Minor knock - get Police involved?
Discussion
I was hit in the rear at slow speed by a Nissan in Enfield – I have a towbar and it was a straight impact so no damage to mine but the Nissan had the front bumper stoved in together with the valance. We exchanged details and I informed insurers.
Well….. 6 months later my premium rocketted as the issue was not resolved because…..
Insurers said the home address the driver gave didn’t exist
Insurers looked into the owner of the car and he said he had ‘sold’ it the day of the accident so wasn’t driving.
So we don’t know who was driving, whether they were insured etc.
The ONLY way it seems to me that these types of accidents can be sorted out therefore is by calling the Police – that way the other driver would probably have to produce some form of ID at the time.
The question is: Is it really necessary to bother the Police every time theres a minor knock as theres no other way of being reassured that the other driver is who he says he is? Also given the lack of a tax disc now theres no way of telling (in the middle of nowhere) if you’re dealing with an untaxed uninsured load of crap or a kosher driver of a rough car in the event of a prang.
Well….. 6 months later my premium rocketted as the issue was not resolved because…..
Insurers said the home address the driver gave didn’t exist
Insurers looked into the owner of the car and he said he had ‘sold’ it the day of the accident so wasn’t driving.
So we don’t know who was driving, whether they were insured etc.
The ONLY way it seems to me that these types of accidents can be sorted out therefore is by calling the Police – that way the other driver would probably have to produce some form of ID at the time.
The question is: Is it really necessary to bother the Police every time theres a minor knock as theres no other way of being reassured that the other driver is who he says he is? Also given the lack of a tax disc now theres no way of telling (in the middle of nowhere) if you’re dealing with an untaxed uninsured load of crap or a kosher driver of a rough car in the event of a prang.
Police won't be able to do much and your insurer isn't able to do much. As the original owner could have backdated the V5C. Although can the insurance company find out how long he/she had the car insured for? If they had not cancelled/modified the policy surely this would indicate that they were still using the vehicle.
Just put as unsettled claim, non fault and go elsewhere.
Which I did in s similar situation and renewed elsewhere. I've just received the letter from a previous insurer company stating that the driver was not insured, but the company owner will cover the insurance. It was a rental car.
Just put as unsettled claim, non fault and go elsewhere.
Which I did in s similar situation and renewed elsewhere. I've just received the letter from a previous insurer company stating that the driver was not insured, but the company owner will cover the insurance. It was a rental car.
It seems the only way is to somehow get the already overstretched Police involved with any minor accident as they have the authority to demand ID. It also means that anyone not insured (or taxed or MOT'd) is done for it.
Otherwise you have no way of knowing or really finding out at the time, and the results may determine for example if you go via insurers repairers or your own mate at the garage.
This is another reason why a tax disc is (was) a good thing...
Otherwise you have no way of knowing or really finding out at the time, and the results may determine for example if you go via insurers repairers or your own mate at the garage.
This is another reason why a tax disc is (was) a good thing...
paintman said:
Use your mobile device to photograph the scene, preferably before anything is moved if safe to do so, the damage to the vehicles & the other driver - I'm sure you could manage to get a pic of them whilst taking the others.
I did take photos of the other car but a photo of the other driver wouldn't really have helped in my situation. He wasn't who he said he was. Missingbadly said:
It seems the only way is to somehow get the already overstretched Police involved with any minor accident as they have the authority to demand ID.
If no-one is injured and you've exchanged details then they won't attend.I'm loath to write this, but I've heard people advocate calling an ambulance if they're at all unsure about the other party as that produces a mandadatory police response too.
From above:
Why did the person who ran in the back of you want your details? - We exchanged details as you do
Why did you not then just sit back and wait? - I was expecting a claim from the other party the via insurers so notified them and filled in the form of statement.
You told your insurers but why didn't they just tight and wait? - They checked out the ownership, found it led to a false address, and then increased my premium for as thanks to me for having reported it.
It was a pending claim - they only have my side of the story but I hope to have my NCB reinstated
The bigger picture is the one about the ID at the time of accident - that's a real issue.
Why did the person who ran in the back of you want your details? - We exchanged details as you do
Why did you not then just sit back and wait? - I was expecting a claim from the other party the via insurers so notified them and filled in the form of statement.
