Accident with a overseas registered vehicle

[Tan]

Hi

Unfortunately my wife has been involved in a car accident today, our car was hit by a lorry. Thankfully nobody was injured as the accident was more of a severe scrape than direct impact.

I have not seen the car yet, but from what I have been told, the damage is doors, wing mirror, from wing, front wheel and tyre :-(

The problem is that the truck belongs to a Polish company and is registered in Poland, the driver has admitted liability, but how do I go about claiming on their insurance?

 

[corned]

Sorry to hear about that.

My advice would be to pass the info onto your insurers and sit back...

 

[219]

I'd get the Police involved - pronto .

I have heard of numerous cases of incidents involving Polish registered vehicles where no valid insurance was in place .

One of my colleagues had his car hit outside his house by a Polish registered van which reversed down his dead-end street at high speed , side swiping John's car in the process and tried to make a fast getaway as John came rushing out of his house . They were only prevented from escaping by a neighbour coming into the street who saw what happened and , bravely , blocked the road with his own car whilst the Police were summoned . The van driver was charged with leaving the scene , failing to provide insurance and not having a valid driving licence .

Not wishing to slur the Polish people , I have some good friends who are Polish , but it seems a lot of vehicles over here on Polish plates are far from legal .

Please watch out .

 

[Aoraki]

I'd get the Police involved - pronto

But the police would not be interested if no one was injured and/or a fail to stop, and the OP said minor incident no injuries and trucker stopped. Advice as above in post #2, tell your ins co and let them do the leg work.

 

[Tan]

After a long wait on the phone, managed to get through to the claims department at my insurance company to log the claim.

The real down point is that I have to put up with the car that their insurance approved repairer ( Balgores Motors a Mercedes approved Bodyshop) will provide as until they get confirmation from the Polish insurance company they have to treat the claim as though there were no third party.

 

[Tan]

The other fear that I have is that they may write the car off as pretty much every panel on the rights hand side of the car is damaged.

The damaged parts are: Rear Bumper AMG, rear quarter panel scaped, rear door, front door, front wing, tyre, AMG 18" RIM there is also damage to the A pillar.

 

[219]

But the police would not be interested if no one was injured and/or a fail to stop, and the OP said minor incident no injuries and trucker stopped. Advice as above in post #2, tell your ins co and let them do the leg work.

I've NEVER had any problem getting the police to attend even minor 'bumps' - it always pays dividends , like the time a landscape gardeners truck clipped the rear corner of my 280TE on a roundabout : cops turned up , interviewed each of us separately , breathalysed both of us - other driver failed - result he was arrested and the claim was no contest whereas it might otherwise have been an argument about who strayed into whose lane without witnesses ; I had no idea the guy had been drinking and certainly didn't wish the conviction on him , but he walked ( or drove ) into it .

The other case , from personal experience , was the girl who lost control on the bend outside my house and side swiped my GF's car , writing it off , while she was driving daddy's BMW , which it turned out she had no insurance for - again no injuries and a relatively 'minor' collision - but again , got the police out and statements taken - she first told us she was insured with Tesco , which turned out to be false . Dad's insurance didn't cover her so she ended up being charged and dad had to pay for write off value of Jan's car - without Police statements etc we'd probably have been whistling for the money .

Similarly , with some foreign drivers , it can be a nightmare trying to get details - if they leave the UK before it's sorted out then - forget it .

ALWAYS , ALWAYS get the Police , in my experience it makes their day if they get to take a drunk or uninsured driver off the road . If they try to fob you off - INSIST - attending crashes is part of their job .

A statement given at the scene to a cop also denies them the opportunity to admit everything verbally at the scene then change their mind and give a whole different story to their insurer ( if they have one ) or even deny having been involved at all !

 

[nick mercedes]

The other fear that I have is that they may write the car off as pretty much every panel on the rights hand side of the car is damaged.

Take it to Gary at Vehicle Repairs for all Makes & Models including Classic & Vintage Cars

He should be able to save it from being written off, smaller places are happy to work with assesors, he managed to stop Adam's C230k getting written off by putting in for a contract repair.

 

[Aoraki]

Pontoneer, it may well work up North, but there is usually no chance of getting police attendance in Nott's for a minor RTC. You can't INSIST they attend as it is not always a criminal matter and therefore not their job (unless you have proof otherwise). RTC's are civil matters I belive.
Drop a cigarette end though and that's a different matter!

 

[st13phil]

When I used to live in Sarf Lunden years ago, the Met were the first force to stop attending RTA's if there was no injury. That practice has spread pretty much across the country now, as far as I know. A serving Met friend of mine at the time told me that there is (was?) a ruse that you can use that guarantees attendance of the Boy's in Blue though: Call in the collision and make an allegation that the other party has committed an offence. They are then bound to investigate the allegation, which includes attendance at the scene and taking statements.

