Car's been hit, but is it worth reporting it?

[GloverMart]

Hi all,

I think I know the answer to this question but I'll ask it anyway in case I've missed something blindingly obvious.

My car is parked on a main road overnight, about 100 yards down from my house. Yesterday morning, at 7.10am, a transporter type van overtook a cyclist then cut back in and caught the side of my car's offside. He caught both offside doors, the front wheel arch and the offside wing mirror. The van driver didn't stop and drove off. "Luckily" for me, the cyclist was a fireman going to work and had taken down his reg, he said the van driver was driving like an idiot and came up right close behind him. He left me a note on my windscreen with his phone number, I called and spoke to him and he's messaged me the full reg plus colour and make of van.

However....

My car is a 53 plate Focus diesel estate, previously written off and now back on the road. It's done 210k miles, is worth a few hundred quid at most and the damage is minimal. I'm sure that with spit and polish, the marks will almost disappear and the wing mirror would only need a replacement clip on back bit, the glass is undamaged. If I call 101, and it's escalated to insurance companies, they may well write the car off, give me a small settlement and that's it. I have no car, and not enough to get another one.

As much as I want the sneaky to pay for hitting and running, that car is worth more to me than anyone else. Just spent £400 last week getting it through the MOT; mechanically it's very sound and literally no rust on it anywhere.

Would you report it or just grin and bear it?

[l354uge]

Don't worry about the car, but report the van for suspected drunk driving (don't tell them about the bump) he should get put on the system and will be pulled over a few times (if there's any police out there)

[Terzo123]

GloverMart said:

Hi all,

I think I know the answer to this question but I'll ask it anyway in case I've missed something blindingly obvious.

My car is parked on a main road overnight, about 100 yards down from my house. Yesterday morning, at 7.10am, a transporter type van overtook a cyclist then cut back in and caught the side of my car's offside. He caught both offside doors, the front wheel arch and the offside wing mirror. The van driver didn't stop and drove off. "Luckily" for me, the cyclist was a fireman going to work and had taken down his reg, he said the van driver was driving like an idiot and came up right close behind him. He left me a note on my windscreen with his phone number, I called and spoke to him and he's messaged me the full reg plus colour and make of van.

However....

My car is a 53 plate Focus diesel estate, previously written off and now back on the road. It's done 210k miles, is worth a few hundred quid at most and the damage is minimal. I'm sure that with spit and polish, the marks will almost disappear and the wing mirror would only need a replacement clip on back bit, the glass is undamaged. If I call 101, and it's escalated to insurance companies, they may well write the car off, give me a small settlement and that's it. I have no car, and not enough to get another one.

As much as I want the sneaky to pay for hitting and running, that car is worth more to me than anyone else. Just spent £400 last week getting it through the MOT; mechanically it's very sound and literally no rust on it anywhere.

Would you report it or just grin and bear it?

Devils advocate- If the damage is so minimal, there's a chance the driver of the transporter may have been unaware of striking your car, especially given the size of their vehicle.

For that reason, the chances of the driver being charged by the police is minimal.

But id contact your insurance company. Pass on the vans details along with the witnesses details. They will put you in touch with a 3rd party claims company who will pursue the claim on your behalf through the transporters insurance.

If your car is assessed as a right off, negotiate a settlement, then buy the car back for pennies and fix the damage yourself.

It will have a minimal impact on your insurance renewal, you will still have your car, but you will have the bonus of a nice cheque.

[TwigtheWonderkid]

I would try to use the reg number to locate the owners (I think you can fill in a form to get this info, costs about a fiver), and then contact them directly and ask for £400 cash so you can sort it yourself. Or you could do a paid MID enquiry (£4.50 I think) to get the insurance info and contact their insurers directly. No reason to involve your own insurer or have your vehicle written off.

[PH_77]

If you do decide to contact your insurer, you will then need to declare an 'incident' at renewal time for the next five years. This may or may not lead to increases in your premiums. Perhaps worth some consideration as even though it was not your fault you may be perceived to be a higher risk in future.

[Pegscratch]

Police for failure to stop and provide details. No further action is necessary unless you wish them to repair your vehicle. At the very least he will be required to furnish his details, and worst case for them it'll be handled properly and they'll be on the hook for a good fistful of points and a hefty fine.

[Solocle]

Yep, they were driving like an idiot, report them for the Hit & Run. 6 points on their license for that. Should be more.

If you don't know that you've hit something, especially beyond the most minor of touches, then you deserves all that's coming.

[kestral]

TwigtheWonderkid said:

I would try to use the reg number to locate the owners (I think you can fill in a form to get this info, costs about a fiver), and then contact them directly and ask for £400 cash so you can sort it yourself. Or you could do a paid MID enquiry (£4.50 I think) to get the insurance info and contact their insurers directly. No reason to involve your own insurer or have your vehicle written off.

But can he contact the TP insurer when the car has been written of previously?

