New driver two Accidents

Bossyboots

Bennifred wrote:

Another point about the second accident: If there is no damage on your son's car (i.e. HE isn't claiming) you probably won't have to pay an excess even if the other driver claims on your insurance, so it may be worth going through the insurers rather than paying yourself. We were in this position when our son ran into the back of a Mini just one week after passing his test. No damage at all to our car, looked like no damage to Mini but when the other guy had it checked out there was over £600 pounds worth (genuine, we saw the report). Our excess at the time was about £400 for son, so we decided to go through insurers, only to be pleasantly surprised that because WE didn't need to claim for any damage we didn't have to pay any excess :j
Has your son done the PassPlus course - extremely useful, and very reassuring.

Just bringing this post back to the fore as I am at a loss to understand why the OP's son is going to pay for the repairs himself when, as has been pointed out, the excess applies to your own damage, not the third party.

These two accidents still have to be reported to the insurers, so the premiums are going to go up regardless. Not reporting them will invalidate his insurance. Therefore, it seems to make sense to save the £350 to put towards the increased premiums and let the insurance do what it is supposed to.

albreda

Not reporting them might invalidate the insurance, but only if they ever find out right?

I wish I'd never reported my car being broken into - it only cost me £35 to get repaired ....much less then the effect it had on my insurance renewal!!

I would not be so quick to report it if it were me. But, I'd not do so in the full knowledge it could come back and bite you in the bum one day.

bargain_2

Van driver said they would have to say the accident happened yesterday because he should have reported it when it did happend on Monday. He was doing my son a favour so son did not want to lie it might make things worse.

Bossyboots

bargain wrote:

Van driver said they would have to say the accident happened yesterday because he should have reported it when it did happend on Monday. He was doing my son a favour so son did not want to lie it might make things worse.

I don't mean to be blunt, but I am frankly incredulous at your posts. Can you explain what favour he is doing your son?

As I see it, your son has had an accident which he accepts is his fault. You have not confirmed he has notified his insurers at all, about either accident so I must assume he has not. Now this van driver is asking your son to pay direct for damage, the costs of which your son's insurance policy would meet. Added to that your son is being asked to lie about when the accident happened.

If you cannot smell a rat in all this, then I don't think there is much help anyone can give. In the best case scenario, yes you should report accidents the day they happen. However, many many people do not and although they might get chided by their insurers for their tardiness, it is not a huge issue.

If the driver is in difficulties with someone over his failure to report it when it happened, that is his problem Don't let you son be drawn into what is sounding more and more like something very fishy. Most particularly, your son should not be lying to anyone about anything in relation to this accident and I would have thought his best bet was to notify his insurers with the facts and leave them to sort it out.

bargain_2

I know it seems hard to believe. Van driver rang at 4 and wanted to know by 5 he said he was going on holiday today my son did not know what to do. I hope if van driver is ripping my son off no good will come out of it for him. My son started new job on Monday and is going to work all hours to pay for this. I cannot tell you the upset this has cause me. It will neaver happen again and hope anyone reading this will learn form it always report it.

Bossyboots

bargain wrote:

I know it seems hard to believe. Van driver rang at 4 and wanted to know by 5 he said he was going on holiday today my son did not know what to do. I hope if van driver is ripping my son off no good will come out of it for him. My son started new job on Monday and is going to work all hours to pay for this. I cannot tell you the upset this has cause me. It will neaver happen again and hope anyone reading this will learn form it always report it.

Why not report it now? It is not too late. It would be better than this all coming back to haunt your son later on because he does not do so. He is breaching his insurance T&Cs. He should simply tell the van driver he will be notifying his insurance company and they will settle the claim with him themselves. It is not an offence not to notify your insurers and most policies say to notify at the earliest possible opportunity. He can tell them the other driver was pressing for a private settlement but that he now realises after speaking to people, that he would be better off letting the insurers sort it out.

This van driver is bullying your son into giving him money and it is all unnecessary. I suspect the driver may not have been insured for the van or maybe even doesn't have a licence. It would seem that far from doing your son a favour, he is trying to cover his own tracks. Dont let your son be a party to this. He really ought to do it properly and take the consequences of his premium rising. I really feel your son is getting into a quagmire here into which he might sink if he doesn't take steps now to get out.

Bennifred

Absolutely agree with Bossyboots - report to the insurers now. It is definitely NOT too late and he won't get into trouble. My son didn't report to our insurer for almost two weeks because we were waiting to hear what the cost would be (not knowing that we wouldn't have to pay excess anyway).
Truly, it isn't worth the stress of wondering if you've done the wrong or right thing. Also that van driver should not be allowed to get away with bullying your son - I bet he just doesn't want HIS insurers to know he's been involved in an accident (his fault or not, they also need to know, and your insurers will contact them). Actually, there's a thought - maybe the van driver isn't insured and is desperate not to be found out?! Anyway - speak to your insurer - you will probably be pleasantly surprised , and you will feel much better for doing the right thing

OOPS sorry, repeating Bossyboots points.

Bossyboots

Bennifred wrote:

OOPS sorry, repeating Bossyboots points.

Don't worry about it, hopefully it will reassure bargain to hear that someone else has the same views.