You told your insurers but why didn't they just tight and wait? - They checked out the ownership, found it led to a false address, and then increased my premium for as thanks to me for having reported it.
It was a pending claim - they only have my side of the story but I hope to have my NCB reinstated
The bigger picture is the one about the ID at the time of accident - that's a real issue.
Missingbadly said:
I did take photos of the other car but a photo of the other driver wouldn't really have helped in my situation. He wasn't who he said he was.
Doesn't matter; the police round here for example simply won't get involved - that's even if you know who the other party is, where they live and so on. They play the "civil matter" card. Personally, even if I wasn't, I'd play the "argh, my [insert bodily part here] hurts" and get the police out, even though you haven't and have no intention of claiming injury. I believe they have to turn out to rtas where someone is injured. That may help, though I have a feeling that again, in places like Oldham/Leicester/Burnley/Bradford.... the police will be very unwilling to get involved.
Sheepshanks said:
I've heard people advocate calling an ambulance if they're at all unsure about the other party as that produces a mandadatory police response too.
I'm sorry to say it but had I 'come over faint' and called the BiB then I probably wouldn't have had a hike in premium. This is all wrong but understandable to ensure there is no pissing about with ID etc after the accident. This was his damage and 'mine' (good old towbar!) 
[url]
|http://thumbsnap.com/W17eeDN1[/url]PS The mobile phone number he gave me didn't work the next day, and the 'owner' said he had sold it to someone whose details he didn't know. The car disappeared from my checks on 'mycarcheck' for a while (presumably to make it seem like it was off the road/transferred/scrapped I dont know) but I see its now back so it must be on the road again!
Sheepshanks said:
If no-one is injured and you've exchanged details then they won't attend.
I'm loath to write this, but I've heard people advocate calling an ambulance if they're at all unsure about the other party as that produces a mandadatory police response too.
One of my biggest regrets when my car was driven into by someone was NOT calling the police. I'm loath to write this, but I've heard people advocate calling an ambulance if they're at all unsure about the other party as that produces a mandadatory police response too.
If you are involved in an accident with a foreign driver I would definitely call the police as they can perform Eu insurance checks and driving licence checks on the spot and it avoids a situation like what happened to me when a Polish bloke driving a Polish registered car drove into my car and tried to leg it.
Missingbadly said:
I was hit in the rear at slow speed by a Nissan in Enfield – I have a towbar and it was a straight impact so no damage to mine but the Nissan had the front bumper stoved in together with the valance. We exchanged details and I informed insurers.
Well….. 6 months later my premium rocketted as the issue was not resolved because…..
Insurers said the home address the driver gave didn’t exist
Insurers looked into the owner of the car and he said he had ‘sold’ it the day of the accident so wasn’t driving.
So we don’t know who was driving, whether they were insured etc.
The ONLY way it seems to me that these types of accidents can be sorted out therefore is by calling the Police – that way the other driver would probably have to produce some form of ID at the time.
The question is: Is it really necessary to bother the Police every time theres a minor knock as theres no other way of being reassured that the other driver is who he says he is? Also given the lack of a tax disc now theres no way of telling (in the middle of nowhere) if you’re dealing with an untaxed uninsured load of crap or a kosher driver of a rough car in the event of a prang.
Right I'm confused. Well….. 6 months later my premium rocketted as the issue was not resolved because…..
Insurers said the home address the driver gave didn’t exist
Insurers looked into the owner of the car and he said he had ‘sold’ it the day of the accident so wasn’t driving.
So we don’t know who was driving, whether they were insured etc.
The ONLY way it seems to me that these types of accidents can be sorted out therefore is by calling the Police – that way the other driver would probably have to produce some form of ID at the time.
The question is: Is it really necessary to bother the Police every time theres a minor knock as theres no other way of being reassured that the other driver is who he says he is? Also given the lack of a tax disc now theres no way of telling (in the middle of nowhere) if you’re dealing with an untaxed uninsured load of crap or a kosher driver of a rough car in the event of a prang.
If there's no dmaage to your car then what have you claimed for? If nothing the. Tell your insurers to close the claim. Why are they chasing down the other driver and his insurer to pay for "no dmaage"?
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