[TwigtheWonderkid]

kestral said:

TwigtheWonderkid said:

I would try to use the reg number to locate the owners (I think you can fill in a form to get this info, costs about a fiver), and then contact them directly and ask for £400 cash so you can sort it yourself. Or you could do a paid MID enquiry (£4.50 I think) to get the insurance info and contact their insurers directly. No reason to involve your own insurer or have your vehicle written off.

But can he contact the TP insurer when the car has been written of previously?

Yes, it still has a value. And OP has spent money on it since then.

[GloverMart]

Late with an update on this as I've only just received a letter from the police.

"The police have decided that no person will be prosecuted for any offences. This decision does not imply that any party involved is entirely free from blame and will not prevent you from taking Civil Proceedings."

And I have been given the guys name and address.

[Pupbelly]

GloverMart said:

Late with an update on this as I've only just received a letter from the police.

"The police have decided that no person will be prosecuted for any offences. This decision does not imply that any party involved is entirely free from blame and will not prevent you from taking Civil Proceedings."

And I have been given the guys name and address.

Is the Police judgement on the basis the car hit was a low value item, or would the same decision have been given if it was a £30k+ Audi / Merc / BMW or other generic brand?

[Terzo123]

Pretty much as i thought.

Did your insurance company progress the claim?

[GloverMart]

Pupbelly - I have no way of knowing but given that they will know the value of the car, maybe it is to do with the low value.

Terzo - I didn't progress it to my insurance company in the end.

[Terzo123]

Pupbelly said:

GloverMart said:

Late with an update on this as I've only just received a letter from the police.

"The police have decided that no person will be prosecuted for any offences. This decision does not imply that any party involved is entirely free from blame and will not prevent you from taking Civil Proceedings."

And I have been given the guys name and address.

Is the Police judgement on the basis the car hit was a low value item, or would the same decision have been given if it was a £30k+ Audi / Merc / BMW or other generic brand?

It would be the same no matter the value.

There is a specific defence to a charge of Sect 170 RTA that the driver was unaware of the accident having taken place.

[NGee]

Terzo123 said:

If your car is assessed as a right off, negotiate a settlement, then buy the car back for pennies and fix the damage yourself.

It will have a minimal impact on your insurance renewal, you will still have your car, but you will have the bonus of a nice cheque.

GloverMart said:

Pupbelly

Terzo - I didn't progress it to my insurance company in the end.

Should have listen to Terzo. I had a car of similar value that someone drove into the back of. The 3rd party insurance wrote the car off, I bought it back off them and the write-off money minus the buy-back fee was in my bank within 24 hrs of the accident.

Nice little earner and I'm still driving the same car with the same slightly dented bumper 5 years later!
(and 'no' the insurance didn't go up)

[Gareth79]

You can still progress it with their insurer, as mentioned if it's "written off" you can still choose to either: hand the car over and take the full amount, negotiate to keep the car and a lower amount, or pull out entirely and keep the (damaged) car.

[Pupbelly]

Terzo123 said:

Pupbelly said:

GloverMart said:

Late with an update on this as I've only just received a letter from the police.

"The police have decided that no person will be prosecuted for any offences. This decision does not imply that any party involved is entirely free from blame and will not prevent you from taking Civil Proceedings."

And I have been given the guys name and address.

Is the Police judgement on the basis the car hit was a low value item, or would the same decision have been given if it was a £30k+ Audi / Merc / BMW or other generic brand?

It would be the same no matter the value.

There is a specific defence to a charge of Sect 170 RTA that the driver was unaware of the accident having taken place.

Pretty awful really then and pointless reporting it to the Plod even if you have the details, which gives the careless scrotes no need to worry about any backlash even if seen committing the offence
As a result, you have a hefty increase on your insurance for the next 4-5 years. Barmy! What is it the Police do again?

Edited by Pupbelly on Tuesday 28th July 16:38

[NGee]

Pupbelly said:

As a result, you have a hefty increase on your insurance for the next 4-5 years.

I didn't.

[GloverMart]

NGee said:

Terzo123 said:

If your car is assessed as a right off, negotiate a settlement, then buy the car back for pennies and fix the damage yourself.

It will have a minimal impact on your insurance renewal, you will still have your car, but you will have the bonus of a nice cheque.

GloverMart said:

Pupbelly

Terzo - I didn't progress it to my insurance company in the end.

Should have listen to Terzo. I had a car of similar value that someone drove into the back of. The 3rd party insurance wrote the car off, I bought it back off them and the write-off money minus the buy-back fee was in my bank within 24 hrs of the accident.

Nice little earner and I'm still driving the same car with the same slightly dented bumper 5 years later!
(and 'no' the insurance didn't go up)

If I had gone down your suggested route, NG, would it have made a difference as my car had already been written off once before?

Can you even write a car off twice?

[NGee]

GloverMart said:

If I had gone down your suggested route, NG, would it have made a difference as my car had already been written off once before?

Can you even write a car off twice?

Good question, I've often wondered that. They are quite happy to continue taking the money and insuring it so I assume so.
But never good to assume!

Twig, where are you!?