Trouble! Please Help!!

[LondonRunner]

TLDR
I used the wife's car for which I was not insured and hit another car. Insurance company has contacted my wife asking for details of the accident otherwise they will invalidate the insurance.

Ok, so used the wife's car last month and was parked up next to another car. The owner came out and asked me me to move my car, which I did and then inadvertently hit his car. It was dark and raining and I just caught the corner of his on a private drive.

He has videos and photos of the incident.

I offered him £500 and asked him to send me a signed form to say he was not going to make any further claim to which he disagreed and wanted £700 without signing anything to which I told him to jog on. I suspected he was going to make a claim regardless.

I suggested that we take the car to another garage and get it fixed at my cost, to which he again refused.

So yes, I agree it's a problem of my own making and whilst we have insurance on each of our cars, it's not for each others.

Would anyone know the best way to navigate this please? It seems my options are:

1. Admit to the insurance people it was me who crashed the car and be prepared to pay

2. Don't admit to anything. However this will probably result in me having to pay anyway

Any other suggestions are welcome.

Edited by LondonRunner on Saturday 29th March 16:53

[GT9]

LondonRunner said:

TLDR
I used the wife's car for which I was not insured and hit another car. Insurance company has contacted my wife asking for details of the accident otherwise they will invalidate the insurance.

Ok, so used the wife's car last month and was parked up next to another car. The owner came out and asked me me to move my car, which I did and then inadvertently hit his car. It was dark and raining and I just caught the corner of his on a private drive.

He has videos and photos of the incident.

I offered him £500 and asked him to send me a signed form to say he was not going to make any further claim to which he disagreed and wanted £700 without signing anything to which I told him to jog on. I suspected he was going to make a claim regardless.

So yes, I agree it's a problem of my own making and whilst we have insurance on each of our cars, it's not for each others.

Would anyone know the best way to navigate this please? It seems my options are:

1. Admit to the insurance people it was me who crashed the car and be prepared to pay

2. Don't admit to anything. However this will probably result in me having to pay anyway

Any other suggestions are welcome.

It's not uncommon that your own car's insurance will allow you to drive other cars, even if the cover is only third party.
Check your policy.

[anonymous-user]

Just tell the truth?

[LunarOne]

I don't really see how it's trouble. You've offered to pay and he has refused. He can try to make a claim against your wife's insurance but he will likely tell them that you were driving in which case the insurance will likely refuse to pay out. In which case you're both back to square one.

He can't really take you to small claims court if you've offered to pay the repair costs. But he's right to refuse your £500 since he doesn't know what it will cost to repair the damage. You should offer to pay the repair costs as long as he gets at least two quotes and they are both reasonable.

[Powerfully Built Company Director]

Contract killing?

[Pit Pony]

Lying to your insurance company is fraud. That's an offence that could result in serious st like prison. If you have your own car and the insurance on it covers third party when driving a car that is not yours, then you need to tell your own insurer and they will pay for the repairs to the other car.

Whatever you do, don't fking lie.

[LondonRunner]

LunarOne said:

I don't really see how it's trouble. You've offered to pay and he has refused. He can try to make a claim against your wife's insurance but he will likely tell them that you were driving in which case the insurance will likely refuse to pay out. In which case you're both back to square one.

He can't really take you to small claims court if you've offered to pay the repair costs. But he's right to refuse your £500 since he doesn't know what it will cost to repair the damage. You should offer to pay the repair costs as long as he gets at least two quotes and they are both reasonable.

I did offer to take his car to an independent garage or get a quote that I would pay. He refused all my attempts to be reasonable. I believe he was going to make a claim regardless of how much cash he got from me.

[Dingu]

LondonRunner said:

LunarOne said:

I don't really see how it's trouble. You've offered to pay and he has refused. He can try to make a claim against your wife's insurance but he will likely tell them that you were driving in which case the insurance will likely refuse to pay out. In which case you're both back to square one.

He can't really take you to small claims court if you've offered to pay the repair costs. But he's right to refuse your £500 since he doesn't know what it will cost to repair the damage. You should offer to pay the repair costs as long as he gets at least two quotes and they are both reasonable.

I did offer to take his car to an independent garage or get a quote that I would pay. He refused all my attempts to be reasonable. I believe he was going to make a claim regardless of how much cash he got from me.

He isn’t under any obligation to you. You messed up and inconvenienced him. He doesn’t owe you anything.

[Adam.]

Pit Pony said:

Lying to your insurance company is fraud. That's an offence that could result in serious st like prison. If you have your own car and the insurance on it covers third party when driving a car that is not yours, then you need to tell your own insurer and they will pay for the repairs to the other car.

Whatever you do, don't fking lie.

This.

