Advice please - Collision Damage Waiver issue

Annmat70

I hired a car and took additional CDW and was involved in a car accident last summer in France. At the time, I was charged an excess of €150. Now the insurance company is asking me to provide a description of what happened. My concern is that I have been told that sometimes they will charge my credit card for the damage despite the CDW.

What should I do?

The Incident

I was driving one morning along a town road. Approaching me was a large lorry that suddenly swerved into my path at speed. To avoid the head-on collision and damage to the car and me I pulled out of the way but ran into the side of a parked car.

The lorry driver stopped, stuck his head of of the window and then drove off.

I gave my insurance details to the parked car driver and that was that.

Now I'm being asked for this additional information as my hire car insurance company wants to make a claim against the third party.

I had to take evasive action in the accident so do not consider that I was at fault.

I'm concerned and would appreciate advice from the forum.

Annie.

PeacefulWaters

If you had cover, I can't see any further charges.

That said, in the absence of the lorry, I suspect you'll cop for liability. But should be insured beyond the paid excess.

eDicky

Did you pay for extra cover for the CDW excess, bringing that to zero? Did you buy that from the hire firm, or independently yourself? What is 'this additional information' that you are being asked for?

Annmat70

I paid extra cover to bring the excess down to 150 EURO.. This was bought from the hire car firm.

They have requested "more information about the circumstances of the accident to be able to make a claim against the third party. A few sentences about how the accident occured and a description of the positions of the vehicles at the time of impact'

eDicky

You will no doubt have the 150 taken from your credit card, but no further liability.

I assume they mean the lorry is the third party, unless they want to put blame on the parked vehicle. But did you get the registration of the lorry? If not there's not much they can do, I guess. Just write for them what they are asking.