Reporting an Uninsured driver

[nlldavies]

I was involved in an accident a few months ago with a chap towing a boat on a trailer, wheel came off the trailer and bounced down the side of my car.

My insurance have told me that the other guy does not have any insurance so I am unable to claim against him. I have also told my insuarers that I didn't want to claim through my own insurance, as I was renewing my insuarnce at the time and noticed it loaded it by £400. So this has now left me with a badly damaged Audi and a big hole in my own pocket when I come to repair it myself.

As I have accepted my resposibilities of keeping an insured vehicle on the road at great cost I feel rather put out that someone else who doesn't is getting off scot free, is there anything I can do to get a bit of justice from my loss. I've accepted the fact that I'll get nothing towards the reair of my vehicle but can I report him to police for failure to provide insurance details?

All help appreciated.
Nigel

[Kinky]

Could you not sue him for your loss (out of pocket costs) in the small claims court?

K

[nlldavies]

I have thought of that, but don't feel I will get anywhere as he has already ignored letters from the insurance company. It could also be that he has supplied incorrect home address.

I've started enquiries with DVLA who have sent me a form that can used to find the registered keeper of the vehicle, part of the form requests a police incident number which I do not have at present. I was hoping to use the fact that I will refrain from reporting him to police if he complies with reimbursing my loss, but I do not know how much strength reporting him to police will have.

Thanks for the reply.

[Kinky]

Nigel,

i can't help you much at all - but as you know there's many on here who can provide invaluable advise and suggestions. No doubt they'll be along at some point.

Good luck with it all.

K

[turbobloke]

anniesdad is the PHer you need to contact iirc

[justinp1]

nlldavies said:

I have thought of that, but don't feel I will get anywhere as he has already ignored letters from the insurance company. It could also be that he has supplied incorrect home address.

I've started enquiries with DVLA who have sent me a form that can used to find the registered keeper of the vehicle, part of the form requests a police incident number which I do not have at present. I was hoping to use the fact that I will refrain from reporting him to police if he complies with reimbursing my loss, but I do not know how much strength reporting him to police will have.

Thanks for the reply.

For most cases of damages it is pretty easy to claim thorugh small claims proceedings, it can even be done online for about £35.

However, you do need the correct address to send it to, the DVLA should be able to help with this.

If he ignores the court summons the judgement will be entered in your favour and then you can authorise the court to get bailiffs to come to his house, and eventually sell his stuff to get your money back.

You are completely entitled to make a stand and I would do exactly the same thing.

In these kind of situations the key is obviously to get your money with the least amount of fuss. This should be done by polite warnings with the substantiated threat of the increased action. Emphasis should be on the fact that you do want to get the situation sorted without taking the action, but you wont give up, and if you dont come to an agreement the 'next stage' will follow on the given date.

[Dwight VanDriver]

There was an obligation on the other party following the accident to give his name and address, the VRM and owner details. Looks as if this was not done.Failure to do so offence.

If it had been a matter of days from the accident then I would have suggested a trip to the Plodshop to see if they would take it on board for the above offences and also possible no Insurance. Whilst they can prosecute a No Insurance within 6 months of it coming to their notice in a period of up to 3 years. I feel, regretably that, because of the time that has now passed, they will not be interested.

Unless the person is a man of straw then Justin recommends County Court action and you may get good advice on this through Trading Standards/CAB. It is ,as he states, relatively easy, but you will require evidence of identity of the person driving and causing and not just the Reg Keeper details. Carry on with DVLA enquiries and then from name and address supplied pay a visit with well built friend to see if you can ID who driver was and then take CC action.

Also consider making enquiries through MIB but they will require a Police reference No that you do not have.

dvd

[TonyHetherington]

nlldavies said:

stuff

Contact this guy, he may be able to help...

www.pistonheads.com/gassing/profile.asp?h=0&memberId=34556

[nlldavies]

Many thanks to all that have replied to this post. I have given "Anniesdad" a PM to see if he can help. Failing that I could go ahaead an sue the guy through local courts.

Nigel

[number 7]

Have you got uninsured loss recovery with your policy?

7.

[bleesh]

Take a look at the Motor Insurance Bureau's web site.

www.mib.org.uk/Default.htm

What NONE of the insurance companies will tell you is that you
can claim from the MIB, which is funded by a levy that all
insurance companies pay towards.
I think the reason they DON'T tell you this is the more people
who claim, the more money the insurance companies will have to
pay next year.

Steve

[nlldavies]

number 7 said:

Have you got uninsured loss recovery with your policy?

7.

I do but when I tried to claim they told me that as there were no witnesses etc. that I couldn't claim off it.

I was also given some BS about trailers not being required to have MOTs and therefore it would be hard for me to place the blame on the owner of the trailer as he did not intend to set out with the intent of the wheel coming off and damaging a third party's property. The crap they spieled out just got me angry so that went nowehere.

As far as witnesses, the accident happened in full view of a CCTV camera that monitors the traffic on the stretch of road, as the accident happened at the end of May I have concern that this footage is no longer available if required as proof.

From what I heard the police were on scene after the accident and monitoring the removal of the trailer and boat. The owner disappeared not long after the accident and before the police arrived claiming that he was travelling some 200 miles to get a new trailer.

[wildone63]

justinp1 said:

nlldavies said:

I have thought of that, but don't feel I will get anywhere as he has already ignored letters from the insurance company. It could also be that he has supplied incorrect home address.

I've started enquiries with DVLA who have sent me a form that can used to find the registered keeper of the vehicle, part of the form requests a police incident number which I do not have at present. I was hoping to use the fact that I will refrain from reporting him to police if he complies with reimbursing my loss, but I do not know how much strength reporting him to police will have.

Thanks for the reply.

For most cases of damages it is pretty easy to claim thorugh small claims proceedings, it can even be done online for about £35.

.

Not sure if the cost varies from court to court but it cost me around 80 quid two years ago to take out a small claims case online against another driver.But its definetley the road you should go down once you establish the identity and whereabouts of the other driver.