Do I have a case to complain about car insurance? Who to? (Long Thread)

Lizard51

Sorry its a long one...

Please help me I am having terrible trouble with my car insurance company and I dont know what to do. (I am not at fault).

A man lost control of his car in Feburary 08 and hit me causing his car to roll down a 10ft bank and injured his head. My car was undrivable after the incident. We both gave full statements to the Police with names addresses etc. While the other injured party was still next to me I was then accused by the Police of having no insurance and I had to argue my case (good job the other party was not of a violent disposition). The man was bleeding from the head and while the statements were given and we never exchanged names between us as I was still being accused of the other Police officer of having no insurance and was getting quite upset. the man had to be taken to hospital. The Policewoman advised they had all of the information and all we needed to do was let the insurance companies know the Incident Number and they could get all of the info from there. I left my car there and went home.

The next day I phoned my insurance company let them know as much information as I could including incident number etc. just as the police had told me. I also produced my documents at the Police station. I did not know the other car reg. number as it was on its roof down a bank in a pitch black country lane and the Police already had it. My insurance company said they needed all his details so I said about the incident number but they said they could not get the details. I had to phone the Police station myself and beg for information, I was advised by them that this was my insurance companys job and this is what I pay my money for and would only give me the reg. number for security reasons. I then informed my insurance company of the regestration number.

I enquired about why I had been accused at the scene of an accident of having no insurance and was told the insurance company had put my regestration number on the database wrong.

I phoned the car pound that the Police advised me my car was being taken to to check it was there, then advised my insurance company it was there.

I heard nothing for a while.

I then phoned up to see what was happening and what was happening with my car and was asked "Have you not organised your car to be towed to a garage?" I was also informed that should be charged for the nights the car was left at the lock-up and towing charges. I said that surely this was thier job as this is what I pay my insurance for. Later I was rang by an accident repair centre saying they had my car and to pick up one of their cars to borrow (a 1.4l petrol Fiesta - I have a commute of 64 miles a day and drive a diesel) I asked for a diesel but they didnt have one (my insurance says like-for-like car) - not very economical to get to work. Phoned insurance company to check the courtesy car was included in cover - they say yes.

I heard nothing again for days.

Phoned insurance company to see what was happening - they cannot find out the other party insurance.

Nothing again for a few days.

Phone garage to see how car was getting on as I had not heard anything - my insurance company had not contaced them to start work on it.

Phone insurance company - they cannot find out the other party insurance.

Get message about getting a hire car, phone back a few times, no answerm leave answerphone message, never ever had a response.

Hear nothing.

Phone insurance company - they cannot find out the other party insurance. I ask why, give them other party regestration number again.

Fill in detailed Police statement and insurance statement and post back to relevant places. (Very detailed - regestration numbers, Incident numbers, Officer name and number stated, Police station named.)

Shockingly the car repair centre phones to say my car is ready!

Pick up my car, give back Fiesta - pay £200 excess (cheque).

When I get receipt I phone insurance company and ask where I should fax it to. They give me a number, I fax reciept.

Phone later to check fax recieved.

They give me another number.

My dad has to renew his car's insurance, on which I am a second named driver - I phone my insurance to ask what the progress was - Pending - they cannot find out the other party insurance. My dad's insurance premium goes up.

Phone them - they cant carry on as they do not have the number of the Police station. (Not asked for on form). I type Police station into Google and instantly get number. I phone insurance up and let them know.

Hear nothing.

Phone insurance company to check progress - they cannot find out the other party insurance, they say they do not have any information. I give regestration number again and ask them to phone me back.

They phone back - Apparently they DID have the registration number all the time and they have typed it in and have found the other party insurance details.

It has now been months.

Someone from a legal firm working with my insurance says he has the reciept and will look into it.

Hear nothing.

Get message from someone while I was on holiday saying they have no details and cannot carry on as they do not have the other party name. They do not say who they are.

I phone insurance company they have no idea who rang and said I had to phone round people as they are only intermediaries and only deal with the claim. I said I paid them my premium and they are my insurance company and I was now quite upset and please could they find out and phone me back.

It has now been 4 months. Im going to phone the Police and see if I can get the other party name even though they said the insurance company could get everything from them. I am so incovienienced with all this phoning at work and its really upsetting me.

I have to renew next month (not with them) but they have cheekily sent me a renewal and knocked 2 years off my protected no claims bonus. Im still nowhere nearer knowing what is going on and im still money down and my dad is still paying too much. Im thinking of going to the Police station and seeing if I can get the info myself.

Many thanks for your time.

TighterThanTwoCoatsOfPain

dare i say this..... you commute 64 miles per day in this car, yet you are a named driver on your dads policy?

I hope you are listed as the main user else you could well find yourself with a driving without insurance charge.... google "fronting"

jessjess_2

Insurance claims take time when liability is involved. I was involved in a RTA in Sept 06 and the TPI has just made an offer, could be months before the case gets to court, maybe not even seeing settlement before xmas! 4 months is nothing. Also, see above post, fronting is illegal, a breach of the insurance contract and effectivly fraud.

Lizard51

I am the main driver on my own car and a second driver on my dads so I can use it occasionally. He is the main named driver on his car and second driver on mine. Just a normal set-up, nothing illegal. I have never drove illegally without insurance and never will do.

If I have no cause to complain thats all I wanted to know. The car repair centre has done the most for me - sorting my car and lending me one when I never received anything from my insurance company. I will leave it and see what happens.

Many Thanks.

shelly

TighterThanTwoCoatsOfPain wrote: »

dare i say this..... you commute 64 miles per day in this car, yet you are a named driver on your dads policy?

I hope you are listed as the main user else you could well find yourself with a driving without insurance charge.... google "fronting"

I read it as OP has their own policy and in the meantime their Dad's policy needs renewing on which they are only a named driver. Because their claim is still pending their Dad's insurance goes up as they are on his policy as a named driver.

I read it as this because near the bottom the OP says (and I quote).....

**I have to renew next month (not with them) but they have cheekily sent me a renewal and knocked 2 years off my protected no claims bonus. Im still nowhere nearer knowing what is going on and im still money down and my dad is still paying too much.**

Read to me like 2 policies have been affected, OP's and their Dads.

Lizard51

Why am I being accused of being illegal?

This is my car in my name as it has been for 10 years.

shelly

Lizard51 wrote: »

Why am I being accused of being illegal?

This is my car in my name as it has been for 10 years.

As soon as you mentioned your Dad they assumed that instead of being a named driver you were infact the main driver but not declaring it. They didn't read it properly in other words :rolleyes:

Lizard51

Thanks for helping Shelly.

I just wanted to know whether this was a normal situation, some answers have been quite confrontational but thanks for people who have helped.

I had only been phoning my insurance every few weeks because they had never contacted me unless I spoke to them and I had to keep giving them the same info, hence the frustration.

Thanks

Lizard51

I have edited the original post as people are getting the wrong idea. I am just leaving the whole situation alone. Many Thanks.

shelly

Lizard51 wrote: »

Thanks for helping Shelly.

I just wanted to know whether this was a normal situation, some answers have been quite confrontational but thanks for people who have helped.

I had only been phoning my insurance every few weeks because they had never contacted me unless I spoke to them and I had to keep giving them the same info, hence the frustration.

Thanks

No problem. I'm sorry the only help I could give was to clarify your situation. Couldn't advise about the claim as the only claim I have had to make was 100% my fault so it got sorted in a matter of 4-6 weeks IIRC.

Hope you get it sorted out soon.