Car accident that wasn't my fault - help regarding insurance

housebuyer7

But since i've informed my insurance is my car now deemed category N? I wonder if it would be better to take the money from the claim and buy back my car, not fix it and just keep driving it until I'm ready to get rid, rather than go through the other driver's insurance and get it fixed?

DullGreyGuy

housebuyer7 said:

I’m very confused - it’s bad to claim off the accident management company? My insurance implied this was the best and most commonly used option as it protects my no claims bonus and I don’t have to pay an excess? Please can people explain any rationale behind their thinking as nothing like this has ever happened to me before and I understand absolutely none of it! What things am I supposed to do/check for? 

Their thinking? Depends on the commercial relationship. Rather than them having to handle your claim for free (insurers cannot recover the basic cost of claims staff, their office, laptop etc) they instead get a referral commission from the AXM.

For you in most cases it's fine and you get a nice hire car similar to your own vehicle rather than a tiny Corsa or Up (or whatever the equiv vehicles are these days). The risk is that there is more chance of a dispute in quantum and you have to support them in their recovery attempts

More widely, their charges are high and ultimately we all have to pay the consequences of increasing claims cost be that because of inflation, parts shortages or credit hire

housebuyer7 said:
Do I call up their insurance and tell them I want to claim? Will they try and dissuade me? One thing is the other party didn't tell their insurer about this until a few weeks later due to Christmas (assuming they actually have now). Will they say I can't claim due to their 24 hour notification window?

Yes you call them, or email, whatever your preference. They wont try and dissuade you in terms of making you think you could just live with the damage etc however they ultimately work for the third party not you. If the third party hasn't reported the claim or hasn't admitted liaibilty they may push you to dealing with them in writing or say they wont deal with you until they've spoken to their insured. 

Assuming there are no injuries the law of limitations is 6 years (5 in Scotland), there is no 24 hour requirement and you're comfortably inside 6 years.