Letter about CCJ for minor car accident

cross2

Help

I've had a letter today from a solicitor about a car accident (in a retail car park) in 2018

I told my insurance company about it (fleet policy), I got my car repaired £600 not through insurance and I've heard nothing since!

Until today, I've had a letter from the other drivers solicitor telling me that they are issuing a claim for £6K as they've been unable to get the money from my insurance

This is the first I've heard about it, any claim or anything since

What do I do, the letter is in my name, I haven't moved house, moved companies, moved insurance since

cross2

But what about time limits.  Is there anything I need to do with this letter?

TadleyBaggie

Pass it to the insurance company.

cross2

Does anyone know of anything else that I may need to beware of?  This sounds like it could get pretty serious quickly!

Sandtree

cross2 said:

But what about time limits.  Is there anything I need to do with this letter?

Assuming there was no bodily injury claim then the time limit for the tort of negligence and resultant property damage is 6 years. If there is an injury aspect the limit is reduced to 3 years.

You need to pass it to your insurers at the time of the accident. It is worth calling them to make them aware its on the way. Solicitors and paralegals often use writing to the third party as a scare tactic to get them to chase up their insurer.

cross2

Ok, thank you.  I told them that I had, had an accident.  My car damage was 600 this was 6K!  I didn't hear from the guy since, I can only presume that the insurance company hasn't either.

IT's the fact that all these repairs have been done, without anyone knowing, and then a bill demanding we pay for it when the accident was on retail property, in a car park and at best I think it is a case that we were both at fault and certainly not to the tune of £6k!

Sandtree

cross2 said:

Ok, thank you.  I told them that I had, had an accident.  My car damage was 600 this was 6K!  I didn't hear from the guy since, I can only presume that the insurance company hasn't either.

IT's the fact that all these repairs have been done, without anyone knowing, and then a bill demanding we pay for it when the accident was on retail property, in a car park and at best I think it is a case that we were both at fault and certainly not to the tune of £6k!

Without seeing the letter or having more detail on the case its really difficult to say much in a succinct way because there are so many different routes things can have gone. 

It could be he went via his insurers in which case they will have assessed the damage and ensured the damage was consistent with the accident circumstances and the repairs reasonable.

It could be we went via an accident management company in which case an independent engineer will have assessed the quotes to assess the same but this adds a cost, plus then the AMC charge 10% ontop of the repair bill plus they then give him a hire car on credit which is charged at a rate much higher than you'd get by going onto Enterprises website and privately hiring.

Obviously haven't seen the damage to either vehicle but £6k at main dealer pricing isn't massive and particularly not if that is also including credit hire.

Your insurers however will deal with all of this for you.

martinbainbridge1975

pass to fleet insurers, you have nothing to worry about as you have reported the incident.  what they are doing is fairly normal practice as insurers are known to drag out third party claims.

as above it could also be to do with credit hire charges which from memory they have time limits for repayment

[Deleted User]

Keep pushing them for updates and keep an eye on your post is all I would add. There is a post on the insurance forum about someone who ended up with a CCJ because AXA did not send a representative to the court case despite having all the details. You are technically liable hence the letter to you, your insurer is the one responsible for paying.

£600 of damage to an older car could easily be £6k to a brand new car especially if it's on lease or PCP and the owner needs to have it done by the manufacturer per terms of their agreement. Something like hitting the rear of a car and damaging parking sensors etc can all mount on up on a higher end car