Insurance rights after car accident

READER

Hi, on Thursday last week i was involved in an accident that wasnt my fault. I rang the insurance from the scene after exchanging details with the other driver. I arranged recovery as instructed by Hastings to a secure location of which i used a family members business premises. I have a couple of questions regarding insurance as its the first time ive ever needed to use them. On the phone the insurance told me it would most likely be a write off due to damage and air bags etc

1. It has a private reg on at the minute, do i need to wait for a decision to be made before i can get the plate put on retention? I dont want it to just end up going for scrap and lose my reg!

2. My insurer, hastings told me i could not get a coutesy car through them although i need to get to work, is there a way of claiming for one through his insurance? If so, how do i go about it?

3. Also similar question to above but regarding excess, i will apparently have to pay the £500 excess from what ever im offered if the car is written off. Can i get this back?

Thanks

Dean

keith1950

You get a courtesy car at the point where repairs start on your car, if it is deemed a write off you do not get a courtesy car.

If the other party is 100% to blame and you have witnesses it might be worth going through an accident management company rather than your insurer.

If the other party was too blame chase their insurer for a hire car. If not you will have to find your own transport.

OnanTheBarbarian

it may well be worth a call to the insurers of the third party to see if they will just deal with your claim as an innocent third party. This would by-pass the need to claim against your own policy and pay any excess. They would also most likely arrange a replacement hire car for you until you get the settlement for your own vehicle.

Alternatively, if you bought legal cover with your insurance use that for the same effect

READER

How do accident management companies work? How do they get paid? Can anyone recommend one? The insurance are apparently picking the car up tomorrow to be assesed so i'd need to sort it before then? This is one big headache that i shouldnt have to be dealin with 😟

keith1950

Winns is one that springs to mind but if your insurance are incurring costs by picking it up tomorrow then it's probably too late.

You should really have contacted them first and just rang your insurer " to inform " only.

READER

Ive spoke to insurance and delayed collection of the car to give me chance to see about putting an accident management company in place. I will try a contact someone tomorrow

forgotmyname

They make money by giving you a car and charging your insurer way more than the cost of hiring a similar car.

The insurance company will say its excessive and we are not paying it, but then do the same if one of their customers makes a claim.