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AA van backed into my car in queue at traffic lights
littlerock
Posts: 1,774 Forumite
I was sitting in a traffic queue at the lights around 10 days ago behind an AA VW van. In front of the AA van, at the red lights at the front of the queue, was a car. The lights changed and the car did not move off. After a couple of minutes the owner of the stalled car, opened their passenger door and the passenger waved at the AA van. The driver of the AA van then got out and walked round to the stalled car.
Next thing to my horror was that the AA van started to roll backwards and it hit my car. The AA driver had forgotten to secure his hand brake. My handbrake was on so I did not roll into the car behind. I jumped out to take a photo on my phone but before I could do so, the car at the lights had managed to restart and moved off, as did the AA van who did not even realise he had rolled back into me.
I ran after him and told him what had happened and he stopped round the corner. He did not deny he had rolled back and hit my car. He filled in an accident report form of which he gave me a summarised copy. I asked to see what it said which was basically that his handbrake had failed to secure and his van had rolled back into my car hitting my number plate. My summarised copy of the incident excluded the accident description.
Afterwards looking at my car I could see rubber marks and some light scratches on the front of my car, at the same height at his bumper. There was nothing on it to my knowledge beforehand. This was not on his report.
In due course I was contacted by a risk assessor for the AA insurers who arranged for their subcontractor to call round to assess my car this morning. He sent me a text first thing saying he would be around between 10 and 11 am so I waited in. Next thing was a note in my front door saying he had inspected the car. I texted him to ask why he had not knocked and he then called me and rather sheepishly replied that he had knocked but got no reply, which I doubt. He did not text me to say he had no reply to his knock although I had arranged to be in this morning when he came.
He said he had fully inspected and documented the possible damage to my car which would be reported back to the main risk assessor by the end of the week.
To be honest the damage is not that significant. My only concern in all this is that no one at any stage has asked me for my account of what happened. Should they have? Obviously any claim will be on the AA's insurance who have not denied liability.
Next thing to my horror was that the AA van started to roll backwards and it hit my car. The AA driver had forgotten to secure his hand brake. My handbrake was on so I did not roll into the car behind. I jumped out to take a photo on my phone but before I could do so, the car at the lights had managed to restart and moved off, as did the AA van who did not even realise he had rolled back into me.
I ran after him and told him what had happened and he stopped round the corner. He did not deny he had rolled back and hit my car. He filled in an accident report form of which he gave me a summarised copy. I asked to see what it said which was basically that his handbrake had failed to secure and his van had rolled back into my car hitting my number plate. My summarised copy of the incident excluded the accident description.
Afterwards looking at my car I could see rubber marks and some light scratches on the front of my car, at the same height at his bumper. There was nothing on it to my knowledge beforehand. This was not on his report.
In due course I was contacted by a risk assessor for the AA insurers who arranged for their subcontractor to call round to assess my car this morning. He sent me a text first thing saying he would be around between 10 and 11 am so I waited in. Next thing was a note in my front door saying he had inspected the car. I texted him to ask why he had not knocked and he then called me and rather sheepishly replied that he had knocked but got no reply, which I doubt. He did not text me to say he had no reply to his knock although I had arranged to be in this morning when he came.
He said he had fully inspected and documented the possible damage to my car which would be reported back to the main risk assessor by the end of the week.
To be honest the damage is not that significant. My only concern in all this is that no one at any stage has asked me for my account of what happened. Should they have? Obviously any claim will be on the AA's insurance who have not denied liability.
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Comments
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Well so far they've accepted liability, so wait and see what they offer0
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I gather you report it to your insurance? I would get round to your local trusted bodyshop for a quote, or smart repaired. Then send them a copy of the quote. Otherwise just let your insurance deal with it, I would also report it to the Police as he failed to stop at the scene.0
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littlerock wrote: »My only concern in all this is that no one at any stage has asked me for my account of what happened. Should they have?
<shrug> Why?
The AA guy's stuck his hands up and said it's his own fault...Obviously any claim will be on the AA's insurance who have not denied liability.0 -
Well the AA guy did not originally show me his accident report, only when I asked to see it, and then it only mentioned the damage to my number plate, not the rubber marks and scratches on my front wing which I saw later. (We were on a busy main road and could not park for long as we were causing a traffic queue).
If the person who has been hit is not shown the accident report made by the person doing the hitting, even if they admit liability they may wish to play down the extent of the damage. Doesn't the other party get to give their side of the incident?.0 -
littlerock wrote: »If the person who has been hit is not shown the accident report made by the person doing the hitting, even if they admit liability they may wish to play down the extent of the damage. Doesn't the other party get to give their side of the incident?.
The assessor has been to see the car and gives the details of the damage? A driver isn't really in the position to say how badly damaged their car is and if there is no dispute on liability why would insurance need to speak to you?Remember the saying: if it looks too good to be true it almost certainly is.0 -
littlerock wrote: »Well the AA guy did not originally show me his accident report, only when I asked to see it, and then it only mentioned the damage to my number plate, not the rubber marks and scratches on my front wing which I saw later. (We were on a busy main road and could not park for long as we were causing a traffic queue).
If the person who has been hit is not shown the accident report made by the person doing the hitting, even if they admit liability they may wish to play down the extent of the damage. Doesn't the other party get to give their side of the incident?.
You seem to be looking for problems that don't exist. Seems AA are doing the right thing and the process to repair your car is underway.0 -
Well if they don't give a satisfactory response go through your insurance and have them claim off AAs insurance0
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littlerock wrote: »To be honest the damage is not that significant.
Put it down to wear and tear. Forget it and move on.0 -
littlerock wrote: »To be honest the damage is not that significant. My only concern in all this is that no one at any stage has asked me for my account of what happened. Should they have? Obviously any claim will be on the AA's insurance who have not denied liability.
The assessor is not there to find out your side of the story, they have the facts from their driver and sent out an assessor to assess your car.
What is the damage, a £10 number plate and a rubber mark?0
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