Parked car hit by unknown third party - at fault claim

Roland_Sausage

Towards the end of November, whilst my car was parked and left unoccupied in a supermarket car park, an unknown third party managed to put a big dent in the rear door of my car and then promptly left without leaving any details.

Perhaps foolishly (I know you're meant to) I notified my insurance company, before deciding to just take the hit and pay for the repair myself. It was just shy of £400 and I've got a £250 excess so it seemed pointless pursuing a claim.

Now on my renewal notice, as well as knocking 2 years off my no claims discount, it shows I have one at fault accident which I have a couple of questions about. 

How can I possibly be considered to be at fault for this? Or does it just mean that because the third party is untraceable, the policy holder has to be considered at fault by default?

I'm currently trying to obtain quotes from other insurance companies, and the question always comes up about previous accidents. I assume I will have to declare this. However, when they ask who was at fault, do I have to say that I was, or can I say other party?

williamgriffin

Think of at fault along the lines of who pays, can they recover all money they pay out.

Given you didn't claim you shouldn't lose any bonus, not sure how the handle a no claim no recovery accident. 

AdrianC

Roland_Sausage said:

How can I possibly be considered to be at fault for this?
Or does it just mean that because the third party is untraceable, the policy holder has to be considered at fault by default?

If there had been a claim, it would have been your insurer who paid.

That's the bit insurers don't like doing.

Roland_Sausage

Ok understood.

I’m not sure why they’ve removed 2 years of no claims discount. Can they even do that if there was no claim made?

AdrianC

Roland_Sausage said:

Ok understood.

I’m not sure why they’ve removed 2 years of no claims discount. Can they even do that if there was no claim made?

No. That sounds like an error.

daveyjp

Sounds like the claim was recorded on your file when the call was made, not when the claim was sorted out.  Understandable as you may have been close to renewal date so the material fact needed recording.

You need to call them to record the incident, but remove the fact a claim was made and you should get your full NCB back.

Roland_Sausage

daveyjp said:

Sounds like the claim was recorded on your file when the call was made, not when the claim was sorted out.  Understandable as you may have been close to renewal date so the material fact needed recording.

You need to call them to record the incident, but remove the fact a claim was made and you should get your full NCB back.

Thanks. I’ll get in touch with them and see what they say.

Sandtree

Had you claimed for the damage it would be a "fault" claim because "fault" in insurance terms is nothing to do with blame but simply if on the day they close the claim if they have a net outlay. As the Third Party is unknown there is no one to claim the cost of the claim against therefore a settled claim would have been at fault.

However, as you've not claimed the file should be closed with a nil outlay and so it gets closed as a non-fault incident which wouldnt impact your NCD. Often when claims are registered they get diaried on for 3-4 months to wait and see if you change your mind or if a third party comes out the woodwork in the cases of potential to blame incidents.

A call to your insurers should resolve it.

Lewie

Never tell them anything you don't need to. It may be in the 'rules' but they will take any opportunity to get more cash.
Adrian C. On paper it looks like the insurers paid, but in reality they lose nothing. Any 'hit' they take is just added to your and my and everyone elses premium.

Sandtree. It doesn't matter to an insurance company if they pay out or not. If you have any kind of 'accident' you are meant to let them know and they will log it as a claim no matter what.

I accidentaly left the plug out of my fridge freezer after doing some DIY.

I called the insurance company to make a claim.

By the time excess was removed it was hardly worth claiming so I told them to forget it.

Next renewal, there was the 'claim' logged.

When I enquired they said it doesn't matter that they didn't pay out, it goes against you because if you have an accident it makes you a higher 'risk'.

When you go to a new company they penalise you if you have made any claims with a different company yet they have never paid out for those claims.

Never trust an insurance company.

AdrianC

Lewie said:

Adrian C. On paper it looks like the insurers paid, but in reality they lose nothing. Any 'hit' they take is just added to your and my and everyone elses premium.

That's not how insurance works.

Lewie

Oh yes it is me old flower.

Remember 911? I was sub contracting to a company that obviously needed cover. After 911 their premium doubled. They tried to get a cheaper quote. Every company refused them. This happened across the board, in effect forcing each company to pay double. The premium eventually returned to 'normal' and they could change insurers if they wished. The loss had been recouped.

Another example. Watch the BBC (if you can force yourself :-)) programme about insurance fraud. At the start of every programme, and throughout, they reiterate  that fraud "costs you" millions. Stating that x amount is added to 'honest' people's premiums.