People not knowing their insurance details.

[speedking31]

Someone drove into the back of my son's car while he was stationary at a roundabout causing minimal damage (towbar bent, no bodywork damage).

Chap gave him name, mobile phone number and postcode, but 'didn't know' his insurance details. Son took down registration. Chap drove off.

A straw poll at work shows that many non-enthusiast drivers just plug their details into a comparison site, get the cheapest quote, sign whatever is sent to them, and shove the package into a drawer never to be looked at again. Therefore they don't even know which company they are being insured by.

As he is unlikely to rock up at a police station with his documentation and admit liability we can't depend on his insurance. Son is unwilling to contact own insurance due to potential loss of no claims.

So we will get a quote for repair and contact the chap directly for some compensation. See how he reacts.

Any other advice? Not frozen sausages please.

[marshalla]

Son will have to disclose at renewal time anyway.

If the fault wasn't his at all (100% other driver) and costs can be fully recovered, he shouldn't lose any bonus/discount so not much incentive for not involve his insurer.

[B'stard Child]

speedking31 said:

Someone drove into the back of my son's car while he was stationary at a roundabout causing minimal damage (towbar bent, no bodywork damage).

Check very carefully underneath - if you've bent the tow bar then bearing in mind they are fairly substantial bits of ironwork bolted to the shell I'd expect to see a fair bit of damage underneath

My Mum had a towbar on the back of a rover 214 that used to pull the "tip trolley" (garden waste box trailer) - she got tapped up the back stationary in a queue of traffic - no apparent damage to her car apart from a scuff on the bumper - front bumper, rad and grill all toast on the car that hit her...

Sh was all for not claiming happy that the tow bar had protected her car - underside however was a mass of creases right back to the rear suspension - insurance company wrote it off......

[P-Jay]

Your reaction seems to be a bit over-board just because they didn't know who they have insurance with.

I haven't a clue who I'm insured with, but I know where the details are, it's not something I gave a second thought to.

Tell son to call his insurance company and just tell them what's happened - most require you to tell them within a few days if you might need to claim or need them to claim with another drivers Ins Co on your behalf - they won't rip up your NCD just because you called.

Call the other driver and ask them to give you the details when they find them or ask if he'd prefer to pay cash.

[redtwin]

I fall into the category of "shop online, buy whatever suits me and my budget, then forget about it until renewal time". Are you suggesting that you memorize the name, policy number and other details of your insurer and can recite them when you have just had an accident?.

I suppose I could write down the details and keep them in the car, but what purpose would that serve?. Would your son have called to file a claim there and then by the side of the road?.

[Dan_1981]

Have to admit that when I was run into earlier this year I couldn't remember who I was insured by too, the broker and certainly not the actual insurer.

It happened on the motorway and the highway patrol took all of our details and then distributed a copy to all the parties involved - none of them had the actual insurance company listed - all anyone provided was reg, name, contact number etc.

[Accelebrate]

Due to some recent car reshuffling I've cancelled two insurance policies, let a third expire and taken out three new policies. All six were with different companies, I can't remember which was which now.

[PanzerCommander]

Can't say off hand what mine are either, I keep the details on my phone as a memo. I am only carrying the docs around with me at the moment because I got rear ended (Fnarr) the other week (oddly enough I am not injured either) so I am keeping them with me for reference purposes.

[richs2891]

If I was asked to name the companies that insure any of my cars I would not know, but I know they are the details are saved on my mobile.

[speedking31]

OK, I get the message. I thought maybe he 'didn't know' because he wasn't insured, but it seems quite common.

marshalla said:

If the fault wasn't his at all (100% other driver) and costs can be fully recovered, he shouldn't lose any bonus/discount so not much incentive for not involve his insurer.

My understanding was that if the costs weren't recovered then you lose your NCD irrespective of fault. As the claim could be just a couple of £00 then that's not a risk we want to take because his NCD is substantially more than that (and not protected).

B'stard Child said:

Check very carefully underneath

Yes, will be looking the car over tonight.

P-Jay said:

Your reaction seems to be a bit over-board just because they didn't know who they have insurance with.

More a concern that a false mobile number means that we may have no real info about the driver. I generally carry my insurance certificate on me when driving. Unfortunately my son has no previous experience so wasn't very thorough.

[beko1987]

I normally only know the company, dont bother with the rest of the details until I need them (hopefully never)

I did read our policy recently as I insured my new car and printed it out to take with me just in case, it was fairly stnadard, although apparently I have £5 million pounds of public liability cover, wonder how much of that I could top with a £350 car...?

[trialsta]

Mine are in my Gmail inbox, why would I waste my time memorizing something that changes every year and isn't looked at inbetween?

[Urban Sports]

I haven't got a clue who I'm insured with, genuinely can't remember but I can easily search my emails on my phone to see who it is!

[V8forweekends]

I don't carry any driving docs, ever, not even a licence, and I can't (usually) tell you who my insurer is. I happen to know at the moment as I had to ring them yesterday to add a driver.

I cannot think of a single reason why I would carry my insurance certificate, but I can think of quite a few reasons not to.

[balls-out]

speedking31 said:

ore a concern that a false mobile number means that we may have no real info about the driver. I generally carry my insurance certificate on me when driving. Unfortunately my son has no previous experience so wasn't very thorough.

Alas if the driver is giving false details, then he's unlikely to give you a genuine insurance either.

[CrutyRammers]

speedking31 said:

A straw poll at work shows that many non-enthusiast drivers just plug their details into a comparison site, get the cheapest quote, sign whatever is sent to them, and shove the package into a drawer never to be looked at again. Therefore they don't even know which company they are being insured by.

Bloody right. Insurance shopping is a tedious chore and I spend as little time on it as possible.

[Sheepshanks]

V8forweekends said:

I cannot think of a single reason why I would carry my insurance certificate, but I can think of quite a few reasons not to.

Not even that it's an offence not to be able to produce it on demand?

It could also stop your car from being impounded if there's a cock-up on the insurance data base.

What are the reasons not to carry it?

[Sheepshanks]

speedking31 said:

... sign whatever is sent to them, and shove the package into a drawer never to be looked at again. Therefore they don't even know which company they are being insured by.

I look very carefully at the Certificate now since a very well regarded insurer sent me one dated for the previous year! I only realised when they sent a letter a few days later saying my insurance had expired.

[kambites]

Sheepshanks said:

What are the reasons not to carry it?

Well the obvious one for me is that we have two cars on one policy and hence only one certificate. We can't both carry the certificate if we're both driving. Besides, where would I put it? In the boot it'd get all scrunched up when things were put on top of it.

I know which company I'm insured with but nothing beyond that.

[V8forweekends]

Sheepshanks said:

Not even that it's an offence not to be able to produce it on demand?

As I am sure you know, whilst that is strictly true, usual form in the case of doubt would be to issue a producer (or indeed as you suggest, impound the vehicle).

Sheepshanks said:

It could also stop your car from being impounded if there's a cock-up on the insurance data base.

I seriously doubt the PC would be more inclined to believe in something I printed off on my own home printer than his data, however a lot of these TV documentaries show the Police phoning the insurer to check - which is fine with me.

Sheepshanks said:

What are the reasons not to carry it?

Here's one from www.askthe.police.uk
"From a crime prevention point of view it is better never to leave your driving documents in your car and produce them within the 7 day period."
Since I don't carry a "man bag" and I have quite enough crap to carry around, and since leaving it in the car is not advised, I continue to do as I've done for the last 35 years and leave it behind.