Nearly 3 years to sort a low value insurance claim

[NikBartlett]

Wife has minor crunch on country lane back in Feb 2017. Her insurance company informed, minor damage both cars, not worth fixing hers. Initial flurry of correspondence via email (her insurance keen to lay at least 50% or better of the blame on other driver) and then nothing for 2 years so presumed sorted. Yesterday letter arrives from other parties insurance addressed to me threatening legal action in 14 days as her insurance company has not yet settled the case. This has been passed on to her insurance company but why getting on for 3 years to sort out a £1700 bill and why are they contacting me, not her ?

[TwigtheWonderkid]

They have to contact you directly to threaten legal action, because it's your wife they will be suing if they can't reach agreement with your insurers.

There could be many reasons why the claim isn't sorted, probably a dispute over the 50/50 offer or the amount of the claim.

You did the right thing passing it to insurers. They will handle it.

[Chozza]

Just to clarify ..

Your wife's car

Registered and Insured in her name ?

You were in the car during the accident ? or nowhere near the car ?

And they have written to you rather than her ?

Pass it to her insurers ... but why are they addressing stuff to you ? Did she get a separate communication that she has ignored and you as husband are liable for her debts

[NikBartlett]

Chozza said:

Just to clarify ..

Your wife's car

Registered and Insured in her name ?

You were in the car during the accident ? or nowhere near the car ?

And they have written to you rather than her ?

Pass it to her insurers ... but why are they addressing stuff to you ? Did she get a separate communication that she has ignored and you as husband are liable for her debts

Her insurance, I am a named driver on policy
Nowhere near car at time of accident
Wrote to me, not her
They have not contacted her as far as I am aware
Already passed onto her insurers and we have queried why the they contacted me and why this is still ongoing after 2 years and 8 months.

[lyonspride]

In 2009 I had a minor accident claim that was dragging on for over a year, despite dashcam footage clearly showing her to be at fault (which was fairly unheard of back then) the woman involved refused to accept any blame, during this time my raised premium cost more than the total repair cost for both cars.

[Foliage]

lyonspride said:

In 2009 I had a minor accident claim that was dragging on for over a year, despite dashcam footage clearly showing her to be at fault (which was fairly unheard of back then) the woman involved refused to accept any blame, during this time my raised premium cost more than the total repair cost for both cars.

Now in my experience (I've crashed nearly every car I've ever owned, 1 of my cars was crashed or crashed into 3 times) it doesn't matter if you take the blame or not the insurer decide so its down the her insurer at the end of the day.

[lyonspride]

Foliage said:

lyonspride said:

In 2009 I had a minor accident claim that was dragging on for over a year, despite dashcam footage clearly showing her to be at fault (which was fairly unheard of back then) the woman involved refused to accept any blame, during this time my raised premium cost more than the total repair cost for both cars.

Now in my experience (I've crashed nearly every car I've ever owned, 1 of my cars was crashed or crashed into 3 times) it doesn't matter if you take the blame or not the insurer decide so its down the her insurer at the end of the day.

Well that was not my experience in that case, it became a stalemate situation.

[dasbimmerowner]

I share your pain OP. I was hit by a foreign lorry driver about 2yrs ago, only now is it finally getting sorted out. It's a hugely frustrating process as although I got photos and so on, and he went into the rear of my vehicle his insurance just played dumb for months and months and basically blanked my insurer. I was advised it can take a number of years to sort such things out. I think if it happens again I'll just hold the truck to ransom for an immediate cash payout

[Olivergt]

dasbimmerowner said:

I share your pain OP. I was hit by a foreign lorry driver about 2yrs ago, only now is it finally getting sorted out. It's a hugely frustrating process as although I got photos and so on, and he went into the rear of my vehicle his insurance just played dumb for months and months and basically blanked my insurer. I was advised it can take a number of years to sort such things out. I think if it happens again I'll just hold the truck to ransom for an immediate cash payout

+1

Took about 2 years to sort out a 750 euro claim from a foreign truck driver. Drive was apologetic, we took photocopies of his insurance and licence details at my office, no disputes, nothing strange about the claim, assessor viewed it about 2 weeks after it happened, was simply held up by process and the fact that there were multiple agencies and countries involved.

I elected to go through MIBI rather than my own insurance which was in hindsight a good decision, given the time involved and the fact they would probably have written off my car (which was/is still eminently driveable).