Someone claiming we crashed in to them! Help

[craig2003]

I have just had a prety strange call from the insurance company. They asked me to provide details of an accident that seemingly happened on the 18th Sept, a lady is trying to claim against me for personal injuries and damage to her car.

Neither myself or other half were involved in any form of incident and I repeatedly told them this, so I have asked the insurance to provide us with the police report which I would have thought there would have been one, my insurance company are initiating an investigator.

Advice wanted please PH on the best way to handle this and what to say or do next

[ludicrous speed]

Surely without any evidence you can just tell them to fk off?

[Rot box]

Contact the police and inform them of your situation, could be that someone else is driving around using your registration.

[mrmr96]

As above, sounds like your car might have been cloned.

[Snowboy]

Could be your car has been cloned.
Could be some sort of elaborate phishing scam to get your car and insurance details.

Tell them nothing.
Ask them to send you a letter.
They should be able to get your address from the DVLA if they are legit. (presumably?)

[Jasandjules]

Tell the insurer that you deny any accident and require copies of the other parties' allegations.

[jazzyjeff]

Snowboy said:

Could be some sort of elaborate phishing scam to get your car and insurance details.

Indeed. OP, can you be certain the call you received was from your insurer? As has been said already, ask for a follow-up in writing.

[Tyre Smoke]

Ignore. I had exactly the same. Eventually they threatened court action. I ignored that too. Then I got a letter telling me they were taking no further action.

Worth checking on the cloning thing.

[Haribo Man]

could be something as simple as somebody getting a digit wrong on a reg. Advise your insurers you weren't involved firstly. What type of vehicle are they alleging has hit them make/model colour etc? If these match then get the third party to describe the driver. I imagine that the case of mistaken identity should be shown up by now. If it appears more sinister then the insurers will pass it onto their fraud team.

Probably not worth panicking about

[2slo]

Or someone has reported the registration number of the vehicle involved, written down a wrong letter or number and managed to come up with your vrm. I'd start by asking for the full details. If the vehicle apparently involved is totally different to yours, possibly what I'm suggesting above. If the vehicle matches yours, suspect cloned car and contact Police. However, if it were me, and you've already mentioned your other half has access to the car, I'd be making 100% sure that your car wasn't even in the area, at the time, before I called the Police. The reason for this is the definition of a reportable collision starts with, 'owing to the presence of a vehicle on a road... The italics I put in as presence is the important word. It does not necessarily require physical contact between vehicle(s)/ person/ animal/ object.

[Fish981]

I've had this about 6mths after I sold a car. I was tardy, as was the MIB, in updating the records as to who was insured.

[craig2003]

I did ask them to provide me with all details etc from the other party to which they said they didn't have yet

[2slo]

So ophone them and ask for exactly what they have got and hence ascertain how that led them to you, i.e. was it just a trace from a quoted vrm or is there more. The do nothing advice is a bad idea. If it is a cloned car or, dare I suggest, you've bought a ringer, doing nothing wouldn't be a good idea. That's worst case scenario, don't panic, just sort it out ASAP.

[456mgt]

I had the same thing happen to me. Apparently my car was in an accident in Maidenhead and the other person was claiming damages and injuries. Insurance company read out my number plate (correctly) and while they got the make and colour of the car right, they had the wrong variant (and it was a distinctive one). Luckily I had witnesses that I was nowhere near the alleged incident at the time, not that it ever got that far. What I told the ins company was that if this person had been in an accident with me in my car, then describe what I look like. Never heard another word after that.

[Jasandjules]

craig2003 said:

I did ask them to provide me with all details etc from the other party to which they said they didn't have yet

So that's fine then isn't it, tell them you will respond when you access to the same and have had time to give consideration to it.

[craig2003]

Thanks for the help so far, I just contacted the local police and they have said not to worry about it, nothing showing up on PNC either.

The road they have stated does not actually exist in my town.

My car is a fairly distinctive model and has a private plate

[carmonk]

craig2003 said:

I did ask them to provide me with all details etc from the other party to which they said they didn't have yet

Tell them that when they've found time to do their fking job you will respond to their queries.

[craig2003]

I should add that I have owned the car for a few years

[craig2003]

hora said:

This probably wont help but ask your insurer if they'd like to check the condition of your car (whilst its unwashed)?

Good call, the car is filthy too.
I phoned my insurance and they have confirmed someone is attempting a claim against us, saying the incident happened at 7pm on the 18th. I asked again for the town it happened in but they dont have that details as yet.
I am almost certain I never even used the car in question that day.

Edited by craig2003 on Monday 10th October 16:16

[Kevin VRs]

craig2003 said:

I am almost certain I never even used the car in question that day.

Edited by craig2003 on Monday 10th October 16:16

If that is so inform your insurance company that you will be making a counter-claim as they must have driven into you as the car was parked at your house/in garage/whatever all day.



Just joking....