Insurance problem?
Discussion
As some of you may know, before leaving for VW on sunday somebody ran into my car as i was waiting to pull out of a road, i just wanted some advice about my insurance and NCB, as this year would have given me 1 years, and i really cannot afford for my premium to go up at all. It was completely not my fault, i have the drivers insurance number, do i just claim through his insurance? Or let my insurance company do the work?
thanks a lot
Rob
thanks a lot
Rob
I'd say depends on circumstances, witnesses, and whether there's any chance of him changing his mind later and trying to blame you.
If it's a rear-end shunt while you were waiting at junction, and esp. if you've witnesses and/or photos (keep disp'l camera in glovebox!), then let your insurers handle all the legwork.
If your renewal is due ANYTIME soon, or if you think he might change his mind, then not sure what to suggest.
You SHOULD inform your insurer of the accident...someone can tell you if that's a legal requirement or not, but you'll definitely have to tell them at renewal.
Whatever, make sure it's resolved by renewal, otherwise your no-claims will be suspended and worse they'll assume it's a fault-claim on you (I know, it's sh't, been there myself).
If it's a rear-end shunt while you were waiting at junction, and esp. if you've witnesses and/or photos (keep disp'l camera in glovebox!), then let your insurers handle all the legwork.
If your renewal is due ANYTIME soon, or if you think he might change his mind, then not sure what to suggest.
You SHOULD inform your insurer of the accident...someone can tell you if that's a legal requirement or not, but you'll definitely have to tell them at renewal.
Whatever, make sure it's resolved by renewal, otherwise your no-claims will be suspended and worse they'll assume it's a fault-claim on you (I know, it's sh't, been there myself).
polarbert said:Your insurance company will do the chasing. If you have comprehensive insurance then they'll arrange for your car to be repaired. The repairing garage will look for the excess from you directly - probably as a card payment. If you have courtesy car included in your policy you should get one - age restrictions may apply. If you don't and it is clear cut the other party was to blame then contact their insurers to supply one.
As some of you may know, before leaving for VW on sunday somebody ran into my car as i was waiting to pull out of a road, i just wanted some advice about my insurance and NCB, as this year would have given me 1 years, and i really cannot afford for my premium to go up at all. It was completely not my fault, i have the drivers insurance number, do i just claim through his insurance? Or let my insurance company do the work?
thanks a lot
Rob
As your car is so new I believe you can nominate a repairer.
Your insurers would then claim the cost of the repairs from the other party - if they can.
Sometimes, I'm sure insurance companies take the easy option and opt for knock-for-knock - at your expense. If you're not happy with the result then consider getting a solicitor involved. At least consider sending a letter threatening to do that to the other party.
Forgot to mention, if it is decided you were blameless AND the other insurance company pays out then your NCD should be unaffected. Your excess should be refunded.
>> Edited by rsvmilly on Monday 6th February 13:06
Hi Rob,
There should be no need for your insurance premium to increase.
As the accident was not your fault quite understandably the guilty party should be expected to right their wrong. Once the matter is finalised, a simple letter to your insurers will confirm that your claim has been settled in your favour and to allow your no claims discount. The only possible penalty they may impose might be a small percentage increase in premium, but if they did this (the majority don't), I would walk away from them. If your insurers offer an online quotation system, try putting your details through as a new customer, with and without details of your no-fault accident and see if it makes any difference. If not, then the likelihood is that your insurer will not impose terms for no-fault accidents.
Give me a ring to discuss.
Regards
Steve
>> Edited by anniesdad on Monday 6th February 13:07
There should be no need for your insurance premium to increase.
As the accident was not your fault quite understandably the guilty party should be expected to right their wrong. Once the matter is finalised, a simple letter to your insurers will confirm that your claim has been settled in your favour and to allow your no claims discount. The only possible penalty they may impose might be a small percentage increase in premium, but if they did this (the majority don't), I would walk away from them. If your insurers offer an online quotation system, try putting your details through as a new customer, with and without details of your no-fault accident and see if it makes any difference. If not, then the likelihood is that your insurer will not impose terms for no-fault accidents.
