Insurance advice/thoughts

Author
Discussion

mmmunch

Original Poster:

233 posts

126 months

Wednesday 11th October 2017
quotequote all
Tried to register a new name to do this as I can’t be arsed with some of the judgemental/pious responses last time I posted about my eldest. However I can’t post under an anonymous name so I’d really appreciate if the matter in hand could be commented on only.

Now then, eldest child (18) has been going through a process of splitting up with his girlfriend. After the 4th time on Monday night he tried to take his own life. He took a pair of scissors to himself and then drove at speed into a block of garages resulting in the garages collapsing on the car and himself being excavated by the police and a fire crew.

He was sectioned under the mental health act and has had police by his bedside in the hospital since Monday, he’s hopefully secured a bed in a psychiatric ward and is being moved later on today for a residential stay of some weeks.

And now the insurance piece- we aren’t sure what to do with the insurance/car. We are fully expecting that the owners of the garages will be in touch with the police and then onto the insurance. Basically he’s borked insurance wise as the cost of it was more than the car cost this year. With the claim he’ll most probably be uninsurable next year- but that’s the least of our worries at present.
The car has been recovered to a police pound in South East London somewhere and there are fees and daily storage charges mounting. I’m expecting the car to be a write off, and if that is the case then there is a one off charge to dispose of it and no further storage charges.

However I’ve no idea what we should do- I doubt the insurance (full comp) will pay out for the car as it was a deliberate collision, there was property involved and the fact he’s been sectioned.

I’d really be grateful for some thoughts or suggestions as to what to do....

Thanks,


J

TooMany2cvs

29,008 posts

125 months

Wednesday 11th October 2017
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mmmunch said:
Basically he’s borked insurance wise as the cost of it was more than the car cost this year.
Can you just clarify this a bit? He was definitely covered to be driving the car, right...?

mmmunch said:
I doubt the insurance (full comp) will pay out for the car as it was a deliberate collision, there was property involved and the fact he’s been sectioned.
They'll certainly pay out for the damage to the garages, and for the bill that's inevitably coming from the emergency services. They have no choice in that matter - the law requires them to pay.

They may well refuse to pay for the damage to his car, and they may try to hand the bill back on to him (there's probably a clause in the policy - especially if he'd had a drink or three in the attempt). TBH, in the circumstances, I'd be surprised. It'd be a PR disaster - besides, can he actually pay it...?

Good luck to you both in dealing with his problems.

mmmunch

Original Poster:

233 posts

126 months

Wednesday 11th October 2017
quotequote all
TooMany2cvs said:
They'll certainly pay out for the damage to the garages, and for the bill that's inevitably coming from the emergency services. They have no choice in that matter - the law requires them to pay.

They may well refuse to pay for the damage to his car, and they may try to hand the bill back on to him (there's probably a clause in the policy - especially if he'd had a drink or three in the attempt). TBH, in the circumstances, I'd be surprised. It'd be a PR disaster - besides, can he actually pay it...?

Good luck to you both in dealing with his problems.
Thanks for the prompt response- fortunately no drink/drugs involved and fully insured to drive his car under a fully comp policy.

As he will be in hospital for the next few weeks it was how we approach the insurer as we aren’t the policy holder, he is..

anonymous-user

53 months

Wednesday 11th October 2017
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If the insurance company piss you about please PM me and we'll do what we can to help.

I would hope they would be supportive and deal with matters in a sensitive manner. I know that would be the intention of most UK insurance firms, but sometimes it doesn't work out that way.


mmmunch

Original Poster:

233 posts

126 months

Wednesday 11th October 2017
quotequote all
desolate said:
If the insurance company piss you about please PM me and we'll do what we can to help.
Thanks so much for the offer.

anonymous-user

53 months

Wednesday 11th October 2017
quotequote all
mmmunch said:
Thanks for the prompt response- fortunately no drink/drugs involved and fully insured to drive his car under a fully comp policy.

As he will be in hospital for the next few weeks it was how we approach the insurer as we aren’t the policy holder, he is..
Ring them up and explain. They will have a procedure in place to deal with such situations.
(and if they haven't they should)

cbmotorsport

3,065 posts

117 months

Wednesday 11th October 2017
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Sorry, I have no constructive advice about the insurance, but I hope that you're son makes a speedy recovery, and all ends well.

worsy

5,777 posts

174 months

Wednesday 11th October 2017
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cbmotorsport said:
Sorry, I have no constructive advice about the insurance, but I hope that you're son makes a speedy recovery, and all ends well.
Ditto.

TooMany2cvs

29,008 posts

125 months

Wednesday 11th October 2017
quotequote all
desolate said:
He can report the claim and make the insurers aware of the situation so they begin to liaise with the police.
Yes, that dawned on me - hence deleting the post. You said it far better.

TwigtheWonderkid

43,248 posts

149 months

Wednesday 11th October 2017
quotequote all
In the circumstances, you can get on to the insurers and start the process, explaining he's in hospital.

