Non-fault accident (rear-ended at a roundabout)
Discussion
Sorry to be a complete noob here- would appreciate someone explaining whether I have done things right here (apologies in advance if this has been posted before.)
I was stationary at a roundabout allowing cars to pass when I was shunted forcefully by someone going into the back of me.
We both pulled over and the other driver said sorry and gave me his details. My own vehicle will need a few hundred quid of repairs.
When I got home I called my insurer to tell them the details (as you are required to, claim or not, fault or non-fault.)
They gave me two options- I could either make a claim or not make a claim and go directly to the other driver's insurers/ settle it directly with him. I decided to not make a claim and ask the other driver if he wanted to settle it separately with cash. He didn't reply so I went to his insurer- they kept putting me through to the wrong team, kept putting down the phone and finally said they wouldn't deal with me directly, only with my insurer.
I assumed then that the best thing to do was to claim on my insurer and use one of their approved repairers- they said they would send the other driver's insurer their account of the events.
Is this how things are supposed to be done? Would anyone have done differently/ continued to pursue the other driver's insurer differently?
Thanks a lot in advance!
I was stationary at a roundabout allowing cars to pass when I was shunted forcefully by someone going into the back of me.
We both pulled over and the other driver said sorry and gave me his details. My own vehicle will need a few hundred quid of repairs.
When I got home I called my insurer to tell them the details (as you are required to, claim or not, fault or non-fault.)
They gave me two options- I could either make a claim or not make a claim and go directly to the other driver's insurers/ settle it directly with him. I decided to not make a claim and ask the other driver if he wanted to settle it separately with cash. He didn't reply so I went to his insurer- they kept putting me through to the wrong team, kept putting down the phone and finally said they wouldn't deal with me directly, only with my insurer.
I assumed then that the best thing to do was to claim on my insurer and use one of their approved repairers- they said they would send the other driver's insurer their account of the events.
Is this how things are supposed to be done? Would anyone have done differently/ continued to pursue the other driver's insurer differently?
Thanks a lot in advance!
Edited by aceofspades1 on Friday 28th October 14:48
kiethton said:
If their insurer had done that to me I'd be going to an accident management company, sod the materially larger bill they'd have to pick up
Have I done the wrong thing though by claiming through my insurer? Will they be able to claim back costs and my excess if it can be proved the accident wasn’t my fault?My experience from a couple of years ago...
I was shunted from behind whilst stationery. Driver admitted fault and we swapped details.
I informed my insurer who arrange for repairs and a courtesy car.
Collected my repaired car a few weeks later and never heard anything else, until last week when I received an email to say all costs had been recoverd from the third party's insurer.
Hasn't affect my NCD.
I was shunted from behind whilst stationery. Driver admitted fault and we swapped details.
I informed my insurer who arrange for repairs and a courtesy car.
Collected my repaired car a few weeks later and never heard anything else, until last week when I received an email to say all costs had been recoverd from the third party's insurer.
Hasn't affect my NCD.
Dohnut said:
My experience from a couple of years ago...
I was shunted from behind whilst stationery. Driver admitted fault and we swapped details.
I informed my insurer who arrange for repairs and a courtesy car.
Collected my repaired car a few weeks later and never heard anything else, until last week when I received an email to say all costs had been recoverd from the third party's insurer.
Hasn't affect my NCD.
Wow, it took years? Did you have to pay your excess to get the car back?
I was shunted from behind whilst stationery. Driver admitted fault and we swapped details.
I informed my insurer who arrange for repairs and a courtesy car.
Collected my repaired car a few weeks later and never heard anything else, until last week when I received an email to say all costs had been recoverd from the third party's insurer.
Hasn't affect my NCD.
Wow, it took years? Did you have to pay your excess to get the car back?
kiethton said:
If their insurer had done that to me I'd be going to an accident management company, sod the materially larger bill they'd have to pick up
My insurer went straight to their in-house accident management company when I was rear-ended. Not being wise to their ways, and enticed by the nice courtesy car on offer, I went along with it. Only issue was getting them to use my choice of repairer - had to foot the excess (£350) until they got it back from the other party.LankyFreak said:
aceofspades1 said:
He didn't reply so I went to his insurer- they kept putting me through to the wrong team, kept putting down the phone and finally said they wouldn't deal with me directly, only with my insurer.
I'd be furious about that. Did they give you a reason?I'm a little surprised that the other guy's insurer wouldn't deal direct with the OP, but I don't think they're obliged to.
QJumper said:
LankyFreak said:
aceofspades1 said:
He didn't reply so I went to his insurer- they kept putting me through to the wrong team, kept putting down the phone and finally said they wouldn't deal with me directly, only with my insurer.
I'd be furious about that. Did they give you a reason?I'm a little surprised that the other guy's insurer wouldn't deal direct with the OP, but I don't think they're obliged to.
Not sure why people have the pitchforks out here about his insurers being awkward but no insurer will open a case on the say so of a random caller, they will from a 3rd party insurer as at that point its verified, and they will deal with the 3rd party if fault is 100% their side.
To the OP, just put it in the hands of your insurers and let them sort it, easiest and quickets way especially if the 3rd party is being slow.
dibblecorse said:
They aren't obliged to, they may choose to after their insured has called, made them aware of the claim and then admitted libility, if he hasn't done any of that they will only deal with your insurer.
Not sure why people have the pitchforks out here about his insurers being awkward but no insurer will open a case on the say so of a random caller, they will from a 3rd party insurer as at that point its verified, and they will deal with the 3rd party if fault is 100% their side.
To the OP, just put it in the hands of your insurers and let them sort it, easiest and quickets way especially if the 3rd party is being slow.
