Car Bumped - Chances of Recovery?
Discussion
Anyone care to advise how likely my insurance co is to recover costs from other party in this case?
Details are as follows. Wife waiting outside children's club to pick up daughter. Her car is stationary. Another parent manoeuvres around her and lightly nudges/ scrapes the rear bumper. Wife not sure what to do at the time. It's dark, doesn't want to confront chap in the other car. Chap collects his daughter and departs at high speed. Wife gets out of her car and notes scrape on rear bumper. She didn't note the registration of the other car. The whole incident occurred late at night and took about 30 seconds.
The club organiser knows the other chap and gave us his mobile number and first name. She is also happy to act as a witness to him being there, although she did not witness the scrape.
I duly contact chap with a polite text and voicemail. The chap phones back and completely denies everything. Claims he was not at the club until I point out he was identified by club organiser. Then concedes he was there and questions why my wife did not say anything at the time. Still denies any incident occurred. Comes across as a complete bell end.
I phoned my insurance Co. They say they will try and make recovery and are happy to work with chaps first name and mobile number. They will also contact club organiser for further details.
So what are my chances of recovery? It's minor damage to a a pristine 6 month old car.
Thanks in advance for any informed advice. Apologies for the long post.
Wife has been lectured on always getting the other parties Reg number.
pp
Details are as follows. Wife waiting outside children's club to pick up daughter. Her car is stationary. Another parent manoeuvres around her and lightly nudges/ scrapes the rear bumper. Wife not sure what to do at the time. It's dark, doesn't want to confront chap in the other car. Chap collects his daughter and departs at high speed. Wife gets out of her car and notes scrape on rear bumper. She didn't note the registration of the other car. The whole incident occurred late at night and took about 30 seconds.
The club organiser knows the other chap and gave us his mobile number and first name. She is also happy to act as a witness to him being there, although she did not witness the scrape.
I duly contact chap with a polite text and voicemail. The chap phones back and completely denies everything. Claims he was not at the club until I point out he was identified by club organiser. Then concedes he was there and questions why my wife did not say anything at the time. Still denies any incident occurred. Comes across as a complete bell end.
I phoned my insurance Co. They say they will try and make recovery and are happy to work with chaps first name and mobile number. They will also contact club organiser for further details.
So what are my chances of recovery? It's minor damage to a a pristine 6 month old car.
Thanks in advance for any informed advice. Apologies for the long post.
Wife has been lectured on always getting the other parties Reg number.
pp
Pickled Piper said:
She is also happy to act as a witness to him being there, although she did not witness the scrape.
So what are my chances of recovery? It's minor damage to a a pristine 6 month old car.
With no independent witness(es) it's his word against your wife's. If he is as much of a bellend as it appears, and is willing to lie to his insurer, I suspect he will claim she hit him. In which case 50/50, unless he grows a pair and fesses up. So what are my chances of recovery? It's minor damage to a a pristine 6 month old car.
I'll tell you how this went for me in similar circumstances.
I phoned my insurance, gave them the reg number because I did get it. Third party denied all knowledge, my insurance company send an "impartial engineer" to view third party's car and concludes there is no damage on their car. I am given the option to have my car repaired but as there is no witness to third party hitting my car and the engineer said he couldn't see any signs of damage on third party's car it would be a claim against myself.
I said the damage wasn't worth claiming for and wanted that to be the end of it but insurance company said I now have to declare this event as a non fault claim for the next 4 years even though I didn't claim. So my car is still damaged and my premium will be higher for the next 4 years if I declare this event as a non fault claim. Good luck.
I phoned my insurance, gave them the reg number because I did get it. Third party denied all knowledge, my insurance company send an "impartial engineer" to view third party's car and concludes there is no damage on their car. I am given the option to have my car repaired but as there is no witness to third party hitting my car and the engineer said he couldn't see any signs of damage on third party's car it would be a claim against myself.
I said the damage wasn't worth claiming for and wanted that to be the end of it but insurance company said I now have to declare this event as a non fault claim for the next 4 years even though I didn't claim. So my car is still damaged and my premium will be higher for the next 4 years if I declare this event as a non fault claim. Good luck.
Sad to say these 'engineers' are pretty simple in my experience.
I had a claim go other way (against me). Took one look at my motorbike and said, "this has been involved in an accident". No s
t, its 20+ year old hack and worth about £300, it's got scrapes on every part!
Didn't matter. Filed and paid lying tosspot out!
I had a claim go other way (against me). Took one look at my motorbike and said, "this has been involved in an accident". No s
t, its 20+ year old hack and worth about £300, it's got scrapes on every part!Didn't matter. Filed and paid lying tosspot out!
Pickled Piper said:
Anyone care to advise how likely my insurance co is to recover costs from other party in this case?
Another parent manoeuvres around her and lightly nudges/ scrapes the rear bumper.
Wife ... doesn't ... confront chap in the other car.
Chap ... departs
Wife ... didn't note the registration of the other car.
witness ... did not witness the scrape.
So what are my chances of recovery?
Roughly zero.Another parent manoeuvres around her and lightly nudges/ scrapes the rear bumper.
Wife ... doesn't ... confront chap in the other car.
Chap ... departs
Wife ... didn't note the registration of the other car.
witness ... did not witness the scrape.
So what are my chances of recovery?