Given the nature of the incident, there will be no question of them trying to get your son to reimburse them for the tp claim costs. The insurers will settle that in full with no come back. In fact, although it was a deliberate act, given that he's since been sectioned, I'd be amazed if they didn't settle the comp aspect also, and pay out for the value of the car (less excess).

As said, going forward, obtaining insurance is going to be a real issue, but that's a bridge to be crossed when you get to it. Getting him well is the main thing now.

mmmunch

Original Poster:

233 posts

126 months

Wednesday 11th October 2017
quotequote all
Thanks all.

We’ve just heard he’s being moved to secure unit this afternoon.

I appreciate the comments and kind words.

bradjsmith88

117 posts

127 months

Wednesday 11th October 2017
quotequote all
TwigtheWonderkid said:
In the circumstances, you can get on to the insurers and start the process, explaining he's in hospital.

Given the nature of the incident, there will be no question of them trying to get your son to reimburse them for the tp claim costs. The insurers will settle that in full with no come back. In fact, although it was a deliberate act, given that he's since been sectioned, I'd be amazed if they didn't settle the comp aspect also, and pay out for the value of the car (less excess).

As said, going forward, obtaining insurance is going to be a real issue, but that's a bridge to be crossed when you get to it. Getting him well is the main thing now.
Sorry, but to manage expectations this may not be the case.

It might seem hard but its all dependant on the specific policy wording and also there is a question of what value of claim they will receive as the deliberate act is a defence against this.

That said if the theme tune of the insurer goes dum di di dum, then feel free to PM me also.

Hope your son makes a speedy recovery.

anonymous-user

53 months

Wednesday 11th October 2017
quotequote all
bradjsmith88 said:
TwigtheWonderkid said:
In the circumstances, you can get on to the insurers and start the process, explaining he's in hospital.

Given the nature of the incident, there will be no question of them trying to get your son to reimburse them for the tp claim costs. The insurers will settle that in full with no come back. In fact, although it was a deliberate act, given that he's since been sectioned, I'd be amazed if they didn't settle the comp aspect also, and pay out for the value of the car (less excess).

As said, going forward, obtaining insurance is going to be a real issue, but that's a bridge to be crossed when you get to it. Getting him well is the main thing now.
Sorry, but to manage expectations this may not be the case.

It might seem hard but its all dependant on the specific policy wording and also there is a question of what value of claim they will receive as the deliberate act is a defence against this.

That said if the theme tune of the insurer goes dum di di dum, then feel free to PM me also.

Hope your son makes a speedy recovery.
I can't see any reputable company seeking to avoid the property damage claim.



bradjsmith88

117 posts

127 months

Wednesday 11th October 2017
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desolate said:
I can't see any reputable company seeking to avoid the property damage claim.
I'd hope not in the circumstances - but there's a well known case that is very very similar where the insurer did exactly that.

If I can help I'd be happy to do so, but I don't want O/P to be under any false illusions.

mmmunch

Original Poster:

233 posts

126 months

Wednesday 11th October 2017
quotequote all
I’m just in contact with the insurer now- Tesco Black Box insurance..

ralphrj

3,508 posts

190 months

Wednesday 11th October 2017
quotequote all
bradjsmith88 said:
desolate said:
I can't see any reputable company seeking to avoid the property damage claim.
I'd hope not in the circumstances - but there's a well known case that is very very similar where the insurer did exactly that.
Which case? Bristol Alliance Limited Partnership v EUI Ltd?

TwigtheWonderkid

43,248 posts

149 months

Wednesday 11th October 2017
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The idea of excluding deliberate damage is to not pay out to fraudsters who damage or set fire to their car with a view to claiming, and other such malignant intentions. It's not there to punish people who have had a genuine mental breakdown.

It'll be an exclusion within the policy wording so they will have that option, but I'd be surprised if they invoked it in these circumstances.

anonymous-user

53 months

Wednesday 11th October 2017
quotequote all
bradjsmith88 said:
desolate said:
I can't see any reputable company seeking to avoid the property damage claim.
I'd hope not in the circumstances - but there's a well known case that is very very similar where the insurer did exactly that.

If I can help I'd be happy to do so, but I don't want O/P to be under any false illusions.
I did say reputable!
(That was a joke in case our friends in Cardiff are watching)



bradjsmith88

117 posts

127 months

Wednesday 11th October 2017
quotequote all
ralphrj said:
Which case? Bristol Alliance Limited Partnership v EUI Ltd?
Yes.

Will leave it at that, and wish the O/P luck and hope the insurer does the right thing.

mmmunch

Original Poster:

233 posts

126 months

Wednesday 11th October 2017
quotequote all
Just a small update from my 45minute wait to speak to someone!

They’ve confirmed that if it’s deliberate damage they will not cover the cost of repairs/settlement for the car.

Coincidentally they had been trying to contact him about an accident he had had on Saturday night where he had pulled out from a side road into another car. They were really good on the phone and offered solutions to getting the car out of police storage to reduce cost etc.

I can’t help worrying that the incident on Saturday had a bearing on Monday night- but that is all irrelevant now.