Give me a ring to discuss.
Regards
Steve
>> Edited by anniesdad on Monday 6th February 13:07
Hi
In my experience with my Insurers, I had an accident where I was stationary and another car drove into the front of me. Before fault was apportioned my renewal came up and my premium had risen 68%. This with a policy with fully comp, protected NCB etc.
When I asked I was told that it was due to an increased risk of having another accident having just had one. If I did not have Protected NCB it may have risen further. So do not be surprised if your premium goes up even if it is not your fault
In my experience with my Insurers, I had an accident where I was stationary and another car drove into the front of me. Before fault was apportioned my renewal came up and my premium had risen 68%. This with a policy with fully comp, protected NCB etc.
When I asked I was told that it was due to an increased risk of having another accident having just had one. If I did not have Protected NCB it may have risen further. So do not be surprised if your premium goes up even if it is not your fault
I'd agree with the above post - if you CAN prove you didn't move your car back after the incident, or if you've a witness who can say that's where your car was, then fine - SHOULD be non-fault.
If however your nose was sticking out into the road to get a better view (we all do it), then I'd not be so confident - they could argue you nosed forward when it was too late for them to do anything about it.
I notice the police were there - that's good. What statements did people give at the time, and did the Astra driver admit fault to the copper?
As to no claims and renewal...it does boil down to how quickly it can be resolved - my rear-end shunt took 25 months to get to court because the other side were deliberately dragging their heels...don't think I got the increased premiums back either for those 2 renewals, as I'd changed insurers and I hadn't had the foresight to get 'what about without the accident' quotes. But all the while the claim is ongoing, unless your insurer has had their money back, it's an in-progress, which seems to be seen as worse than a fault accident by many insurers (stupidly, IMHO).
Oh...and your premiums WILL go up, even if non-fault - insurers seem to consider it represents a small increase in risk - apparently there's stats to back it up, poss. something to do with putting yourself in situations where an accident may happen (I don't know, that's my best-guess). A lot of the time it's just sheer bad luck though, IMHO.
If however your nose was sticking out into the road to get a better view (we all do it), then I'd not be so confident - they could argue you nosed forward when it was too late for them to do anything about it.
I notice the police were there - that's good. What statements did people give at the time, and did the Astra driver admit fault to the copper?
As to no claims and renewal...it does boil down to how quickly it can be resolved - my rear-end shunt took 25 months to get to court because the other side were deliberately dragging their heels...don't think I got the increased premiums back either for those 2 renewals, as I'd changed insurers and I hadn't had the foresight to get 'what about without the accident' quotes. But all the while the claim is ongoing, unless your insurer has had their money back, it's an in-progress, which seems to be seen as worse than a fault accident by many insurers (stupidly, IMHO).
Oh...and your premiums WILL go up, even if non-fault - insurers seem to consider it represents a small increase in risk - apparently there's stats to back it up, poss. something to do with putting yourself in situations where an accident may happen (I don't know, that's my best-guess). A lot of the time it's just sheer bad luck though, IMHO.
havoc said:
I'd agree with the above post - if you CAN prove you didn't move your car back after the incident, or if you've a witness who can say that's where your car was, then fine - SHOULD be non-fault.
If however your nose was sticking out into the road to get a better view (we all do it), then I'd not be so confident - they could argue you nosed forward when it was too late for them to do anything about it.
I notice the police were there - that's good. What statements did people give at the time, and did the Astra driver admit fault to the copper?
As to no claims and renewal...it does boil down to how quickly it can be resolved - my rear-end shunt took 25 months to get to court because the other side were deliberately dragging their heels...don't think I got the increased premiums back either for those 2 renewals, as I'd changed insurers and I hadn't had the foresight to get 'what about without the accident' quotes. But all the while the claim is ongoing, unless your insurer has had their money back, it's an in-progress, which seems to be seen as worse than a fault accident by many insurers (stupidly, IMHO).