If you are fully comp on antihero car you should TP on another

[LunarOne]

LondonRunner said:

LunarOne said:

I don't really see how it's trouble. You've offered to pay and he has refused. He can try to make a claim against your wife's insurance but he will likely tell them that you were driving in which case the insurance will likely refuse to pay out. In which case you're both back to square one.

He can't really take you to small claims court if you've offered to pay the repair costs. But he's right to refuse your £500 since he doesn't know what it will cost to repair the damage. You should offer to pay the repair costs as long as he gets at least two quotes and they are both reasonable.

I did offer to take his car to an independent garage or get a quote that I would pay. He refused all my attempts to be reasonable. I believe he was going to make a claim regardless of how much cash he got from me.

But how can he claim if there was no cover at the time? Unless you do actually have third party cover on your own insurance for driving other vehicles.

[LondonRunner]

Pit Pony said:

Lying to your insurance company is fraud. That's an offence that could result in serious st like prison. If you have your own car and the insurance on it covers third party when driving a car that is not yours, then you need to tell your own insurer and they will pay for the repairs to the other car.

Whatever you do, don't fking lie.

I have asked my own insurwnce and they do cover other cars 3rd party just not partners, oddly.

I am not trying to lie. I am trying to work out how to navigate this situation that will be the least expensive.

I am currently out of contract as a software developer and the market is st. So funds are not flash.

[Dingu]

Adam. said:

Pit Pony said:

Lying to your insurance company is fraud. That's an offence that could result in serious st like prison. If you have your own car and the insurance on it covers third party when driving a car that is not yours, then you need to tell your own insurer and they will pay for the repairs to the other car.

Whatever you do, don't fking lie.

This.

If you are fully comp on antihero car you should TP on another

The wife’s car may be excluded from the TP cover on other cars, he will have to check the docs.

[Dingu]

LondonRunner said:

I have asked my own insurwnce and they do cover other cars 3rd party just not partners, oddly.
.

Yeah, cause they don’t want that provision used for 10k miles a year, which is much more likely with a spouses car.

[eldar]

Adam. said:

Pit Pony said:

Lying to your insurance company is fraud. That's an offence that could result in serious st like prison. If you have your own car and the insurance on it covers third party when driving a car that is not yours, then you need to tell your own insurer and they will pay for the repairs to the other car.

Whatever you do, don't fking lie.

This.

If you are fully comp on antihero car you should TP on another

Definitely check this . It isn't automatic, and might not be included.

[Smurfsarepeopletoo]

LunarOne said:

I don't really see how it's trouble. You've offered to pay and he has refused. He can try to make a claim against your wife's insurance but he will likely tell them that you were driving in which case the insurance will likely refuse to pay out. In which case you're both back to square one.

He can't really take you to small claims court if you've offered to pay the repair costs. But he's right to refuse your £500 since he doesn't know what it will cost to repair the damage. You should offer to pay the repair costs as long as he gets at least two quotes and they are both reasonable.

The insurers will still pay the third parties cost as they insure the vehicle, the issue will then be whether the wife admits to letting the husband drive knowing he isn't insured, in which case, they are likely to invalidate the insurance, and look to recover all costs back from the wife.

Or she says he took the car without consent, in which case, they will require it being reported to the police.

Either way, unless the OP is covered to drive the wife's car on a 3rd party basis, his wife is either going to struggle to get insurance, or will be paying through the nose for it.

[LunarOne]

eldar said:

Adam. said:

Pit Pony said:

Lying to your insurance company is fraud. That's an offence that could result in serious st like prison. If you have your own car and the insurance on it covers third party when driving a car that is not yours, then you need to tell your own insurer and they will pay for the repairs to the other car.

Whatever you do, don't fking lie.

This.

If you are fully comp on antihero car you should TP on another

Definitely check this . It isn't automatic, and might not be included.

OP has already said he has checked and is not covered.

[LondonRunner]

eldar said:

Adam. said:

Pit Pony said:

Lying to your insurance company is fraud. That's an offence that could result in serious st like prison. If you have your own car and the insurance on it covers third party when driving a car that is not yours, then you need to tell your own insurer and they will pay for the repairs to the other car.

Whatever you do, don't fking lie.

This.

If you are fully comp on antihero car you should TP on another

Definitely check this . It isn't automatic, and might not be included.

Checked. I am TP on any other car except a partners unfortunately.

[Glassman]

VBRJ incoming.

[eldar]

Glassman said:

VBRJ incoming.

Didn't see you as the VBRJ ringleader.

[Powerfully Built Company Director]

LondonRunner said:

TLDR

Ok, so used the wife's car last month

Edited by LondonRunner on Saturday 29th March 16:53

Given it’s now the 29th of the month, and all this happened LAST month, what has been going on for the last 4 weeks? Surely zee game must be up by now?