Car Accident

[dave]

Had a minor accident before the game, was sat at the traffic lights and when they went green, my car stalled. The lorry behind me (I'm not sure if it had been waiting there or had been approaching me) didn't see me and rammed right into the back of the car with quite alot of force.

Thankfully theres little damage, only one big dent in the back. I take pride in my car so I'd like to get this fixed. We exchanged details and everything but I'm a bit unsure about involving the insurance, if anyone could help with the below then it'd be appreciated.

1) Someone told me that if your hit from behind its ALWAYS the other persons fault. But could the insurance deem me anyway responsible because my car stalled?
2) As I'm a "young driver" would I have to contribute a large excess towards the cost of repairs?
3) Is this going to affect my no claims bonus or my premiums by claiming?

At the end of the day, is it worth the cost to repair the dent, or should I just live with it?

 

[Tom]

1) The accident is not your fault, there are no mitigating circumstances, you shouldn't pay unless:

2) If the other driver is uninsured, then you'll end up claiming on your own policy, which will involve an excess and increased premium when you renew.

3) The other driver is plainly stupid and not watching what hes doing. You should make life difficult for him, and pursue a claim against his insurance company, through your insurer.

4) A small dent might be hiding substantial damage. Get it checked out.

 

[Yaka]

there will prolly be more damage behinde the bumper,
tom is spot on with his reply

 

[old.user4556]

Exactly what Tom said, however I believe that Directline no longer penalise you for claiming if the other insurer isn't insured, according to their advert?

I was hit by an uninsured driver in May 2003, they're still trying to recover the funds two years on.

 

[Furr]

Strange as this sounds, as a driver i find this a good guide when driving.

If the car in front is getting closer and closer its probably a good idea to slow down and not crash into it.

 

[Lazarus]

dave,

similar thing happened to me.

I was second car at a roundabout, waiting to move off. checked the car in front - he was moving off and i again checked right. All clear and I moved off.

BANG!! car in front had stalled and I hit the back of him (minimal damage)

It was technically my fault but that didnt make me feel any better.

 

[dave]

Updated - gave my insurers (Norwich Union) a call this morning, they said I have the following options:

1) Get them to fix it, which will cost me my excess (£370 as I'm a 'young driver'). If I want any of this excess back, I'll need to sort it out with the 3rd partys insurers myself, just because i didn't select their optional legal protection option :| Norwich Union won't help in getting back my excess.

2) File a claim with the 3rd partys insurers and try and get them to fix it. Problem with this one is I'll need to try and contact the guy to find out who his insurers are.

I don't really see the point of doing the 1st one, just a bit pissed off that they've more or less washed their hands of it.

 

[xane]

because i didn't select their optional legal protection option

I know this is a bit late to say so, but this is not a good idea, especially with the amount of uninsured drivers around.

 

[Lazarus]

Updated - gave my insurers (Norwich Union) a call this morning, they said I have the following options:

1) Get them to fix it, which will cost me my excess (£370 as I'm a 'young driver'). If I want any of this excess back, I'll need to sort it out with the 3rd partys insurers myself, just because i didn't select their optional legal protection option :| Norwich Union won't help in getting back my excess.

2) File a claim with the 3rd partys insurers and try and get them to fix it. Problem with this one is I'll need to try and contact the guy to find out who his insurers are.

I don't really see the point of doing the 1st one, just a bit pissed off that they've more or less washed their hands of it.

do you know what company he was driving for - you could contact them and find out what they intend to do?

 

[Gat_Decor]

2) File a claim with the 3rd partys insurers and try and get them to fix it. Problem with this one is I'll need to try and contact the guy to find out who his insurers are.

I thought the idea of 'exchanging details' _was_ to find out his insurance details/company as well as name, address blah blah, on another point, you said it was a lorry, was it a company vehicle, if so which company? give them a call.


oh and something i forgot, Norwich Union are damned expensive, they quoted me unhappy (sorry ) £798 with an excess of £350 for this year, so i'm now with the AA @ £380

 

[dave]

With hindsight I probobly should have, but being my first accident I wasn't really sure what I needed. I have his company name and address, and seeing as it was a company vehicle I didn't think to ask about insurers.

 

[Gat_Decor]

With hindsight I probobly should have, but being my first accident I wasn't really sure what I needed. I have his company name and address, and seeing as it was a company vehicle I didn't think to ask about insurers.

There you go then, you dont need to contact him at all, just give his company a call and explain what happened and ask what are they going to do about it

 

[Vae]

If it's a large enough company they probably self-insure so they only have catastrophy insurace. If you create enough nusiance they'll decide it's easier to just pay off your claim than fight against it (esp as they're in the wrong).

 

[Lester]

I know this puts everybody else's premiums up (by about 0.1p) , but why not claim for whiplash too? The insurance companies are keen to exclude your legitimate claims, bump up your premiums when the claim aggregate for the year doesn't warrant it and generally rip you off. Take the opportunity to get 'em back.

 

[Gumbo]

The excess on our vans is 500quid, or 1000 if the driver has any points. We would settle without involving insurance if the claim was going to be less than this.

Please don't claim for whiplash if you aren't genuinely hurt, personal injury is putting everyones premiums up by a damn site more than 0.1p.

'Hurt in a trip or fall at work?' Watch out where the fuck you are walking then you twat!

 

[Wazzerphuk]

Yes it is his fault but you really should watch your mirrors more.

 

[Tom]

I know this puts everybody else's premiums up (by about 0.1p) , but why not claim for whiplash too? The insurance companies are keen to exclude your legitimate claims, bump up your premiums when the claim aggregate for the year doesn't warrant it and generally rip you off. Take the opportunity to get 'em back.

Nice, if only other people thought that way.

Oh wait, they do :/

 

[Deadmanwalking]

The excess on our vans is 500quid, or 1000 if the driver has any points. We would settle without involving insurance if the claim was going to be less than this.

Please don't claim for whiplash if you aren't genuinely hurt, personal injury is putting everyones premiums up by a damn site more than 0.1p.

'Hurt in a trip or fall at work?' Watch out where the fuck you are walking then you twat!

Here here.

Claiming for whiplash or whatever else, is just pathetic. And your premiums go up a hell of alot more then 0.1p.

 

[Lazarus]

Yes it is his fault but you really should watch your mirrors more.

in this situation, watching his mirrors would merely tell him there was a fekin big truck heading his way. not a lot he could do to get outta the way if he was stalled.

 

[Wazzerphuk]

Indeed. But then at least he would have known what had actually happened:

I'm not sure if it had been waiting there or had been approaching me

Which infers he didn't look in his mirror for quite a long time.

 

[Chilly]

well who cares? its not as if he did an emergency stop from 80mph in front of a lorry is it? it wasnt his fault, its the lorry drivers for not being attentive enough.

 

[Tom]

Indeed. But then at least he would have known what had actually happened:

Which infers he didn't look in his mirror for quite a long time.

Perhaps the junction was on a tight curve.

 

[dave]

Indeed. But then at least he would have known what had actually happened:

Which infers he didn't look in his mirror for quite a long time.

Nope, I could see the lorry comming towards me, but I was more concerned with trying to get my car moving again ASAP rather then watching the mirrors as it was pretty obvious it was going to hit me. The only thing I could have done to avoid it was get out of the way, so that was my priority.

 

[Spear]

You will need to write a letter to the company stating what happened and you MUST make sure you in no way suggest its your fault.

Personally I wouldn't even mention the stalling bit Id just say I was waiting for a clear space to proceed and your driver rammed my car from behind. Make sure you take pictures of the damage and get quotes from garages for the repairs and include these with the letter.

I you can bet you life the driver of the lorry will be saying its your fault in someway.

 

[Formash]

Yes it is his fault but you really should watch your mirrors more.

Why should he watch his mirrors for a lorry that goes into the back of him when he is motionless with no engine running (remember he had stalled) - its not like he can get out of the way... DUH

And as above if it was me, id be trying to get my engine running to actually attempt to avoid the accident if it appears (from looking in the rear view mirror / wing mirrors) that somethign is going to hit me