Small collision - next steps and how to contact the other party's insurer?

SouthLondonUser

I was involved in a small collision: urban 20mph road, I slowed down to let some pedestrians cross at a zebra, a pickup truck (a real commercial vehicle, not a big fancy SUV) hit me from behind. I was unhurt but the registration plate cracked and there was some minor damage at the back.

I don't have a dashcam but I made a phone video showing the broken plate and the fact he had hit me from behind. I have him on video apologising and admitting it was his fault.

We exchanged driving licenses and phone numbers; the whole thing remained very civilised.

I paid £250 for repairs, including reprinting the plate. I paid it myself because I don't have comprehensive, and because I didn't want to be without driving for too long.

The guy initially said he'd refund me, but has since gone into radio silence.
What are my next best steps? How do I contact his insurer?

I know I need to tell my insurer, That is NOT the question.
I cannot claim from my insurer because I don't have comprehensive (and it would have been below the excess anyway)

Shall I contact the other party's insurer? But how do I find out who the insurer is? Given the small sum involved, it's not worth involving lawyers, I'd think.

Or shall I send a small court claim (or whatever the proper name is) to this guy's address (which I have)? 

Thanks!

debsy42

https://www.mib.org.uk/check-insurance-details/check-a-vehicle-not-at-the-roadside-after-an-accident/ Think it costs about £10 to get the details of the other fella. In hindsight you should have contacted them straight away and they would have paid for your repairs, sounds clear cut with a rear end collision.

GrumpyDil

Alternatively send a letter before action to the drivers address stating that you your car was damaged due to his driving into you and that you have tried to contact him to arrange payment

Then state he has 14 days to contact you to make payment or you will issue County court proceedings to recover the money via the courts which will result in court fees etc being added to the claim value.

There are guides on the Internet to drafting an LBA and the overall court process.

LightFlare

I’m not sure the other driver has any obligation to pay at all.

The obligation was to exchange insurance details at the time and let them sort it.

Car_54

LightFlare said:

I’m not sure the other driver has any obligation to pay at all.

The obligation was to exchange insurance details at the time and let them sort it.

1. If the collision was his fault, the other driver does indeed have an obligation to pay. Whether he involves his insurer is up to him.

2. There is NO obligation to exchange insurance details at the scene, unless someone was injured.

SouthLondonUser

And which would be best, between sending a letter before action directly to the guy, and contacting his insurer directly?

Is contacting the insurer best, because the guy can play hardball and it can take me forever?

Or can both play hardball, so it's anyone's  guess?

"In hindsight you should have contacted them straight away and they would have paid for your repairs, sounds clear cut with a rear end collision."

My concern was the timing. Had it been cosmetic damage I would have probably done what you mentioned, but I needed a new plate asap. To be clear, we patched the plate on the spot, so it was readable, I never went around with an unreadable plate, but it was unclear to me if I risked being given a hard time by the police had I had to wait a long time for the insurance to sort it out.

facade

SouthLondonUser said:

And which would be best, between sending a letter before action directly to the guy, and contacting his insurer directly?

Is contacting the insurer best, because the guy can play hardball and it can take me forever?

Or can both play hardball, so it's anyone's  guess?

If you contact the insurer, he undoubtedly has "forgotten" to inform them, and they will have to write to him about the accident, he may well deny it ever happened and it will take you months to sort it out, providing your evidence to his insurer etc., probably ending up with the LBA and small claims anyway. (you only need evidence that that car hit yours and the admission from the driver)

On a positive note, when you do get paid out, his insurer will punish him for "forgetting" to inform them.

If you LBA and then small claims him, (assuming it is him in the video) you will more than likely win with the video evidence and get your £250. (you can only claim against the driver, if the keeper/name & address you have isn't the driver he can politely tell you to go forth and multiply, only the Police can force him to snitch on the driver)

On a positive note, if he has "forgotten" to inform them, he may well be keen to continue to "forget" to inform them, and very likely will settle at the £250.

Hoenir

You have an obligation to report accident this to your own insurer. 

Car_54

Hoenir said:

You have an obligation to report accident this to your own insurer. 

That will be why the OP said "I know I need to tell my insurer".