Car Insurance Renewal with car accident injury case still open - need some advice

Beachlife2018

Hi all,

Car accident Nov 19. Insurance company says I am not liable, 3rd party has accepted liability. I got payout for my car which was written off and the only thing I am processing is my personal injuries claim. My renewal is in 9 days time. The broker Post Office has sent me a renewal claim offer which is £300 more then I paid last year.

I noticed that my no claims hasn't been affected, but on the accident section of the new documents, it says that the accident was my fault.

I contacted Post Office to ask how come it was so high and why it says I am at fault when payout for my car has been settled and 3rd party has claimed liability. I was told that the insurance company still has the case as open and not updated their systems. I said okay, I asked is it because my personal injuries claim is still open?

They replied, yes that is probably the reason.

I did a new quote and put the accident down as Not my fault and obvously with a newer car, the quotes were much lower than Post Office renewal. So what do I do?

I asked Post Office; when the case is closed, they will update their system to show that I am not at fault, so will Post Office then recalculate my insurance premium to be lower and I will pay less for the reminde? They said, we can't say for sure, maybe, maybe not.

So Insurance companies are quick to increase your premium if you have an accident or traffic penalty but are very vague on wanting to help you decrease your premium on the outcome of an accident being not my fault.

so could someone offer any insight on what I should do?

Should I refuse Post Office renewal and take out a new insurance policy with someone else at a lower price with the accident being not my fault, which it isn't, or will that invalidate my insurance?

or

Do I stick with Post Office and get them to recalculate my insurance premium once my claim is settled and the insurance company update the case to non-fault?

Will

MovingForwards

Until the PO change it on their system to a non-fault claim, you have to declare it as a fault claim.

Have the PO recovered all the money they have paid out in relation to the claim / money paid to you?
-If not, that's why it will show as a fault claim.
-if yes, push them to change the status 

The PI element isn't paid by your insurance company but the third party's, so if that's all that is outstanding (subject to above), the PO close their file as they don't care about the PI side (sorry! See first line of this paragraph)

Most people stay with the same insurance company until it's resolved, then the premiums are recalculated and refunded, as appropriate.

Beachlife2018

Thank you.

PO said it is the insurance company Zenith that has it as open, not PO. so confusing. Maybe it is Zenith who provided my PI solictor, hence why it is open.

I am unsure whether they have recovered it from 3rd party, i expect they have as i haven't heard any different. PO is the broker and Zenith the insurance company, it is so confusing at times on who to deal with.

I hope that they do recalculate and refund appropriately, because at the moment I cannot afford to pay the annual premium in one go due to companywide salary cut.

MovingForwards

Phone zenith and ask them as per my second paragraph, just replace Zenith for PO, the guidance is the same.

Premiums will be recalculated.

[Deleted User]

If you do end up having to pay more they will refund the difference once the change is made. Also remember to add the increase in your insurance to the cost of your claim. You can ask your insurer how much having a non-fault claim has affected your premium.

MovingForwards

[DELETED USER] said:

If you do end up having to pay more they will refund the difference once the change is made. Also remember to add the increase in your insurance to the cost of your claim. You can ask your insurer how much having a non-fault claim has affected your premium.

You can't add the increased premium to the claim as it's refundable from OPs own insurer, depending on how the claim settles.

MovingForwards

todd1WZ said:

You can't add the increased premium to the claim as it's refundable from OPs own insurer, depending on how the claim settles.

So does it mean, that only re-sign up procedure can help with increasing premium?

No.

It means you start your policy with the same insurer or a different one.

When the claim has been resolved, marked as fault / non-fault and money received / paid out by your insurer, you receive confirmation from them of how it settled.

They, or the new insurer if you changed, recalculate the premium based on the updated information and refund the difference between the two.

[Deleted User]

MovingForwards said:

[DELETED USER] said:

If you do end up having to pay more they will refund the difference once the change is made. Also remember to add the increase in your insurance to the cost of your claim. You can ask your insurer how much having a non-fault claim has affected your premium.

You can't add the increased premium to the claim as it's refundable from OPs own insurer, depending on how the claim settles.

No I mean next year's premium. It will go up even if the OP it's not at fault. Usually need to do it for 5 year's premiums.

MovingForwards

[DELETED USER] said:

MovingForwards said:

[DELETED USER] said:

If you do end up having to pay more they will refund the difference once the change is made. Also remember to add the increase in your insurance to the cost of your claim. You can ask your insurer how much having a non-fault claim has affected your premium.

You can't add the increased premium to the claim as it's refundable from OPs own insurer, depending on how the claim settles.

No I mean next year's premium. It will go up even if the OP it's not at fault. Usually need to do it for 5 year's premiums.

It's part and parcel of being a car owner.

Deemed to be a higher risk because of having an accident, even a non-fault one.

Still not recoverable from tp / tpi.

[Deleted User]

MovingForwards said:

[DELETED USER] said:

MovingForwards said:

[DELETED USER] said:

If you do end up having to pay more they will refund the difference once the change is made. Also remember to add the increase in your insurance to the cost of your claim. You can ask your insurer how much having a non-fault claim has affected your premium.

You can't add the increased premium to the claim as it's refundable from OPs own insurer, depending on how the claim settles.

No I mean next year's premium. It will go up even if the OP it's not at fault. Usually need to do it for 5 year's premiums.

It's part and parcel of being a car owner.

Deemed to be a higher risk because of having an accident, even a non-fault one.

Still not recoverable from tp / tpi.

I've recovered it before. Had a bit of an argument with the 3rd party insurer but they paid out in the end.

Didn't get anywhere with diminished value though.

MovingForwards

[DELETED USER] said:

MovingForwards said:

[DELETED USER] said:

MovingForwards said:

[DELETED USER] said:

If you do end up having to pay more they will refund the difference once the change is made. Also remember to add the increase in your insurance to the cost of your claim. You can ask your insurer how much having a non-fault claim has affected your premium.

You can't add the increased premium to the claim as it's refundable from OPs own insurer, depending on how the claim settles.

No I mean next year's premium. It will go up even if the OP it's not at fault. Usually need to do it for 5 year's premiums.

It's part and parcel of being a car owner.

Deemed to be a higher risk because of having an accident, even a non-fault one.

Still not recoverable from tp / tpi.

I've recovered it before. Had a bit of an argument with the 3rd party insurer but they paid out in the end.

Didn't get anywhere with diminished value though.

Diminution of value, only really works on near new vehicles, involves engineers report / statement and one hell of a good argument!