Advice needed

[dogboy]

Hi, had a bit of a st day today. Got told to check my garage by the guy i rent it off, as someone contacted him and said it looked like the roof had caved in.

When i got out there, the roof was fine but there was a large wooden board on the side with keep out sprayed on it.

Opening the door revealed that infact the problem was that a car had been through the side of the garage (i noticed it later 50m up the road all mashed up), it had near enough pushed my car through into the next garage and the garage roof was been held up with acro props.

The car looks bad, its a TVR and the drivers side outriggers are bent all over the place and both front wheels look bent into the car slightly (i think the chassis has had it) i cant see the exact damage to the passenger side as its wedged into the wall (looks like its the only thing keeping the structure up).

I contacted the police and got a crime number etc. I've been told the guy who did it has reported it to the police (despite initially running away) and was insured. The police are forwarding all the details to me. Thing is my car wasn't insured, it was not road legal and i was part the way through rebuilding it so i didn't bother.

What comeback have i got? can i claim against his insurance without my own? Would i be able to claim through my landlords house insurance? Where should i go from here?

[Hooli]

I think it comes under buildings and contents insurance, watching this with interest though as i plan to have various things in bits over the years.

[JustinP1]

This is a commonly misunderstood thing about insurance and other people.

If someone is negligent and causes damage to you and your property, you are legally entitled to financial compensation from them.

In the case of a motor vehicle, as the damage caused and thus the compensation can be more than some people could afford it is a legal requirement to at least have third party insurance.

So, in a nutshell, he would need to pay you compensation. Luckily for him, he is insured against the cost involved of you asking him for damages. So, don't worry his insurance will pay.

What *is* important though is to ensure that you are not short changed. There are people who can help in this, to fight your cause - paid for by the other persons insurance company. There is the PHer, anniesdad who does exactly this.

Just make sure you get good advice as insurance companies are renowned for 'reducing' what they thing they should pay out without an argument.

[dogboy]

Thanks, that relieves some of the concern i had.

Do i have to approach his insurance company or get someone like anniesdad to do it on my behalf?

[spikeyhead]

dogboy said:

Thanks, that relieves some of the concern i had.

Do i have to approach his insurance company or get someone like anniesdad to do it on my behalf?

You can do it yourself.

As the police have details of who has done it then it shouldn't be too difficult to ensure that they pay out, however getting as much as you're really entitled to may be a little more difficult.