Drink driver crashed into my car writing it off, what now?

[Phunk]

This only happened a couple of hours ago, so apologies if it’s a bit of a ramble!

Driving down the A9 this evening towards Glasgow, just as I go to the junction with Auchterader I noticed a Renault Kangoo start to move out from the central reservation (where there is a waiting area to join the traffic from the otherside)

I was in lane 1 and he kept pulling out, albeit at walking pace. There was another car in lane 2 so I couldn’t pull out, I went hard on the horn and the brakes, he still didn’t turn around to look at me or change course. Unfortunately I had no option but to crash into him at approx 10-15mph, I did attempt to go round him on the verge but a sign was in the way.

I got out, went over to his car where he was bleeding from the mouth, fitting and unresponsive. Another motorist ran over in a nurses uniform and took over whilst I called the police and flagged traffic out the way.

Cops turned up, took him away in handcuffs, said he’s well known. Shared his insurance details and made sure I was ok till my insurance recovery company turned up.

Whilst on the phone to my insurance they told me they’d take me home, recovery driver said it was only 20 miles and dropped me in Perth (I live in Glasgow). bds

This now leaves me (currently on the bloody Megabus) with my car full of work equipment locked in a compound in Perth.

What’s the best course of action? Let my insurance company deal with it, phone his insurance company or use one of those robbing accident management companies?

[Draxindustries1]

You only need to let your insurance company deal with it. Pass over details of the car involved,the ins company (if you have it) the drivers name and that's it..

[Caddyshack]

Feel lucky you are ok and let the insurance take care of it. The claims management companies know how to work the system but ultimately add to our insurance costs.

Good Luck.

Booze is a real problem and destroys so much.

[Mr Tidy]

I'd get straight onto your own insurer.

While the other driver seems to have been completely at fault I've had a few policies in recent years that specifically exclude cover if the driver is over the limit.

[Phunk]

Thanks all, the cops gave me his insurance details and confirmed he was insured.

The guy was absolutely paralytic, had no memory of the accident or how he got there. If I’d been in an artic he’d of been dead.

[martinbiz]

Mr Tidy said:

I'd get straight onto your own insurer.

While the other driver seems to have been completely at fault I've had a few policies in recent years that specifically exclude cover if the driver is over the limit.

Incorrect, they may exclude cover for their drunk driver's own damage, but their 3rd party liability remains whatever laws their insured driver may have broken

[LosingGrip]

Mr Tidy said:

I'd get straight onto your own insurer.

While the other driver seems to have been completely at fault I've had a few policies in recent years that specifically exclude cover if the driver is over the limit.

They’ll still pay our for third party damages. They may try and recover this from the policy holder/driver but the OP won’t be effected by it.

[nordboy]

I'd go back to the compound and get everything you want from the car asap. The insurer will want to get it moved very soon so they don't have to pay the impound fees, and all your stuff will go with it.
It just makes getting everything back that much more difficult. At the moment you know where the car is, when it gets moved it could be much further away and a pain in the arse to find out where it is.

[vikingaero]

nordboy said:

I'd go back to the compound and get everything you want from the car asap. The insurer will want to get it moved very soon so they don't have to pay the impound fees, and all your stuff will go with it.
It just makes getting everything back that much more difficult. At the moment you know where the car is, when it gets moved it could be much further away and a pain in the arse to find out where it is.

Agree with this. When my Mum had an accident, the car was stored "locally" 15 miles away. When I phoned up a few days later to enquire about removing her personal stuff, I was told the car had been moved to the main agent that the Insurer used about 120 miles away!

[98elise]

martinbiz said:

Mr Tidy said:

I'd get straight onto your own insurer.

While the other driver seems to have been completely at fault I've had a few policies in recent years that specifically exclude cover if the driver is over the limit.

Incorrect, they may exclude cover for their drunk driver's own damage, but their 3rd party liability remains whatever laws their insured driver may have broken

This. Insurance companies can't conditionally exclude legally required insurance (ie 3rd party).

As you say what they can do is make optional insurance like fully comp conditional.

[Phunk]

vikingaero said:

nordboy said:

I'd go back to the compound and get everything you want from the car asap. The insurer will want to get it moved very soon so they don't have to pay the impound fees, and all your stuff will go with it.
It just makes getting everything back that much more difficult. At the moment you know where the car is, when it gets moved it could be much further away and a pain in the arse to find out where it is.

Agree with this. When my Mum had an accident, the car was stored "locally" 15 miles away. When I phoned up a few days later to enquire about removing her personal stuff, I was told the car had been moved to the main agent that the Insurer used about 120 miles away!

I’d love to, unfortunately I have a boot full of expensive camera gear and my only other car I could collect things in is a Honda Beat.

My insurance are being useless, telling me that they might look at the car in 2-3 days and then they might give me a small hatchback courtesy car if there’s one available.

I’m not looking for a Range Rover, I’d just like my equipment back and a vehicle large enough that I can carry on working.

I’m loosing money all because of this pissed up idiot and my useless insurance company.

[vonhosen]

Phunk said:

vikingaero said:

nordboy said:

I'd go back to the compound and get everything you want from the car asap. The insurer will want to get it moved very soon so they don't have to pay the impound fees, and all your stuff will go with it.
It just makes getting everything back that much more difficult. At the moment you know where the car is, when it gets moved it could be much further away and a pain in the arse to find out where it is.