 

[Aoraki]

When I used to live in Sarf Lunden years ago, the Met were the first force to stop attending RTA's if there was no injury. That practice has spread pretty much across the country now, as far as I know. A serving Met friend of mine at the time told me that there is (was?) a ruse that you can use that guarantees attendance of the Boy's in Blue though: Call in the collision and make an allegation that the other party has committed an offence. They are then bound to investigate the allegation, which includes attendance at the scene and taking statements.

Exactly Phil, I was told (allbeit friend of friend) if you wanted police, ring them and say you could smell alcohol on the third party,just be careful that you don't get lumberd with wasting police time.

 

[Spin_bowler]

Call in the collision and make an allegation that the other party has committed an offence. They are then bound to investigate the allegation, which includes attendance at the scene and taking statements.

...or tell them you've taken the control of the situation by holding the other driver at gunpoint. Try and sound a bit unhinged on the phone (think Jack Nicholson in One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest) I expect that would guarantee an adequate and prompt response.

 

[Noodle-Pulp]

...or tell them you've taken the control of the situation by holding the other driver at gunpoint. Try and sound a bit unhinged on the phone (think Jack Nicholson in One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest) I expect that would guarantee an adequate and prompt response.

You could probably throw some racial abuse in there as well for good measure...

 

[jimti]

I don't think we have enough police in Kent to go to all the truck hitting car accidents on the M2/M20, every time I use those motorways there seems to be a few on the hard shoulder after a coming together.
I doubt there are many Foreign registered trucks in the UK without insurance though as long as you have all the details right there shouldn't be a problem. did you get the name of the company?

 

[vijilants]

Hi

Unfortunately my wife has been involved in a car accident today, our car was hit by a lorry. Thankfully nobody was injured as the accident was more of a severe scrape than direct impact.

I have not seen the car yet, but from what I have been told, the damage is doors, wing mirror, from wing, front wheel and tyre :-(

The problem is that the truck belongs to a Polish company and is registered in Poland, the driver has admitted liability, but how do I go about claiming on their insurance?

OK, I had the same problem with an French registered coach that ran into me last year by Westminister bridge. It was only last week that the claim was finally settled and it took a lot of chasing up, and I was told that usually accidents with overseas vehicles usually take about a year to settle, and mine took 11 months, so not far off.

First thing you should do is get his insurance details if he has any and registration number, firm name etc,etc, and take loads of photos.

Your insurance company has to trace the insurance agents used in the UK by his insurance company in order to claim. Even though I had the coach company name, their address, phone number, the driver's phone number, the insurance company were adamant that they have to trace the UK agent via the registration plate. ( My insurance company is Privilege so its not a mickey mouse company) This process takes ages and then the rest of it was a case of continually chasing up the case, until eventually the insurance company got solicitors involved at my request and eventually I got my excess back and the claim was settled.

Im my instance even though the police arrived it made little difference to the speed of the claim.

The whole thing can be really hard work !!!!

 

[219]

I doubt there are many Foreign registered trucks in the UK without insurance.

You'd be surprised . According to the cops who came out to my friend's crash , a high proportion of Polish vehicles in this country have something or other illegal about them .

did you get the name of the company?

Wievieskadovmiskiskovkerplunkski Trucking ? Easy to remember as it is to say

 

[Tan]

Hi

Thanks for your replies, I have all of the companies details as they are a large pan european company insured by a large German insurance company however it will still take ages to settle so will go through my insurance.

The bad news is that the car has been declared a total loss, so I will now be taking it to another company recommended by Nick, as I am confident that they will be able to help me.

 

[Tan]

Take it to Gary at Vehicle Repairs for all Makes & Models including Classic & Vintage Cars

He should be able to save it from being written off, smaller places are happy to work with assesors, he managed to stop Adam's C230k getting written off by putting in for a contract repair.

Thanks for your recommendation Nick, I have taken the car down to Gary and there is renewed hope that we may be able to save the car .

The car will have a suspension geometry check next week and pending further discussions with the insurance company we may be able to get it repaired.

 

[KNU7S]

Dont save it let it get writen off and buy it back.

did the driver have the EU accident form on him that by law they should fill out?

 

[Tan]

Dont save it let it get writen off and buy it back.

did the driver have the EU accident form on him that by law they should fill out?

I don't really want it to have a written off car, as it will prove harder to insure in the future.

The driver did have the form and completed it, however my insurers and their legal team say that it will take months to get settled and also they can't provide me with a courtesy car.