Appreciate the advice! I'm just new to this and there are varying opinions online...Not sure why people have the pitchforks out here about his insurers being awkward but no insurer will open a case on the say so of a random caller, they will from a 3rd party insurer as at that point its verified, and they will deal with the 3rd party if fault is 100% their side.
To the OP, just put it in the hands of your insurers and let them sort it, easiest and quickets way especially if the 3rd party is being slow.
aceofspades1 said:
Have I done the wrong thing though by claiming through my insurer? Will they be able to claim back costs and my excess if it can be proved the accident wasn’t my fault?
To my mind one of the benefits of having fully comp insurance is that you can relax and let your insurer take care of it.We've had two rear-ended incidents in the last few years, one doing not much damage and the other writing the car off. Our insurer dealt with them both and in both cases waived our excess.
In the lower value case the 3rd party's insurer called me, but as my wife was driving they wouldn't talk to me, even though it's my car and my insurance.
In the write off case against an Argos van, the other insurer didn't repsond to ours until they started legal proceeedings so I'd guess it would have been pretty pointless us trying direct.
Had a car bump into the rear of mine recently, driver was a 17 yr old lad who was obviously desperate to settle away from insurance. I empathised with him as my lad will be a new driver soon. My garage quoted £600 to retire the bumper that was a bit wonky and some touching up.
This is a tough one because I’d imagine if you don’t tell your insurance within a certain time limit then they might refuse pay out if you later go to them if the other driver then refuses to pay. You could then be left high and dry.
Thankfully the guy paid us the £600 within a couple of days of the bump. Felt a bit guilty a week or so later as I managed to refit it myself and decided I could manage without the touching up. I put the money towards a new MacBook
This is a tough one because I’d imagine if you don’t tell your insurance within a certain time limit then they might refuse pay out if you later go to them if the other driver then refuses to pay. You could then be left high and dry.
Thankfully the guy paid us the £600 within a couple of days of the bump. Felt a bit guilty a week or so later as I managed to refit it myself and decided I could manage without the touching up. I put the money towards a new MacBook
Mrs S had a similar accident early this year.
The other driver admitted responsibility so it was pretty straightforward.
Early on, however, we were phoned on a few occasions by a very persistent chap who tried to persuade us to let the other driver’s insurance sort it all out for us. He was ‘trying to save us money’ according to him.
Call me a cynic but this altruism didn’t ring true at all. So our insurers processed it, and we eventually got the excess back.
The other driver admitted responsibility so it was pretty straightforward.
Early on, however, we were phoned on a few occasions by a very persistent chap who tried to persuade us to let the other driver’s insurance sort it all out for us. He was ‘trying to save us money’ according to him.
Call me a cynic but this altruism didn’t ring true at all. So our insurers processed it, and we eventually got the excess back.
I had someone run into the back of me six months ago, wrote my car off. No question over fault, got their details etc, went through my insurance.
While I've had a payout etc from my own insurance, I still haven't had it all completely closed out, as the third party insurance are apparently giving my insurer the silent treatment and not responding to them, it's been passed along to solicitors now.
But thats what I pay my insurance to deal with for me.
So yes, you can go to the other insurer yourself, but making use of the service you have paid for may save you hassle if they're recalcitrant.
While I've had a payout etc from my own insurance, I still haven't had it all completely closed out, as the third party insurance are apparently giving my insurer the silent treatment and not responding to them, it's been passed along to solicitors now.
But thats what I pay my insurance to deal with for me.
So yes, you can go to the other insurer yourself, but making use of the service you have paid for may save you hassle if they're recalcitrant.
My son was using my car (he's insured!) and someone ran into the back of him early afternoon. All caught on dashcam. The other driver's insurers (Direct Line) phoned me that evening to say they were picking up the bill and had arranged a loan car for me at a local repair shop ( a good one, not a backstreet job). They told me just to inform my insurers (LV) that I was not making a claim and that they would confirm this to them - which they did, as LV confirmed this in an email.
Same son, on his motorbike, got ran into while stationery at a roundabout and fractured his back, and wrote off the bike. The other driver's insurers admitted the fault, paid him the same as what he'd bought the bike for just 3 months earlier, and then made suitable compensation for time off work, alternative travel arrangements (since he wasn't allowed to drive until he was cleared by the hospital a few months later) and for continuing physio therapy for 2 years after the "accident".
Same son, on his motorbike, got ran into while stationery at a roundabout and fractured his back, and wrote off the bike. The other driver's insurers admitted the fault, paid him the same as what he'd bought the bike for just 3 months earlier, and then made suitable compensation for time off work, alternative travel arrangements (since he wasn't allowed to drive until he was cleared by the hospital a few months later) and for continuing physio therapy for 2 years after the "accident".
aceofspades1 said:
He didn't reply so I went to his insurer
When you say the driver didn't respond - how did you try contacting him? I'd recommend calling him or even a visit as you'll probably get a better response than email or text for example, and may just get it resolved off the insurance for cash much quicker and easier than going thru all these hoops and involving both insurance companies.If I had been the other driver ( I wasn't). I would absolutely be letting my insurer deal with it, I would never offer to.pay for the repairs myself personally, the main reason being you can't be sure the other party won't develop neck pain in a few months time when approached by a claims company or a mate down the pub who tells them.what they could get in compo.
I'm not saying the OP would do that but you just can't tell, better to let the insurer deal with it from the start.
I'm not saying the OP would do that but you just can't tell, better to let the insurer deal with it from the start.
I’ve had 3 similar non fault accidents and have gone through an accident management company each time. (Kindertons acc management to be precise)
Avoids having a claim on your insurance, they will do all the chasing for you, put you in a hire car and all costs recovered from the other persons insurance.
Avoids having a claim on your insurance, they will do all the chasing for you, put you in a hire car and all costs recovered from the other persons insurance.
Forums | General Gassing | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff