Hit and sod off - should I bother?

[oldguy57]

Call them yourself, submit a claim against their client's policy, submit the photographic evidence that you have, and tell them if you don't hear back from them either-way within 7 days, you will refer the case to an accident management company who will contact them on your behalf. I guarantee you that this will get their attention.

A word of caution with accident management companies. Cases have been reported of these companies running up costs (Car hire etc) which have not been recoverable from third party Insurers, leaving you to foot the bill. Personally I wouldn't use them but then having been in the game for decades I know which buttons to press.

 

[AntMB]

Well now I know that after the correct details have been found for the third party insurance, after I did the leg work on behalf of my insurance company, the third party has been contacted and isn't very happy with me, I've received a very unhappy text message from him.

The guilty line is he says he never reported it as he knew it was my fault and we had agreed to repair our own cars. Non non non! He never reported it because he knew it was his fault and I hadn't agreed to anything! The cheeky bugger!

 

[E55BOF]

Have you any actual evidence of what happened? If it's just your word against his, drop the whole thing and move on; no insurance company will accept liability on that basis.

 

[AntMB]

Have you any actual evidence of what happened? If it's just your word against his, drop the whole thing and move on; no insurance company will accept liability on that basis.

I've got photographic evidence of the scene, however, liability....if it was my fault, why didn't he report it?

 

[StMarks]

I've got photographic evidence of the scene, however, liability....if it was my fault, why didn't he report it?

You may be up against it then mate.
I had similar a few years ago.
I was waiting at the head of a line of traffic on a side road, waiting to join a busy dual carriageway.
Eventually a gap came, and I started to drive out. As I did so the car behind me started out & tried to make for the same gap by pushing between me & the footpath. First I knew about it was when my car jumped sideways and stopped.
She had wedged her Saab in thoroughly, smashing her front right wing/headlight & the corner of the bumper. My rear wing was heavily stoved in.
Neither cars were going anywhere, so I exited mine and (whilst taking pictures with my phone) politely enquired if I could have her insurance details.
Long story short (yes, this is considerably abbreviated) when it came the claim she denied responsibility.! Her assertion was that I was filtering out into the right lane, and she was going into the left until I changed my mind & hit her.!
Despite my pointing out that as we were entering from a single carriageway, and that I could only ever join the left lane (and thereafter change lanes, if viable).
Despite my many photos clearly showing the cars wedged together, still on the single lane side road.

Despite all, that the insurance company said it was her word against mine, and settled "knock for knock".


I was furious and argued against it for many months. Got me nowhere, just squandered my time and made me upset and bitter..




Fwiw there is a slight Karma to the tale..

About 2 years later I was at a function and spotted the same young lady also arriving,,,, in a new Kia Picanto. The person I was talking to must have noticed that my attention was caught , and asked me if I knew ********.?
Not wanting to create any ill feeling I answered "No, only met her once but then she had a big flash Saab wearing that same personalised number plate.. "
"Oh, she's had to get that because it's all she can insure since she got her licence back". Turns out she had been banned for multiple drink-drive offences (got into a habit of liquid lunches).

 

[markjay]

...Despite all, that the insurance company said it was her word against mine, and settled "knock for knock"...

Did you submit the claim via your own insurer, or directly with the Saab's insurer?

The reason for asking is that I found that some insurers are all-too-quick to accept a 'knock for knock' settlement from the other-party's insurer, probably because it's not worth their while to fully investigate - and pursue on your behalf - relatively minor claims.

 

[StMarks]

Did you submit the claim via your own insurer, or directly with the Saab's insurer?

The reason for asking is that I found that some insurers are all-too-quick to accept a 'knock for knock' settlement from the other-party's insurer, probably because it's not worth their while to fully investigate - and pursue on your behalf - relatively minor claims.

I said it was a "very abbreviated" version Markjay.
I pursued both approaches, avidly. My position was undermined by the apathy of my own insurer.
I was fairly convinced that if I had taken it to court I could only have won. However her insurance company pointed out that "if your insurer isn't prepared to challenge us on this, what chance do you think you'll have"
In the end I decided life is too short, & I wasn't out of pocket directly, so let it slide...

