Insurance woes

[hogg968]

Guys, need a bit of help with an insurance issue.

About 3 weeks ago at around 8.00am, i pulled up behind an 18 plate BMW at a set of traffic lights, controlling right turns only. These lights were on green as i pulled up behind the car. After maybe 5-10 seconds,I could see the driver looking in his drivers side mirror. His reverse lights came on.when he came back at speed and impacted with the front of my car.
We both got out, where he came straight over to me asking if i was ok. He was very apologetic and said whilst he had looked in his mirrors he hadn't seen me. He indicated that he had come off the wrong junction and was returning under the motorway to rejoin on the other side, when his sat nav recalculated and told him he could reach his destination by going straight on. To do that he needed to reverse back , or he would be in the opposite side of the road if he just carried straight on.
As he went to get his details, i started to record the damage on my phone. Over the course of the next 5 minutes, it catches him saying, 100% his fault, Didn't see me, it's a company car, insuance will sort it, that he feels bad, it records his car registration etc etc.

2 days after the accident, i ring him on his mobile and ask him if he has notified his insurers?He advises me that he has.3 days later, the Friday before christmas, my insurance company informs me that he is disputing my version of events.
I ring him and maybe wrongly assume that he is saying that it is my fault. He replies that is not the case, but 50-50. I ask how and inform him that i have footage of the aftermarth of the accident. He tells me that i can't use that footage in court and if i do have it, then i have nothing to worry about.

Since then i have been asked to fill out a form describing the driver, which i have done.

Firstly, how do you guys see this going? Can the footage be used? I can claim on my own insurance, but will have to pay the excess. I also own a lot of other vehicles, with some of their insurances coming up for renewal. I will have to let them know about this claim and have increased premiums on these. When the claim goes to court, can i claim for these increased premiums?

Thanks and sorry for the long post

[TwigtheWonderkid]

1. As it's in dispute, let your insurers handle it. Send them the footage and they will decide how useful it is.
2. Pay your excess, and if you have uninsured recovery cover, they will try and get it back for you. Or you can do it yourself, ultimately via the small claims court. Lying about the accident details to your insurers is one thing, but not many people want to lie in court.
3.Other insurances may go up, but you cannot claim that money back off the tp.

[hogg968]

Thanks for the quick reply. Should have added that the reason i have been asked to describe the driver, is that he has denied that it was him and it is mistaken identity.

[thismonkeyhere]

hogg968 said:

Thanks for the quick reply. Should have added that the reason i have been asked to describe the driver, is that he has denied that it was him and it is mistaken identity.

What a tt.

[Algarve]

I doubt it'll happen but I'd like to see him face some criminal charges when the video shows he's lying.

[Carrot]

Doesn't help you now sadly but this kind of thing is exactly the reason I buy a cheap dashcam for every car.

Costs pennies but could save you HOURS of hassle and untangling lies.

There really is no incentive not to lie as nothing really happens if they are caught out, so people seem to give it a go...

[TwigtheWonderkid]

Carrot said:

Doesn't help you now sadly but this kind of thing is exactly the reason I buy a cheap dashcam for every car.

Just so long as you know it can be used against you. You have a major accident, where police are called, they can seize the SD card. That can be used to bring a prosecution against you that they might never have been able to bring without it.

[Carrot]

TwigtheWonderkid said:

Carrot said:

Doesn't help you now sadly but this kind of thing is exactly the reason I buy a cheap dashcam for every car.

Just so long as you know it can be used against you. You have a major accident, where police are called, they can seize the SD card. That can be used to bring a prosecution against you that they might never have been able to bring without it.

If I was doing / did something bad enough that was deserving of prosecution, I would hope they would prosecute me!

[TwigtheWonderkid]

Carrot said:

TwigtheWonderkid said:

Carrot said:

Doesn't help you now sadly but this kind of thing is exactly the reason I buy a cheap dashcam for every car.

Just so long as you know it can be used against you. You have a major accident, where police are called, they can seize the SD card. That can be used to bring a prosecution against you that they might never have been able to bring without it.

If I was doing / did something bad enough that was deserving of prosecution, I would hope they would prosecute me!

Fair enough. I would hope that without sufficient evidence, they might not bother.

[divetheworld]

TwigtheWonderkid said:

Carrot said:

Doesn't help you now sadly but this kind of thing is exactly the reason I buy a cheap dashcam for every car.

Just so long as you know it can be used against you. You have a major accident, where police are called, they can seize the SD card. That can be used to bring a prosecution against you that they might never have been able to bring without it.

If I’m not dead, that micro-SD card would be eaten.

[TwigtheWonderkid]

divetheworld said:

TwigtheWonderkid said:

Carrot said:

Doesn't help you now sadly but this kind of thing is exactly the reason I buy a cheap dashcam for every car.

Just so long as you know it can be used against you. You have a major accident, where police are called, they can seize the SD card. That can be used to bring a prosecution against you that they might never have been able to bring without it.

If I’m not dead, that micro-SD card would be eaten.

