Bleeding Insurance companies

[frisp]

A week ago today, My eldest lad reversed off the drive and hit a parked car across the road. The car was partially blocking our drive and and the accident happened at walking pace. Technically my sons fault but the other party contributed to the cause.

There was not much damage to the other car and all he needs is a new rear light cluster. The owner was able to drive the car away.

We decided depending on cost that we might deal with it privately however we both informed our insurance companies of the indecent.

I was contacted by our insurance company on Friday to say that they would be cancelling the insurance on the car as we had failed to disclose some facts to them, not going to get into that as I'll be making a complaint, I've also asked for a refund of all payments made to the date they have chosen to state that insurance was cancelled.

I'm going to have to deal with this privately and as long as the costs are not excessive my son has some savings that could pay for it.

In the meantime I have found out that the other car has been on their drive way all week, awaiting a visit to the approved dealer, while they have been given a hire car (est £400 already) which my insurance and now me will have to pay for.

I've told the other party I want to deal with this privately, have offered a deposit as a measure of my good faith, stated that I will find the garage and get the car repaired and (hopefully) get them a courtesy car.

Their insurance are (strongly) recommending that they do not cancel the claim and that they continue to deal with it.

Can anyone help with some persuasive arguments or advice for when I spk to their insurance company today. I've got to get them out of that hire car and into a courtesy car ASAP otherwise the cost is just going to spiral into unaffordability.

[TUTTSI]

Re: Bleeding Insurance companies

I believe that it is not their insurers saying it is best to carry on with the claim. It is your neighbour who wants and needs to ensure that the claim gets paid and lets face it if you had not had your insurance cancelled you would have gone through your insurers and you would have only have had to pay your neighbours policy excess.

Your neighbour obviously needed another car to get arround and would have needed the same from you by hiring another car if that were the case and if the car that was damaged was undrivable.

There is the insurance onbudsman which you may get some help regarding the cancelation of your car policy. There is also strong implications now about getting further insurance as you would have to disclose that you have had an insurance cancelled and not sure in the current marketplace that you would be able to get another insurance policy or without paying the earth for it.

It is too late now to give your neighbour a deposit as their insurance company will come after you personally for all the money that they have now paid out on behalf of their insured and any money which you pay to them they might just pocket and not give to their insurance company against the claim which is growing by the minute.

PM Righty as he maybe able to give you some pointers as I was just reading OTR some advice he gave someone in your situtation a couple of years ago.

[Caspar]

Re: Bleeding Insurance companies

When you say the car was partially blocking your drive, has your drive got a dropped curb. I was under the impression that it is not legal to park by a dropped curb, so they may have been illegally parked.

[frisp]

Re: Bleeding Insurance companies

When you say the car was partially blocking your drive, has your drive got a dropped curb. I was under the impression that it is not legal to park by a dropped curb, so they may have been illegally parked.

It was parked with 2 wheels on the pavement and 2 on the road. The road is narrow.

[pallaz1851]

Re: Bleeding Insurance companies

I think you have a 'real' problem here, you state in your first sentance that your son reversed out of your drive and hit 'a parked car ACROSS the road', whether the road be narrow or wide you wouldn't appear to have a leg to stand on in my book, sorry!!
My experience is that Insurance companies are totally unbending1

[frisp]

Re: Bleeding Insurance companies

I believe that it is not their insurers saying it is best to carry on with the claim. It is your neighbour who wants and needs to ensure that the claim gets paid and lets face it if you had not had your insurance cancelled you would have gone through your insurers and you would have only have had to pay your neighbours policy excess.

Your neighbour obviously needed another car to get arround and would have needed the same from you by hiring another car if that were the case and if the car that was damaged was undrivable.

There is the insurance onbudsman which you may get some help regarding the cancelation of your car policy. There is also strong implications now about getting further insurance as you would have to disclose that you have had an insurance cancelled and not sure in the current marketplace that you would be able to get another insurance policy or without paying the earth for it.

It is too late now to give your neighbour a deposit as their insurance company will come after you personally for all the money that they have now paid out on behalf of their insured and any money which you pay to them they might just pocket and not give to their insurance company against the claim which is growing by the minute.

PM Righty as he maybe able to give you some pointers as I was just reading OTR some advice he gave someone in your situtation a couple of years ago.

The other party has cancelled the claim and we're sorting it privately. They are going to pay for the hire car and my son is going to remimburse them.

I will be complaining to the ombusman about the Insurance companies lack of urgency and the racking up costs (6 days @ £750 for the hire car). I've got a dealer to look at it today, they'll pick it up and give the lady a courtesy car.

Actually if the costs were within £1000 my son would have paid before he renewed to save his 3 yrs no claims.

The car is now reinsured at slightly higher monthly cost

[pallaz1851]

Re: Bleeding Insurance companies

Genuinely pleased for you, the alternative would be a 'nightmare'

Best wishes

[TUTTSI]

Re: Bleeding Insurance companies

Well done Frisp x