 

[E55BOF]

All too common with insurance claims, I think. The insurance companies are in business to make a profit, not to see justice done, so the cheapest way to resolve a claim is the one they will usually prefer.

 

[Pontoneer]

So a while ago I put my E270 up for sale, I was semi serious as at the time I had two Golfs, a motorbike and the Mercedes, so I put one Golf up for sale and the Mercedes and at the time was happy with which ever sells first, I keep the other. Semi serious meaning I only put the advert here, didn't actually properly advertise the car, so nothing really happened.

Anyway a few months ago, someone overshot a give way line in a narrow country lane, jamming his car against mine, scrapes down the right hand side of my car. We exchanged details, though he thought I was at fault, basically he was totally stoned and it turned out he had a car full of drugs

. Fast forward months later, my insurance company haven't heard a thing from his insurance company, my insurance company are just giving me a wet lettuce "well we haven't heard anything from the third party" - which is all they can say, despite countless emails, phone calls and elevating it to the complaints department.......

I'm not sure I can be bothered anymore. I want a smaller car anyway, should I just f-k the car off as it is? I really don't need the stress with a massive change to personal circumstances coming in the new year also.......

Leaving aside that I'd have called the police there and then and had him charged with driving while unfit through drink or drugs ..

Your claim is against the other party , not his insurer .

The simple action is to raise an action against him in the small claims court ( up to £5K IIRC ) and file it directly against him . If he has been so disinterested in claims made by your insurers , chances are he won't defend this either and you will be awarded damages ; then just a matter of asking for enforcement and leave the bailiffs to do their job .

 

[AntMB]

Leaving aside that I'd have called the police there and then and had him charged with driving while unfit through drink or drugs ..

Your claim is against the other party , not his insurer .

The simple action is to raise an action against him in the small claims court ( up to £5K IIRC ) and file it directly against him . If he has been so disinterested in claims made by your insurers , chances are he won't defend this either and you will be awarded damages ; then just a matter of asking for enforcement and leave the bailiffs to do their job .

There wasn't anyone offended on Twitter and no Avocado marches going on, so the Police wouldn't have been interested in attending.

 

[Pontoneer]

There wasn't anyone offended on Twitter and no Avocado marches going on, so the Police wouldn't have been interested in attending.

That isn't a matter of choice for them : it is their DUTY.

I have never had the police decline to turn out to an incident when called ; I simply inform them that I REQUIRE them to attend .

They are OBLIGED to do so .

 

[como]

You should have said that he misgendered you. At least 3 police would have been on the scene within minutes.

 

[st13phil]

That isn't a matter of choice for them : it is their DUTY.

Not true in England.

Attendance is mandatory if injury is involved.

Attendance will not normally occur unless other particular factors are present, such as substantive allegations of driving offences, those involved in the collision have been unable to comply with the law in exchanging details of driver and vehicle details, danger to other road users due to obstruction, etc.

 

[Helsinki]

My car was damaged last year in Sainsburys car park, the driver was caught on camera he got out of his car checked what damage on his car then drove off. The police was notified and had all the information they sent a letter to the driver and he said he couldn't remember doing the damage because he suffers with memory loss. The police didn't follow it up. I was quoted just over £1,000 to repair the damage. My insurance company wanted me to pay the first £350 and if they couldn't reclaim the money I would to stand to it.

 

[E55BOF]

My car was damaged last year in Sainsburys car park, the driver was caught on camera he got out of his car checked what damage on his car then drove off. The police was notified and had all the information they sent a letter to the driver and he said he couldn't remember doing the damage because he suffers with memory loss. The police didn't follow it up. I was quoted just over £1,000 to repair the damage. My insurance company wanted me to pay the first £350 and if they couldn't reclaim the money I would to stand to it.

So what did you do?

 

[Helsinki]

I had to put off having the car repaired due to circumstances.

 

[AntMB]

eure have now closed the claim as requested, but the main database is still showing it, so getting insurance from anyone else is at the moment going to be so costly, that I may have no choice but to go with esure for another year, knowing full well that it's insurance by name only.....