Minor bump. What would you do?

Minor bump. What would you do?

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Discussion

12TS

Original Poster:

1,806 posts

209 months

Thursday 20th September 2018
quotequote all
18 year old son with one year no claims has just had an accident. He was stopped behind a delivery van who then reversed into him on a busy road. The car is fitted with a black box so I presume the fact he was static can verified.

Delivery van driver claims son came up quickly and he didn’t see him. Van is insured.

I wasn’t there so can’t vouch for any of this.

Would you

A. Claim on insurance. It will get sorted and there will be no impact on son’s NCD.

B. Don’t bother. It’s not expensive to fix ourselves (~£300) so just suck it up.

C. Something else.

I’m inclined to A but could see this being resolved 50:50

PistonBroker

2,406 posts

225 months

Thursday 20th September 2018
quotequote all
C. Speak directly to the van's insurers and have them sort it all out.

SloppyClock

144 posts

95 months

Thursday 20th September 2018
quotequote all
SloppyClock said:
I mean this in the nicest possible way, but an 18 year old going into the rear of another car after driving too fast doesn't sound unlikely. Hell, I did exactly the same thing. If a black box is fitted all that could do is verify the fact. Will you get an increase in future rates if you claim? Would you lose NCB if he's proven at fault?

You didn't mention what car it is. If I were you, I would do nothing - if the damage is superficial, he'll be embarrassed and it'll hopefully act as a deterrent on doing something like that again. Maybe make a deal with him whereby if no other scrapes are gained for a year you'll fix it.

Although if I were him I'd rather it were sorted because it is proper embarrassing driving around in a smashed up car.

12TS

Original Poster:

1,806 posts

209 months

Thursday 20th September 2018
quotequote all
PistonBroker said:
C. Speak directly to the van's insurers and have them sort it all out.
Thanks

TooLateForAName

4,727 posts

183 months

Thursday 20th September 2018
quotequote all
PistonBroker said:
C. Speak directly to the van's insurers and have them sort it all out.
This I think.

Van driver seems to be admitting reversing without being aware of vehicle behind him. Sure vans have poor visibility but make them aware that you have a black box with telematics to prove you were stationary at the time of the bump.

kestral

1,726 posts

206 months

Friday 21st September 2018
quotequote all
Correct procedure is to notify your insurance of the accident in all circumstances. That way if a claim is made against you then you have complied with the T&C of your insurance.

If after notifying your insurance company you do not wish to claim or involve them. Inform them that the there is no claim being made and that the information is for notification purposes only.

Then repair the car your self and handle any claim against the van driver or against yourself.

Otherwise let your own insurance handle it.

V8RX7

26,765 posts

262 months

Saturday 22nd September 2018
quotequote all
C - try to get some cash off the van driver

I once hit a car in the same manner, I slowly drove past the space whilst indicating and reversed into the space.

A small car had come up behind me (stopping about 2ft from my bumper) ignoring my indicator and reversing lights and was completely hidden from my view (in a van)

The first I knew it was there was when I heard my towbar hitting his number plate

I gave him £10 for a new plate on the spot - as I was the moving vehicle it has to be my fault although IMO I did nothing wrong and other than installing a camera there's nothing else I could do differently.

watchnut

1,161 posts

128 months

Saturday 22nd September 2018
quotequote all
Read the T's and C's your son is to abide by under terms of insurance.

The van driver may tell his employer he was in an accident, so your son's insurer would find out any way

The van driver could make an "injury" claim, which would make things difficult for your son

Lying to an insurer can make it very difficult to get insurance in future

Once declaring any "accident" he will have to declare accident in any future negotiation to buy insurance (normally upto about 5 years....this is annoying especially when it was not your fault!)

