Insurance Hit and Run Guidance

David_WFC

Hi,

I’m hoping you maybe able to help me, my neighbour had a domestic with her ex-boyfriend in the early hours of this morning.  I was woken by another neighbour across the road to inform me that he had reversed at speed into my car.  The police have arrested the ex-boyfriend for other offences relating to the domestic and contents within his possession, they also have his car seized in their possession. 

However has he due to him fleeing the scene, I do not have his address.  I’ve managed to get the vehicle registration of the vehicle he was driving, and I have his full name.  However, my insurance are saying this is a none fault claim, however I’d need to make a claim on my insurance and pay the excess.  I’ve given them the reference detail provided by the police, however apparently this isn’t good enough.  

Is there anything I can do to get me out of paying the excess?  It’s £750, and considering it wasn’t my fault I thought insurance would cover this, especially as I have motor legal protection as well.

Thank-you in advance.

David

AdrianC

You've got his reg - so get his insurance details from http://stayinsured.askmid.com/roadside.html and claim directly from them.

If you claim from your insurance, then your excess would be refunded as and when your insurer gets all their costs repaid from the other insurer.

How much of that £750 is compulsory excess, and how much is voluntary excess that you chose in order to reduce your premium?

Aretnap

David_WFC said:

Is there anything I can do to get me out of paying the excess?  It’s £750, and considering it wasn’t my fault I thought insurance would cover this, especially as I have motor legal protection as well.

Your excess is not a punishment for being to blame for an accident - it's simply the part of your claim which isn' covered by your insurance policy. Your fault, someone else's fault, nobody's fault in particular it makes no difference - if you claim on your own insurance policy, your excess is payable.

If the accident was someone else's fault, and you can prove it, what you can do is reclaim your excess from the at fault party's insurance, along with any other losses you've suffered which aren't covered by your policy (eg the cost of a hire car while yours is being repaired). If you have motor legal protection then your insurance company should provide you with a solicitor to assist you with this process - but that's not the same as them waiving your excess.

It's true that if there is no dispute over liability some insurers might offer to waive your excess and reclaim it on your behalf from the third party themselves, so you don't have to pay it then claim it back. However if they do this it's as a goodwill gesture, it's not something that they're under any obligation to do for you I'm afraid.

Alternatively you can if you wish bypass your own policy altogether and go straight to the third party's insurer. If you're not sure who they are you can find out here for a nominal fee. https://www.askmid.com/askmidenquiry.aspx If the other insurer is not disputing liability they will likely offer to repair your car with no excess to pay, and throw in a hire car as well. And if they are disputing liability for the moment (perhaps the boyfriend is denying everything) you can always go back to your own insurer afterwards.

sheramber

Can your neighbour  not tell you her ex boyfriend's address?