Agree with this. When my Mum had an accident, the car was stored "locally" 15 miles away. When I phoned up a few days later to enquire about removing her personal stuff, I was told the car had been moved to the main agent that the Insurer used about 120 miles away!

I’d love to, unfortunately I have a boot full of expensive camera gear and my only other car I could collect things in is a Honda Beat.

My insurance are being useless, telling me that they might look at the car in 2-3 days and then they might give me a small hatchback courtesy car if there’s one available.

I’m not looking for a Range Rover, I’d just like my equipment back and a vehicle large enough that I can carry on working.

I’m loosing money all because of this pissed up idiot and my useless insurance company.

What did the insurance policy that you chose, commit to providing (in the event of any future accident) before there was any accident?

Edited by vonhosen on Tuesday 27th September 14:36

[dundarach]

CheesecakeRunner said:

Phunk said:

I’d love to, unfortunately I have a boot full of expensive camera gear and my only other car I could collect things in is a Honda Beat.

My insurance are being useless, telling me that they might look at the car in 2-3 days and then they might give me a small hatchback courtesy car if there’s one available.

I’m not looking for a Range Rover, I’d just like my equipment back and a vehicle large enough that I can carry on working.

I’m loosing money all because of this pissed up idiot and my useless insurance company.

If its expensive camera gear I'd be going and getting it, even if it meant using a taxi or hiring a car. It will go missing.

And I'd be more careful about how you describe the accident. The thread title is at odds with your original post, and in your original post you describe how you hit him not the other way around. Yes, his actions caused the accident, but he didn't drive into you from what you say. If you phrase it like that to the insurance company, it'll go 50/50.

Yes you state in the first post, you drove into him at 10mph, it does make one ask the question, doing 10mph, couldn't you stop?

I'd delete your post or correct it.

[OutInTheShed]

Phunk said:

I’d love to, unfortunately I have a boot full of expensive camera gear and my only other car I could collect things in is a Honda Beat.

My insurance are being useless, telling me that they might look at the car in 2-3 days and then they might give me a small hatchback courtesy car if there’s one available.

I’m not looking for a Range Rover, I’d just like my equipment back and a vehicle large enough that I can carry on working.

I’m loosing money all because of this pissed up idiot and my useless insurance company.

When I had a vehicle written off, I just phoned my local hire car company and got a hire car at a fair price for a week.
The other party's insurance company was very happy to pay my reasonable and fair expenses, once I'd started talking direct to them, not via my own insurers who were unhelpful.

I would hire a car for this week and buy another shed at the weekend.
If you can find something that will do the job for a few months.
Keep records of things like work you miss, and the time and travel of sorting things out.

[Phunk]

dundarach said:

CheesecakeRunner said:

Phunk said:

I’d love to, unfortunately I have a boot full of expensive camera gear and my only other car I could collect things in is a Honda Beat.

My insurance are being useless, telling me that they might look at the car in 2-3 days and then they might give me a small hatchback courtesy car if there’s one available.

I’m not looking for a Range Rover, I’d just like my equipment back and a vehicle large enough that I can carry on working.

I’m loosing money all because of this pissed up idiot and my useless insurance company.

If its expensive camera gear I'd be going and getting it, even if it meant using a taxi or hiring a car. It will go missing.

And I'd be more careful about how you describe the accident. The thread title is at odds with your original post, and in your original post you describe how you hit him not the other way around. Yes, his actions caused the accident, but he didn't drive into you from what you say. If you phrase it like that to the insurance company, it'll go 50/50.

Yes you state in the first post, you drove into him at 10mph, it does make one ask the question, doing 10mph, couldn't you stop?

I'd delete your post or correct it.

I’m not sure what you want me to amend, I did hit him at 10mph.

After slowing down hard from 70mph as he drifted out from the middle section on a dual carriageway unconscious. In what way is that any way my fault?

Are you telling me if I just drove out straight in front of someone it would go 50/50?

[Drogo]

You may find this useful

https://www.personalinjury-law.com/faq/car-pulled-...

[carl_w]

I'm struggling to see how a car pulls out from the central reservation (i.e. to the right of lane 2), misses the car in lane 2 that is alongside OP but gets hit by the car in lane 1.

[matchmaker]

carl_w said:

I'm struggling to see how a car pulls out from the central reservation (i.e. to the right of lane 2), misses the car in lane 2 that is alongside OP but gets hit by the car in lane 1.

Don't understand it either. However, I know that road well and the flat junctions on that section of the A9 are a fking nightmare! Only the last section built (Dunblane bypass) has grade separated junctions.

[Phunk]

Jesus Christ, it’s all made up….

[Smurfsarepeopletoo]

You may not like Accident Management Companies, as you are finding out, there is a need for them, as your currently without a suitable car.

Having worked for one previously, I would contact the other drivers insurers and see if they will deal and give you a replacement vehicle, however, they may not if they havent spoken to their insured.

If they wont, and you can afford it, then hire your own car for a week, and see where you are at that point, you should be able to claim it back as long as your hiring something similar to your own.

If none of the above are possible, then contact an AMC, or see if your insurers can refer you to one.