Hit and run advice

ps124

Hi All,

My wife was involved in a hit and run today. Some car hit her from behind on a roundabout. She got out to exchange details and take pictures but the driver of the other car asked if they could pull over at the next exit to exchange details. The next thing she knows is the driver sped off and she wasn't able to get the number plate or any details.

It was a mistake on her part but she was a bit shook up and because it was on a roundabout at peak traffic time, she tried to be helpful by moving the car and allowing other drivers to pass. Anyway, the damage to the car isn't much, a few scratches etc but annoyed the other driver's behavior.

Do I just log a police report and will they use CCTV to provide the other drivers details? Also, if I inform my insurance company, does this mean her insurance premium will go up. I'm thinking that if we could do the police report and at least tell our insurance company, that would be ok. I don't think we'll claim and repair unless the driver is caught and we can make the claim against his insurance. I just dont want her insurance premium to go up.

Please advise? Not happened before...not sure what to do.

DUTR

Her insurance may go up from other factors outside of the policy , eg insurance tax.
You can/should perhaps report the incident.
There maybe footage there maybe not.

a.turner

ps124 wrote: »

Hi All,

My wife was involved in a hit and run today. Some car hit her from behind on a roundabout. She got out to exchange details and take pictures but the driver of the other car asked if they could pull over at the next exit to exchange details. The next thing she knows is the driver sped off and she wasn't able to get the number plate or any details.

It was a mistake on her part but she was a bit shook up and because it was on a roundabout at peak traffic time, she tried to be helpful by moving the car and allowing other drivers to pass. Anyway, the damage to the car isn't much, a few scratches etc but annoyed the other driver's behavior.

Do I just log a police report and will they use CCTV to provide the other drivers details? Also, if I inform my insurance company, does this mean her insurance premium will go up. I'm thinking that if we could do the police report and at least tell our insurance company, that would be ok. I don't think we'll claim and repair unless the driver is caught and we can make the claim against his insurance. I just dont want her insurance premium to go up.

Please advise? Not happened before...not sure what to do.

In all honesty probably not. They'll take the report and tell you without a reg number there are no further enquiries and file it.

TooManyPoints

She should report the matter to the police as soon as possible and in any case within 24 hours (it can be done online). Road Traffic Act S170 makes this clear.

chrisw

The chance of finding who did it are remote and you say the damage is fairly minor.

Annoying as it is, I think I would chalk it up to experience and not bother reporting it to anybody.

ps124

The damage is so little, I think it's only worth reporting to the insurance company if the police find the footage and the number plate. The majority seem to think this is unlikely? So even if she reports it to the insurance company, but we decide not to claim, does that mean I always have to answer the involved in an accident in the last 3 years questions and no doubt, the premium would go up regardless of whether we claimed or not?

a.turner

ps124 wrote: »

The damage is so little, I think it's only worth reporting to the insurance company if the police find the footage and the number plate. The majority seem to think this is unlikely? So even if she reports it to the insurance company, but we decide not to claim, does that mean I always have to answer the involved in an accident in the last 3 years questions and no doubt, the premium would go up regardless of whether we claimed or not?

How do you think you have to answer it?

ps124

*answer yes to the "have you been involved in an accident in the last 3 years". Even though its not her fault, assuming the premium will go up.

a.turner

ps124 wrote: »

*answer yes to the "have you been involved in an accident in the last 3 years". Even though its not her fault, assuming the premium will go up.

They could go up, they may even go down too many variables to say.

Scrapit

If your not reporting it why would you answer yes to the insurers?

KateBob

If it was a busy roundabout someone else may have dashcam footage or the other vehicle's reg and may have reported it to the police.


Many years ago I saw a drive off from an accident and got the reg. The driver who was hit raced off after the other vehicle so I couldn't pass my info on. On the off chance he didn't catch up or remember the reg I passed my info onto the police that night. They'd already had a report from the hit driver and used my report to verify the reg of the drive off, who apparently admitted t it when approached.