Hire car accident - what to do?

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Yes, she has to tell her insurer that she has had another accident/claim.

Quentin

Zudecke wrote: »

Thanks guys - clear.

Does she also need to let her insurer know? So far they've had nothing to do with the process.

She should have already reported the original incident "for information only", and told them she was claiming off the third party.


So she now needs to report 2 claims!

Zudecke_2

Just curious around the logistics of such a claim.

Given the hire car companies insurance will be activated for the claim, what does her own car's insurer have to do with it?


It's quite possible that whwn using a hire at service, one may not own a car and thus not have any insurance, right?

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Zudecke wrote: »

Given the hire car companies insurance will be activated for the claim, what does her own car's insurer have to do with it?

Having established that it is definitely a hire car, which will be insured by the hire company, rather than a courtesy car from the authorised repairer, which is usually insured by an extension of the claimants policy:

The T&Cs of motor insurance require that the insurance company is informed of any accidents, motor claims made by or losses suffered by the policy holder.

They most certainly ask about them when you renew or take out a policy.

Zudecke_2

Hmm, so that the insurers can rip people for more money?

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Zudecke wrote: »

Hmm, so that the insurers can rip people for more money?

Not rip, think of it like a bet.

You are betting you will get them to pay out vast sums of money, with the proviso that you can't deliberately cause the damage.
They are betting that you won't.

The fact that you have crashed (no matter the circumstances) statistically puts the odds more in your favour, (bad luck always comes in threes?) so they want more money off you to reduce their risk.

The op has proved that this is right with successive crashes, own fault or not.
Failing to disclose an "incident" is a pretty sure-fire get out clause for the insurers.

Zudecke_2

Hire company are asking for £500 excess + £600 loss of business.

Apparently attributed to how long the car was out of action for. I find it dubious given the total cost of labour on the garage's invoice was just £312, which seems like the equivalent of only a days work at most.

Does this sound normal?

Retrogamer

Zudecke wrote: »

Given the hire car companies insurance will be activated for the claim, what does her own car's insurer have to do with it?

Well both accidents with her details will be recorded on the CUE database which all insurance companies use so if she doesn't tell them about the accidents for notification purposes (as you're obligated to in the T&C's) then don't be surprised if they try and cancel your policy or become difficult when you need them as a result of non disclosure.

Zudecke wrote: »

Hire company are asking for £500 excess + £600 loss of business.

Apparently attributed to how long the car was out of action for. I find it dubious given the total cost of labour on the garage's invoice was just £312, which seems like the equivalent of only a days work at most.

Does this sound normal?

With body repairs, a days worth of work is not always done in one day. There may be several cars in and progress is made on each one whilst they wait for paint / filler to dry on another etc.

arcon5

I wouldn't be paying loss of business, your liability in the event of an accident if £500... not £500plus misc expenses

Crabman

Loss of business claim sounds odd for a business to be claiming from a consumer.

Otherwise it would be routine for non-fault collision parties to claim the future 5 year costs of increased premiums from the at-fault party.