maybe turn a corner and pull up, as I understand you did.

Just list down the events, i.e. smash at Road x, pulled over at Road z, neighbours there......

Good luck.

jimbo_the_jetset

p.s.

Were you or your husband driving? THE PASSENGER IS THE WHITNESS to the accident!!

Same goes for the other driver, did they have anyone in the car?

snuffalilly

jimbo_the_jetset wrote: »

p.s.

Were you or your husband driving? THE PASSENGER IS THE WHITNESS to the accident!!

Same goes for the other driver, did they have anyone in the car?

Sorry, didnt make it clear, I was at home and my husband was driving.I meant to say he was in the car, not we. So no passengers in either car.

jimbo_the_jetset

Oh, sorry. Anyway, hope we've given you a few good idea's to persue.

Again, good luck

snuffalilly

jimbo_the_jetset wrote: »

On the subject of the neighbours, did they hear the person admit liability. If so, report that. Or could they substantiate you claim that they may have been drinking?

Secondly, as you were hit on the rear corner. As long as you can get them to agree the location, there is no way for you to hit their car with your rear, unless you were reversing down the road on the wrong side of the road!! Therefore, it was their fault. I'm guessing that's why you were told that it was obvious who's fault it was.

It seems either the insurance company has got the wrong info from somewhere, or the other party is trying to throw off the claim by putting in false information.

If you can ask them where the random photo's are of, can you prove you never drive that way or near there? Is the location of these random pics anywhere near where you pulled up to sort out details? i.e. you wouldn't drive accross town before stopping. You'd maybe turn a corner and pull up, as I understand you did.

Just list down the events, i.e. smash at Road x, pulled over at Road z, neighbours there......

Good luck.

No neighbours didnt hear any conversation.Basically, the accident was at the top of our road.Hubby adn other guy got out at the scene and he said he was in the wrong.He lived down the road he was pulling out from and we live just down the road he pulled into (does that make sense?!).Both cars then drove down to outside our house.Hubby came in telling me what had happened.The guy parked a few cars down and went home to try and find his insurance details.I went outside to look at the car which is when our neighbours came out and asked what was going on.Bloke then came back saying he couldnt find his details.He gave hubby his address, vehicle details and mobile no. and then drove to his girlfriends to try & find paperwork.He came back later saying he still didnt know and gave us a vague name that he thought may have been his insurers.This was correct.Neighbours didnt actually hear all the goings on, were just standing by watching, if you see what I mean.