The AA's "independent" engineer assessed that the damage to my bent front splitter "was consistent with kerbing by the owner", despite the fact I witnessed them dragging the splitter along the bed of the flatbed when the car was recovered.
I had threatened to take them to court but was advised that the legal cost would exceed repairs and with no sure sign of victory I'd be better off paying for repairs myself.
I had threatened to take them to court but was advised that the legal cost would exceed repairs and with no sure sign of victory I'd be better off paying for repairs myself.
Thanks for the responses. I suspected that may be the case. Insurance Co have said they will give it a try. However, the bell end is unlikely to admit it given his tone on the phone call.
I will put it down to experience, chalk it up to the cost of running a nice car and trust that Karma will reward the other chap.
I will put it down to experience, chalk it up to the cost of running a nice car and trust that Karma will reward the other chap.
Not to worry. Plenty of lying sts around, karma will get him back eventually.
I'd inform every other parent though. To make sure they watch their cars when he's about obviously. If he's got the slightest bit of shame he might at least feel like a cheap liar, even though he's not man enough to admit it.
It's a sad thing about society when someone blanket denies everything until there's proof, earlier this year a man scraped my Dads car at the doctors surgery, waited for him to come out and then asked him how much it would be to fix it. There was no damage to his car, turned out to be his friends as he was visiting from Australia. He ended up paying half the respray as I told him there was some damage elsewhere on the bumper that was down to us.
When he dropped off the money he apologised for the hassle, whilst we were amazed (sadly) that he paid for his damage.
ts around, karma will get him back eventually.I'd inform every other parent though. To make sure they watch their cars when he's about obviously. If he's got the slightest bit of shame he might at least feel like a cheap liar, even though he's not man enough to admit it.
It's a sad thing about society when someone blanket denies everything until there's proof, earlier this year a man scraped my Dads car at the doctors surgery, waited for him to come out and then asked him how much it would be to fix it. There was no damage to his car, turned out to be his friends as he was visiting from Australia. He ended up paying half the respray as I told him there was some damage elsewhere on the bumper that was down to us.
When he dropped off the money he apologised for the hassle, whilst we were amazed (sadly) that he paid for his damage.
I though I would update this thread, partially to share my good experience and for the potential benefit of others.
Well my insurance company, Nationwide / Liverpool Victoria pursued the other driver and also contacted his insurer. The other chap denied everything although did concede he was there on the day. Both insurance companies agreed that the vehicles would be assessed by independent "Engineers". Bell End made it very difficult to have his vehicle inspected, however, they caught up with him eventually and the "Engineers" have agreed that the marks on both vehicles are consistent with our account of events. His insurance Co have accepted liability and we have been given the go ahead to have our car repaired.
So, for others in similar situations, be persistent. Top marks to Nationwide / Liverpool Victoria.
I missed a key step- we initialy did not have Bell Ends reg number, however, since he picks up his kids from a regular kids club, we just kept an eye out for his next visit. It was this information that allowed our insurance co to directly contact his etc.
pp
Well my insurance company, Nationwide / Liverpool Victoria pursued the other driver and also contacted his insurer. The other chap denied everything although did concede he was there on the day. Both insurance companies agreed that the vehicles would be assessed by independent "Engineers". Bell End made it very difficult to have his vehicle inspected, however, they caught up with him eventually and the "Engineers" have agreed that the marks on both vehicles are consistent with our account of events. His insurance Co have accepted liability and we have been given the go ahead to have our car repaired.
So, for others in similar situations, be persistent. Top marks to Nationwide / Liverpool Victoria.
I missed a key step- we initialy did not have Bell Ends reg number, however, since he picks up his kids from a regular kids club, we just kept an eye out for his next visit. It was this information that allowed our insurance co to directly contact his etc.
pp
Edited by Pickled Piper on Wednesday 13th May 18:56
Rick101 said:
Glad you got sorted. Any indication of premium increase for next few years if any?
None, initially marked as a non fault incident. I advised insurance co that unless full recovery could be made from other party we would not be claiming. Now updated to show non-fault claim with full recovery from other party. Renewal was the same as last year.Pickled Piper said:
None, initially marked as a non fault incident. I advised insurance co that unless full recovery could be made from other party we would not be claiming. Now updated to show non-fault claim with full recovery from other party. Renewal was the same as last year.
good result well done There ought to be some kind of punitive and onward penalty for lying in this way, as it is there doesn't seem to be any disincentive to doing it right up to the point where - as in your case - the evidence is staring everyone in the face. The guy's premiums are going to be the same as if he'd admitted liability straight away like a decent, responsible person.
Suppose you should count yourself lucky he didn't get the damage to his car repaired whilst he was being evasive.
Suppose you should count yourself lucky he didn't get the damage to his car repaired whilst he was being evasive.
Pickled Piper said:
None, initially marked as a non fault incident. I advised insurance co that unless full recovery could be made from other party we would not be claiming. Now updated to show non-fault claim with full recovery from other party. Renewal was the same as last year.
Yes, not fault but you still need to declare you have been in an incident for 5 years. Just wondering what sort of impact a fairly minor shunt like this has.Rick101 said:
Yes, not fault but you still need to declare you have been in an incident for 5 years. Just wondering what sort of impact a fairly minor shunt like this has.
Yes, understood. The effect is minimal. Renewal was not increased and an alternative insurer offered a lower renewal with all incidents / claims declared.I try and stick with Which Magazines top rated insurers.
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