Oh...and your premiums WILL go up, even if non-fault - insurers seem to consider it represents a small increase in risk - apparently there's stats to back it up, poss. something to do with putting yourself in situations where an accident may happen (I don't know, that's my best-guess). A lot of the time it's just sheer bad luck though, IMHO.
You should be able to re-visit these insurers with a view to recovering the overpaid premium. Trust me, some insurers trade on the basis that people don't. By my calculations you have at least 2 years and possibly this years premiums affected, so you are looking at 3 refunds?
I'm assuming you lost NCD and didn't simply have a premium load for having had a non-fault accident?
By the way 25 months to settle a straight forward RTA unless it is a very serious injury claim is quite flabbergasting. Consider my gasting flabbered!
I'd be interested to know who was handling the claim for you. PM me if you wish.
Regards
Steve
P-B,
Good to hear. Wish you luck.
Steve,
No NCD loss - protected thankfully so only the loading, which is a few %. I will go and dig out the old info though, make sure of the facts and see if I can write to the old insurers. Cheers for the advice.
As for the accident - AXA were insuring me, and appointed a rather pedestrian firm of solicitors in B'ham - "Axis"...things actually speeded up when the trainee assigned to my case left and someone else picked it up, after which they were OK. RAC Legal Services (free legal cover initially) were a total waste of space - I didn't have a firm of solicitors appointed for nearly 2 weeks!
But it was largely the other side who deliberately left everything until the third chaser, the threat of summary judgement etc. until they responded. I think they knew their client was lying through his teeth (his story, through them, subtly changed twice over a year-and-a-half) and were trying to help him by being awkward. His insurers were NIG, trying to remember the name of his solicitors as they really were low-life &%£*'s, trying to abuse the system in aid of their client, and frustrating the hell out of me.
Sorry to hijack thread, but that whole incident really wound me up - guy apologised at the scene then 3 days later his insurers have written to me telling me to cough up! 2 years later he lies through his teeth in court (described accident at a totally different location), then when court finds against him, he looks at me, offers his hand, and says 'well done' as if it was some sort of game!
ALWAYS GET A WITNESS. Or at least take photos of scene straight away.
Good to hear. Wish you luck.
Steve,
No NCD loss - protected thankfully so only the loading, which is a few %. I will go and dig out the old info though, make sure of the facts and see if I can write to the old insurers. Cheers for the advice.
As for the accident - AXA were insuring me, and appointed a rather pedestrian firm of solicitors in B'ham - "Axis"...things actually speeded up when the trainee assigned to my case left and someone else picked it up, after which they were OK. RAC Legal Services (free legal cover initially) were a total waste of space - I didn't have a firm of solicitors appointed for nearly 2 weeks!
But it was largely the other side who deliberately left everything until the third chaser, the threat of summary judgement etc. until they responded. I think they knew their client was lying through his teeth (his story, through them, subtly changed twice over a year-and-a-half) and were trying to help him by being awkward. His insurers were NIG, trying to remember the name of his solicitors as they really were low-life &%£*'s, trying to abuse the system in aid of their client, and frustrating the hell out of me.
Sorry to hijack thread, but that whole incident really wound me up - guy apologised at the scene then 3 days later his insurers have written to me telling me to cough up! 2 years later he lies through his teeth in court (described accident at a totally different location), then when court finds against him, he looks at me, offers his hand, and says 'well done' as if it was some sort of game!
ALWAYS GET A WITNESS. Or at least take photos of scene straight away.
thanks for that, i did take a lot of photos, and have an incident number with the police, who i think took statements from the 3 of us, well they did from me so they must have done for the other 2. but besides the woman who caused the crash, there weren't any witnesses, excepet a guy who came out afterwards to see if everyone was okay
Unfortunately some insurance companies now increase your premium following a non-fault accident. Admiral certainly increase the premium for non-fault accidents for a period of 5 years following any claim, others may fo the same. As insurance is meant to put you back into the same position you were in prior to an accident perhaps you should receive a lump sum payment to cover future premium increases.
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