You could be unconscious. Or having had a major accident, thinking about the dashcam might not be your first priority.

[coldel]

TwigtheWonderkid said:

divetheworld said:

TwigtheWonderkid said:

Carrot said:

Doesn't help you now sadly but this kind of thing is exactly the reason I buy a cheap dashcam for every car.

Just so long as you know it can be used against you. You have a major accident, where police are called, they can seize the SD card. That can be used to bring a prosecution against you that they might never have been able to bring without it.

If I’m not dead, that micro-SD card would be eaten.

You could be unconscious. Or having had a major accident, thinking about the dashcam might not be your first priority.

Chances are that other cars could have cams as well, if you have driven like an idiot causing a serious accident WITH a dashcam in your own car then you must be as thick as two very thin and short planks. Definitely put cams in your car, if you drive dangerously on occasions then don't, but thats the risk you take if you get hit. I was chatting to an insurance claims chap a while back and he said cams are invaluable not only to the drivers but the companies that calculate risk and put costs to motorists accordingly, as you can imagine the companies do not want to be paying out or spending wasteful time on fraudulent claims either.

[TwigtheWonderkid]

coldel said:

Chances are that other cars could have cams as well, if you have driven like an idiot causing a serious accident WITH a dashcam in your own car then you must be as thick as two very thin and short planks.

The chances are the other cars haven't got cams. Market penetration is still in single figures percentage wise.

Who said anything about driving like an idiot? You could just make a mistake. And find yourself facing a careless driving or speeding charge with your own camera being used against you.

Have one if you want, but just be aware they pick up your own errors as well as those of others. I wouldn't advise anyone who enjoys "spirited driving" to get one, personally.

[coldel]

TwigtheWonderkid said:

coldel said:

Chances are that other cars could have cams as well, if you have driven like an idiot causing a serious accident WITH a dashcam in your own car then you must be as thick as two very thin and short planks.

The chances are the other cars haven't got cams. Market penetration is still in single figures percentage wise.

Who said anything about driving like an idiot? You could just make a mistake. And find yourself facing a careless driving or speeding charge with your own camera being used against you.

Have one if you want, but just be aware they pick up your own errors as well as those of others. I wouldn't advise anyone who enjoys "spirited driving" to get one, personally.

If you make a mistake, an honest one, then what are you being charged with? If its serious enough that you get a careless driving charge, its because you are driving carelessly (avoidable by not driving carelessly) or a speeding charge (avoidable by not speeding). If its an honest mistake on your part
you should have nothing to worry about as mistakes happen. There is a much higher chance you will be involved in a minor accident that you can use the benefit of the camera than of you causing a serious accident where the camera will be used against you. Like I say, its up to you, if you speed regularly and take chances on the road, don't get one.

Additionally, a Which report in 2018 showed that 1 in 4 cars are now equipped with dashcams, it will only go up in the coming years.

Edited by coldel on Tuesday 8th January 09:49

[TwigtheWonderkid]

coldel said:

Additionally, a Which report in 2018 showed that 1 in 4 cars are now equipped with dashcams, it will only go up in the coming years.

Edited by coldel on Tuesday 8th January 09:49

I don't believe it. I don't know anyone with one, and we don't have them on our work fleet. And even if it is 1 in 4, if my maths is right, the chances are the other car won't have one.

[coldel]

TwigtheWonderkid said:

coldel said:

Additionally, a Which report in 2018 showed that 1 in 4 cars are now equipped with dashcams, it will only go up in the coming years.

Edited by coldel on Tuesday 8th January 09:49

I don't believe it. I don't know anyone with one, and we don't have them on our work fleet. And even if it is 1 in 4, if my maths is right, the chances are the other car won't have one.

I guess if you look a microsystems like 'the fleet' then you either all have them, or none do? Not knowing what your fleet is, but assuming its a macro decision, but I don't know what your fleet is. Pretty much everyone I know in motor enthusiast forums have them, even my parents have them. Even then it doesn't have to be the car you have an accident with that has to have the camera, the car behind can record it and stop to offer assistance (have heard this is more common than you think from chap I spoke to I mentioned before who processes claims).

If you look on insurance company websites they are suggesting drivers install them, lots do their own research (AVIVA provided the data for the Which report) so the percentage will only go up as prices for them drop and installation becomes more the norm.

I agree with you, if you are going for a spirited drive and are giving it the beans down a country lane and get involved in a biggie, which involves unconsciousness then its likely police will be involved to an extent the camera will be checked - but thats the risk you take. A simple way to avoid this is to install the camera, then when you are going for a spirited drive just pull the plug out.

[Glasgowrob]

Surely the data can be secured as it's written or password protected

[Graveworm]

Glasgowrob said:

Surely the data can be secured as it's written or password protected

Slows them down but they can get permission to demand the password from you, failure to give it in most motoring cases in more serious than the original offence.

[Gary C]

Thats why you want a bike daskcam installed discreetly then only you know its there ?

[coldel]

Surely the obvious solution is to just pull the plug on it if you plan on giving it some beans.