Extra expenses from insurance claim

Pensioner_1955

I had my car written off after a third party drove into it from behind. I have settled for the car but my insurers say they are not liable for any other costs - taxi to get home, road tax paid (due to delay declaring written off) and annoyingly £25 to amend my policy for a new car! All of these were a direct result of the accident. I have full onward travel breakdown cover but this does not cover post accident recovery and my insurer says my particular policy does not include 'get home cover' after an accident. I have not heard of this/seen it offered in 50 years of driving. In any case I was claiming from the 3rd parties insurance policy and not my own. Luckily I was 5 miles from home but I dread to think of the costs that would accrue if I were on a family holiday/longer trip. Can anyone advise or clarify for me?

sheramber

I think you need to claim your uninsured losses direct from the 3 ed party's insurance.

Do you have legal cover on your policy?

DullGreyGuy

Pensioner_1955 said:

I had my car written off after a third party drove into it from behind. I have settled for the car but my insurers say they are not liable for any other costs - taxi to get home, road tax paid (due to delay declaring written off) and annoyingly £25 to amend my policy for a new car! All of these were a direct result of the accident. I have full onward travel breakdown cover but this does not cover post accident recovery and my insurer says my particular policy does not include 'get home cover' after an accident. I have not heard of this/seen it offered in 50 years of driving. In any case I was claiming from the 3rd parties insurance policy and not my own. Luckily I was 5 miles from home but I dread to think of the costs that would accrue if I were on a family holiday/longer trip. Can anyone advise or clarify for me?

Do you have legal expenses insurance? If you do then your insurer should be appointing someone under that to deal with your uninsured loss recovery. 

If you didnt include this in your policy then you are on your own to recover it but it's not difficult to do. Your insurers should be able to give you the correct contact details for the third party insurer and their claim reference number. You then simply write to them outlining each cost you have incurred, why it was necessary (in basic terms not ratty - ie "Taxi from crash location to home as vehicle was not roadworthy") and include evidence of the payments. 

If you are sending it by snail mail ensure you enclose copies of the payment evidence not the originals as stuff can go AWOL. 


Your insurers are ultimately correct, you insure certain risks with them, namely the damage to your vehicle, but there are plenty of risks you dont insure with them like loss of earnings, your excess, injury compensation etc (though these are covered if you are at fault and its a third party claiming)

Pensioner_1955

Many thanks for replies. I have got Legal cover included with my policy. I have policy details for third party and will try approaching them direct but if this is unsuccessful I will try under the legal cover. Will post as to progress!

DullGreyGuy

Pensioner_1955 said:

Many thanks for replies. I have got Legal cover included with my policy. I have policy details for third party and will try approaching them direct but if this is unsuccessful I will try under the legal cover. Will post as to progress!

Get the claims details from your insurer... many people mistake their broker for their insurer and certainly with some brokers/intermediaries if you call them as a TP they will simply sell pass you to a Claims Management Company to make a claim against the insurer given the total cost of the claim doesnt impact them and CMC pay healthy commissions for referrals, typically much more than what they get for actually selling the Motor policy.