Time limit on insurance claims?
Discussion
A family member had a shunt about a year ago - he ran out of talent and hit a gatepost or kerb (or both, I'm not entirely sure.) Buckled wheel (repaired straight away to keep legal) and damage to front bumper and light unit to the car, no damage to the gatepost/kerb. Family member decided it would be best to shop around for some quotes before going through the insurance as he didn't want to lose his no claims.
Initially it looked cheaper to pay for it privately (hence the delay - saving) but a bodyshop recently pointed out that there may well be damage beneath the bumper and the bill could end up getting high, so he is reconsidering going through the insurance.
Family member is still with the same insurer, having renewed with them since the crash. The level of cover is identical but when he renewed he opted for a lower excess. He wants to know where he stands now - can he go to the insurer and get them to repair the damage?
He's wondering if they will actually do it if he offers to pay the full excess that at the time of the crash was present or if they will tell him to do one. He's also considering telling them that the damage is recent, though that's something I'm uncomfortable with personally - sounds like insurance fraud to me.
Anyone know where the insurance company will stand on this one?
Initially it looked cheaper to pay for it privately (hence the delay - saving) but a bodyshop recently pointed out that there may well be damage beneath the bumper and the bill could end up getting high, so he is reconsidering going through the insurance.
Family member is still with the same insurer, having renewed with them since the crash. The level of cover is identical but when he renewed he opted for a lower excess. He wants to know where he stands now - can he go to the insurer and get them to repair the damage?
He's wondering if they will actually do it if he offers to pay the full excess that at the time of the crash was present or if they will tell him to do one. He's also considering telling them that the damage is recent, though that's something I'm uncomfortable with personally - sounds like insurance fraud to me.
Anyone know where the insurance company will stand on this one?
tenohfive said:
He's also considering telling them that the damage is recent, though that's something I'm uncomfortable with personally - sounds like insurance fraud to me.
Anyone know where the insurance company will stand on this one?
Was about to suggest this, make up a time and date more recent. Surely it would be down to them to prove it didn't happen at this point in time, something which is impossible and therefore they wont bother doing it.Anyone know where the insurance company will stand on this one?
edit:
And although it would be telling a slight porky on the exact time, he's not really defrauding his insurance co. He's using it for what it's there for.
Edited by ludicrous speed on Monday 8th November 12:48
tenohfive said:
A family member had a shunt about a year ago - he ran out of talent and hit a gatepost or kerb (or both, I'm not entirely sure.) Buckled wheel (repaired straight away to keep legal) and damage to front bumper and light unit to the car, no damage to the gatepost/kerb. Family member decided it would be best to shop around for some quotes before going through the insurance as he didn't want to lose his no claims.
Initially it looked cheaper to pay for it privately (hence the delay - saving) but a bodyshop recently pointed out that there may well be damage beneath the bumper and the bill could end up getting high, so he is reconsidering going through the insurance.
Family member is still with the same insurer, having renewed with them since the crash. The level of cover is identical but when he renewed he opted for a lower excess. He wants to know where he stands now - can he go to the insurer and get them to repair the damage?
He's wondering if they will actually do it if he offers to pay the full excess that at the time of the crash was present or if they will tell him to do one. He's also considering telling them that the damage is recent, though that's something I'm uncomfortable with personally - sounds like insurance fraud to me.
Anyone know where the insurance company will stand on this one?
Knowing what insurance companies are like, I would imagine he will struggle, especially as he isn't even covered by the same policy now, even if it is with the same insurer. Did he declare the accident when he renewed the policy? If not, he might want to keep quiet.Initially it looked cheaper to pay for it privately (hence the delay - saving) but a bodyshop recently pointed out that there may well be damage beneath the bumper and the bill could end up getting high, so he is reconsidering going through the insurance.
Family member is still with the same insurer, having renewed with them since the crash. The level of cover is identical but when he renewed he opted for a lower excess. He wants to know where he stands now - can he go to the insurer and get them to repair the damage?
He's wondering if they will actually do it if he offers to pay the full excess that at the time of the crash was present or if they will tell him to do one. He's also considering telling them that the damage is recent, though that's something I'm uncomfortable with personally - sounds like insurance fraud to me.
Anyone know where the insurance company will stand on this one?
tenohfive said:
Family member is still with the same insurer, having renewed with them since the crash. The level of cover is identical but when he renewed he opted for a lower excess. He wants to know where he stands now - can he go to the insurer and get them to repair the damage?
He's also failed to notify them of an insured incident when calculating his existing premium, which could be argued to be fraudulent non-disclosure. If he informs them, this may cause them to refuse to continue cover, and will at the very least cause a revision in the premium (upwards) due to the changed risk, whether or not he then decides to go ahead with the claim.
tenohfive said:
He's wondering if they will actually do it if he offers to pay the full excess that at the time of the crash was present or if they will tell him to do one. He's also considering telling them that the damage is recent, though that's something I'm uncomfortable with personally - sounds like insurance fraud to me.
The time to report will be contractually determined and he'd have to check the policy for details. You could argue that a time that is too short is unfair etc., but I think that's unlikely to succeed. If he were to misrepresent when the crash happened, he would be committing fraud. Any claim he might have would be against the original policy, not the new one, with its excess. He's also failed to notify them of an insured incident when calculating his existing premium, which could be argued to be fraudulent non-disclosure. If he informs them, this may cause them to refuse to continue cover, and will at the very least cause a revision in the premium (upwards) due to the changed risk, whether or not he then decides to go ahead with the claim.
It usually says in the policy documents; mine say that you need to report a claim within 72 hours of the accident happening; some allow longer for reasonable excuses. However as we're talking about months/a year here I think your guy might be out of luck.
Edited by boomboompow on Monday 8th November 12:48
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