Non fault accident

[Deleted member 6183]

Not me, my Mum.

Some kid drove into the back of her car last week when she was stationary, a van in front of her had stopped suddenly, Mum stopped but the car behind her didn't.
Young lad, very pregnant wife in an old clunker which showed no damage.
At the time all mum noticed was a scuffed bumper and a smashed fog light, kid asked if she would deal with outside insurance and she agreed because she felt sorry for him.
No injury apparent although she did complain of arm and back pain a day or two later. She has since gone away on holiday so it can't be that serious.
I took mum to the local bodyshop which would be used for insurance work and they have quoted £500 for repair to the dislodged bumper, respray bumper, dislodged main light unit and replace fog light and brackets for bumper and main light.

I have given him the breakdown verbally on Friday by voicemail and he failed to respond.

I sent a text Saturday requesting his insurance details or proposals to pay the repair bill before work is undertaken.

As I received no response I sent another text requesting insurance details as
I was not prepared to waste any more time on this.

He did respond to ask for car make and model so he can price a foglight and ask his local garage to price up replacement of this item only.

I have responded that this is the reason why I have decided that insurance is the only way forward and asked a final time for his details.

I don't mind trying to help him save some no-claims discount or excess as long as it doesn't inconvenience my Mum which equals me really.

In my first text I gave him until 12 noon today to provide them and, now, I intend to take my next steps following this deadline.

I'd appreciate any real world experiences of this situation.

 

[AMGeed]

Involve the insurance company. He had his chance and any further delay is pointless.

 

[st13phil]

Remind him that in the case of a damage-only accident, the driver must give insurance details to anyone who may wish to make a claim against them. Not to do so is an offence which you will ask the Police to investigate...

 

[brucemillar]

For £500 I would have a careful think about involving your insurers. You may see that eaten in your premium increase. We claimed for a radio theft and door lock on an old Pajero. Insurers tried to hike the premium by more than the cost of the repairs.

 

[grober]

Until you get the guys insurance details you have no way of knowing whether he is insured or car is licenced or MoT'd. While I feel sorry for people who struggle to keep a car on the road the law is the same for everyone. Failure to co-operate in a speedy manner to get things resolved would put up warning flags for me.
Try putting the cars reg no into this site to check its current LICENCE AND MOT status
https://www.gov.uk/get-vehicle-information-from-dvla

 

[bob6600]

Is it still possible/feasible to report to the police?

 

[MancMike]

I had an incident a couple of years ago. I offered to pay for the repair work myself and did so. I was very grateful the other party agreed to avoid insurance as it would have made me pretty much uninsurable (already paying several grand a year).

I paid the £500 I was told it'd cost without quibble.

I think the young lad in this scenario has looked a gift horse in the mouth on this one, and I'd now be going through insurance as he's clearly not got much money and is trying to scrimp and buy her a 2nd hand fog light off ebay...

 

[tec]

Remind him that in the case of a damage-only accident, the driver must give insurance details to anyone who may wish to make a claim against them. Not to do so is an offence which you will ask the Police to investigate...

That is not true.

Insurance information is not required unless somebody is injured.

 

[del320]

Aye, and we'll soon all be subsidising his brat as well...

 

[Deleted member 6183]

Is it still possible/feasible to report to the police?

I suppose I could but can't see what I/Mum would gain from it.

 

[grober]

askMID

 

[Deleted member 6183]

Aye, and we'll soon all be subsidising his brat as well...

Possibly but to be fair to him my Mum said he seemed a nice enough lad, drove an immaculate 15 year old car and admitted liability straight away.

In hindsight he was most likely headed towards the maternity hospital when he hit her (within 2 miles and heading in the right direction) and he apologised to me for not responding over the weekend as she had given birth.

However, he still won't pass me his insurance details.

 

[Deleted member 6183]

askMID

He has tax, insurance and MOT.

 

[MancMike]

If he's just become a father, then maybe give him another couple of days grace, then send an ultimatum text of some sort. Maybe he's just got bigger things on his mind than a small bump, although he's hardly handling it very well...

 

[renault12ts]

If he's just become a father, then maybe give him another couple of days grace, then send an ultimatum text of some sort. Maybe he's just got bigger things on his mind than a small bump, although he's hardly handling it very well...

Agreed, I suspect he was rather more concerned about the big bump!

 

[219]

That is not true.

Insurance information is not required unless somebody is injured.

Following an RTC , regardless of injuries or not , any parties involved MUST , by law , exchange details : name and address of driver , name and address of vehicle owner ( if different ) vehicle registration mark ; it is also helpful , but not mandatory , to exchange insurance details ( the driver may not know these if not the owner and policyholder , and in any case your own insurer can look this up from the foregoing details ) . The time and location of the incident should also be noted by all parties .

Remember , if making a claim against another party for a loss incurred , you are claiming against THEM , and not their insurer : the insurer only steps in to indemnify the other party against the cost of meeting the claim , but the DRIVER is still liable for any damage he causes due to his wrongdoing .

 

[BandyAndy]

I'd cut him a bit more slack, it's a big event in their lives. Text him and congratulate them on the birth of their child, but tell him that your mum really needs her car back on the road asap and that you would appreciate a call back. You say that he drives an immaculate old car, so he should understand how your mum is feeling.

 

[bob6600]

I suppose I could but can't see what I/Mum would gain from it.

May help get the insurance details, at least an address to send correspondence to.

I would give him one more chance though

 

[st13phil]

That is not true.

Insurance information is not required unless somebody is injured.

Sorry, it is true (but you're not alone in thinking it only applies to injury accidents, which was the case for many years).

If someone holds you responsible for the collision then, with certain exceptions, failing to provide them with your insurance details is an offence. Example from the Essex Police website FAQ on Road Collisions (my bold):

Even if there was no injury involved, if someone holds you responsible for the accident, they have the right to request your insurance details. This request can be made later; it does not necessarily have to be at the time of the accident. A failure to provide that information without a reasonable excuse is also an offence.

 

[Deleted member 6183]

I really don't object to allowing a little flexibility, my issue is that he is of the opinion that the damage is restricted to a smashed foglight and doesn't believe that it's more serious.

I don't see why we should put ourselves out any further to save him for using his insurance in the way in which it is intended.

I'll sleep on it but will admit to feeling disgruntled that we should be ****** about because of his wish to save a few quid.