May I suggest buying a front and rear camera for his car......the evidence from this would really help establish "fault" in the future

Maybe suggest to your son to stop at least "tyres and Tarmac" distance from the vehicle in front in future ( a distance he can clearly see about 30cm/1 foot of tarmac behind rear wheels of vehicle in front) and further from a van.....when behind a van carefully position vehicle so van driver can see his vehicle in his mirrors.....so if van reverses.....can lean on his horn to warn him he is there....also attracting attention of independent witnesses who maybe near by

I would never agree to "settle" at the side of the road, anyone wishing to do so maybe uninsured/car has no MOT/Tax/ driver has no licence etc... hence why wanting to settle there and then

good luck...update what happens

Chrisgr31

13,440 posts

254 months

Saturday 22nd September 2018
quotequote all
Will the black box have recorded the impact anyway?

12TS

Original Poster:

1,806 posts

209 months

Sunday 23rd September 2018
quotequote all
Chrisgr31 said:
Will the black box have recorded the impact anyway?
Update. Going down route C. We now have the insurance details of the third party.

Apparently the bump wasn’t big enough to register on my son’s black box.

andburg

7,214 posts

168 months

Monday 24th September 2018
quotequote all
I'd be asking the van driver for some cash, even if its only £100

once on the insuracne systems then you'll end up having to declare or face having insurance cancelled, your son's renewal will go up regardless of whether he was at fault or not.

Jonno02

2,246 posts

108 months

Monday 24th September 2018
quotequote all
Love the excuse, your son came up quickly so he didn't see. How in any way, shape or form is that an excuse? You bloody reversed without looking, that's all that matters.

12TS

Original Poster:

1,806 posts

209 months

Tuesday 13th November 2018
quotequote all
PistonBroker said:
C. Speak directly to the van's insurers and have them sort it all out.
We did this and they accepted liability today. Third parties insurer will arrange repair.

Result smile

eybic

9,212 posts

173 months

Tuesday 13th November 2018
quotequote all
Unfortunately you will still need to inform your son's insurers at renewal time which is a shame.

Sir Bagalot

6,463 posts

180 months

Tuesday 13th November 2018
quotequote all
eybic said:
Unfortunately you will still need to inform your son's insurers at renewal time which is a shame.
Not always.

Some firms ask have you made a claim? Others ask have you had an accident? Two very different questions.

SmoothCriminal

5,047 posts

198 months

Tuesday 13th November 2018
quotequote all
Sir Bagalot said:
eybic said:
Unfortunately you will still need to inform your son's insurers at renewal time which is a shame.
Not always.

Some firms ask have you made a claim? Others ask have you had an accident? Two very different questions.
Eh?

He will still have to tell insurance at renewal if either of those questions are asked as he has claimed from the tp.



eybic

9,212 posts

173 months

Tuesday 13th November 2018
quotequote all
SmoothCriminal said:
Sir Bagalot said:
eybic said:
Unfortunately you will still need to inform your son's insurers at renewal time which is a shame.
Not always.

Some firms ask have you made a claim? Others ask have you had an accident? Two very different questions.
Eh?

He will still have to tell insurance at renewal if either of those questions are asked as he has claimed from the tp.
Exactly, there's no way he won't have to declare it, makes little odds whether it was his insurer or the other that paid. They will more than likely see him as higher risk now he has had a coming together with another vehicle.

TwigtheWonderkid

43,248 posts

149 months

Tuesday 13th November 2018
quotequote all
eybic said:
They will more than likely see him as higher risk now he has had a coming together with another vehicle.
In this case they would be right. A more experienced driver would not have pulled up so close behind a van. The accident is still the van's fault, but next time, he may not be in his car when he gets reversed into, or the tp might drive off before he can get a reg number. Then it'll be a claim on his own insurance.

12TS

Original Poster:

1,806 posts

209 months

Tuesday 13th November 2018
quotequote all
eybic said:
Unfortunately you will still need to inform your son's insurers at renewal time which is a shame.
Done - that's how we managed to get the details of the other driver's policy.


NotBenny

3,917 posts

179 months

Tuesday 13th November 2018
quotequote all
Sir Bagalot said:
eybic said:
Unfortunately you will still need to inform your son's insurers at renewal time which is a shame.
Not always.

Some firms ask have you made a claim? Others ask have you had an accident? Two very different questions.
yes they are different questions, but in this case they both have the same answer.