Someone went into the back of me

Smithy_uk

Basically i was today waiting at some traffic lights which where red, when a car hit me from behind pretty hard.
I signalled to her to pull over, then pulled over myself. Looked over my shoulder and she sped off.
I managed to catch up with her and have a chat, the damage was not to bad to my car (well should say my mother-in-laws).
I took her mobile number and went to finish the job i set off to do.
The problem i have just found out is that i thought i was covered on my insurance to drive other cars third party, which i found out this is an optional extra which i dont have.
My mother-in-law who owns the car has fully comp on the car, but at the time of the crash i have none.
Where do i stand, as i am at a lose on what to do, even though the person that went into the back of the car was in the wrong. Please help

tanith

Offer to pay for the damage seems sensible to me... it really was your resposibility to check you were covered to drive the car..

Smithy_uk

Pay damage to my mother in law or the other driver?

tanith

To your MIL ...... I would assume as she drove off and it was her fault entirely the other driver would rather not get involved and really you can hardly claim on insurance, so she repairs her own car and gets away with it sadly...

I might be totally wrong ..... anyone?

Smithy_uk

Thats what i was thinking, i am just concerned and phone her, and say there is a problem with my insurance on the car that the police would get involved and then i would have to pay for both my MIL and her's which to be honest i could not afford.
I know its my fault in a way for not looking at the small print on my car insurance for my car, but it use to be standard i thought when you had full comp.

Smithy_uk

Just to add to this, i think she was driving a rental car, had the little green E symbol on the back.

G-G_4

Why can't your MIL claim against the driver that hit her car and just kinda say she was driving (the MIL that is)....

Alias_Omega

Difficult one.

What type of car is it, whats the damage, what was the age of the car, what about the usual whip-lash claims etc.

If you were insured, you would not worry one little bit about claiming from the other party.

I would check over the insurance certificate to see if you would be insured, as this is what you may need to show the police.

If you did claim, you dont have to contact your own insurance, you can always contact her insurance company direct, and if its a hire car, then that company would be the first point of contact.

E = Enterprise.?

Alias_Omega

G-G wrote: »

Why can't your MIL claim against the driver that hit her car and just kinda say she was driving (the MIL that is)....

No, thats where you start having problems.

Im sure that if the OP filed a claim, there would be a question as to who was driving, when it was found out that the OP was driving, but not the claimaint then questions would be asked to insurance fraud etc.

Then probably reported for no insurance, and followed by a IN10 being issued.

Smithy_uk

Just done some research and Alias_Omega, you are right Enterprise.
I have read my insurance cert about three times and now looking at it clearly says i am not insured to drive any other car other than the one on the insurance cert. Car i have is a Vauxhall Zafira @ 2003. I ended up wearing my red bull at the time along with the dashboard & windscreen.
Regarding your reply G-G what if she turned round and said a male was driving?

Alias_Omega

What time was the accident, and what happends if you misterly ring the insurance company adding that entitlement, with a replacement insurance certificate being issued as you have lost yours.

The damage can range from a cracked bumper, to severe damage causing boot floor to crumple etc.