Help with Car Insurance claim when policy renewal due

ElaineH21

I would say I had an accident in my car however, I wasn't driving at the time.  I was parked in a car park which had a very slight slope and unfortunately, after I left the carpark, the handbrake didn't hold the car and is slowly slipped out of the space and hit a car parked in the space on the other side of the "road".  I contacted my insurers who arranged for my car to be repaired (took about 2 months for a slot to be available).  My policy is due to renew in about 7 weeks and when I went onto the insurers website, it says the claim is still outstanding as the there is apparently a dispute outstanding regarding the repair costs for the 3rd parties car.  My concern is that this could mean that I am unable to shop around for insurance in a few weeks time and if I do, I can't provide accurate details on how much the claim was for.  I have spoken to my insurers but they have said while they understand my concern, they can't say if the 3rd party insurers will resolve the dispute anytime soon.  I don't even have the other parties contact details or saw what the damage was on their car as they had already left the scene - it was the car park security guard who told me what happened (that and my car wasn't where I left it) Has anyone been in a similar situation and what was your experience?

DullGreyGuy

What?

You are claiming the third party is liable for the damage to your car?

You need to get back onto the phone to your insurers... are you or your insurers claiming the manufacturer, the person you bought the car from or the last person that serviced your car is liable for the handbrake not holding? Assuming not, all of those are very hard to prove, then you simply put it down as a fault claim and as your insurer what their outlay and reserve is and put the sum of the two are the total cost of the claim in the rare occasion you are asked

maman

I think OP was saying that the other car owner has an unspecified time to claim/dispute/submit the cost of repairs to their vehicle which will fall outside the duration of her current policy.

I had a similar issue last year where someone reversed into me in a car park. Insurance company (Churchill) insisted that as no independent witnesses they might claim so had to leave it open for IIRC 6 months. 

They didn't claim and damage to my car was minimal and below excess so got it fixed myself.

Meanwhile my policy expired and I felt I has no choice but to stay with them. My premium increased by 90+%☹️

DullGreyGuy

maman said:

I think OP was saying that the other car owner has an unspecified time to claim/dispute/submit the cost of repairs to their vehicle which will fall outside the duration of her current policy.

It makes little difference, the OP has already claimed for their own damages and so there is a fault claim. 

Most insurers dont care what the total cost of a claim is, thats a function of luck if your car went into a rust bucket or a brand new Rolls. If you are in the minority that do ask then you simply get what your insurers are holding as the total exposure (paid + outstanding reserve).

People have 6 years to claim for property damage and 3 years for injuries and until the claimants 21st birthday for children injured. Its therefore can be a very long time before any insurer can say with absolute certainty what the total  cost was. A former client still had a dozen claims open from the early 1980s which were all still wrapped up in litigation (outside the UK)