Whose insurance co should pay in multi-car accident?

SnowWhiterThanWhite

3 car shunt - the guy at the back (Car 3) drove into car in front of him (Car 2) which caused car 2 to also slam into car at front (Car 1)

Should Car 1 claim from car 2 insurance or can they go straight to Car 3 insurance (liability admitted)?

Thanks

AdrianC

If 3 has admitted full liability for all damage to all cars, then just go straight there.
If there's any doubt about whether 2 hit 1 first or 3 pushed 2 into 1, then claim from 2, and let them fight it out with 3.
If that's all too much of a PITA, then 1's probably easiest just claiming from their own insurer, and letting them figure it out.

SnowWhiterThanWhite

AdrianC wrote: »

If 3 has admitted full liability for all damage to all cars, then just go straight there.
If there's any doubt about whether 2 hit 1 first or 3 pushed 2 into 1, then claim from 2, and let them fight it out with 3.
If that's all too much of a PITA, then 1's probably easiest just claiming from their own insurer, and letting them figure it out.

Cheers, yes, car 3 deffo at fault and caused the incident. Wanted to avoid own insurance claim as £700 XS which we don't want to have to pay and then wait to get back.
Should we let our ins co.(Car 1) know anyway but advise that the claim is being dealt with by other ins co? (Car 3)

Tilt

It happened to me once (I was car '2' who got shunted into car '1' by car '3').

Car 1 claims from car 2 who in turn claims off car 3 (etc). Eventually all un-insured losses (including excesses) end up being paid from car 3's insurers as (in my case anyway) their driver was deemed at fault. I doubt you will avert paying your excess initially though. However most large insurers whose policy holder is clearly at fault MAY contact you directly and offer to deal with your claim without claiming from your own insurers. It's a tactic to 'reel you in' when you come to re-new.

In any event, you should notify your insurers anyway.

just_trying

He won't need to deal with excess though if he goes through other insurance company as been said.

If it's being dealt with by 3, it's for information only. Though I would claim from car 2 if you could.

Tilt

just_trying wrote: »

He won't need to deal with excess though if he goes through other insurance company as been said.

If it's being dealt with by 3, it's for information only. Though I would claim from car 2 if you could.

Big "if" though with the info available.

As I said; the OP maybe lucky enough that car '3' is insured by a company that will offer to deal with TP's directly. But not all of them do so inevitably you follow the 'normal' process of claiming via your own insurers.

There's also the possibility that 'car 3' has no insurance. The OP hasn't mentioned that all details were correctly exchanged between all 3 drivers.

boliston

If you are the middle car in a 3 car shunt I'm not sure how you could be liable for damage to the car you got shunted into - surely liability requires fault?

SnowWhiterThanWhite

Tilt wrote: »

Big "if" though with the info available.

As I said; the OP maybe lucky enough that car '3' is insured by a company that will offer to deal with TP's directly. But not all of them do so inevitably you follow the 'normal' process of claiming via your own insurers.

There's also the possibility that 'car 3' has no insurance. The OP hasn't mentioned that all details were correctly exchanged between all 3 drivers.

Car 3 has insurance. Have decided to deal directly with their insurer. Have rang and given all details and am waiting for a call back when the office reopens tomorrow.
Car 2 driver has done same.

Don't want to claim via own ins as young driver with hefty XS and even though not at fault, I'm sure premiums will still increase as a result of this accident.:(

AdrianC

boliston wrote: »

If you are the middle car in a 3 car shunt I'm not sure how you could be liable for damage to the car you got shunted into - surely liability requires fault?

Did car 3 push car 2 into car 1?
Or did car 2 hit car 1, then car 3 hit car 2 afterwards?

Now prove it...

Tilt

SnowWhiterThanWhite wrote: »

Car 3 has insurance. Have decided to deal directly with their insurer. Have rang and given all details and am waiting for a call back when the office reopens tomorrow.
Car 2 driver has done same.

Don't want to claim via own ins as young driver with hefty XS and even though not at fault, I'm sure premiums will still increase as a result of this accident.:(

Well speaking from my experience, that's no quite how it works. Although Car 3 may of caused the incident, it wasn't that vehicle which hit yours so it follows they may not 'accept your claim unless they contact you (in the circumstances I have already explained). Technically your claim should be aimed at car 2 (the vehicle that hit yours).

But I do hope it works for you as easily as you seem to think it will.

Please keep us posted as it may help others in the same situ.

boliston

AdrianC wrote: »

Did car 3 push car 2 into car 1?
Or did car 2 hit car 1, then car 3 hit car 2 afterwards?

Now prove it...

It makes no difference as liability requires negligence

If a car hits me and sends me into another car how am i negligent?