XSeries-forum

Bit of a nightmare.  Driving home last night, I was in the left hand lane and had to feed into the right hand lane (one way street with left lane blocked off ahead due to road works), and as I moved into the gap the car behind accelerated with the result that I caught her front left wheel arch with my right rear arch.  She exclaimed that she was following the car in front (like I was supposed to know).  :wall:

Told the insurer about it (Admiral) who consulted internally and reverted that it would be considered my fault, unless I had a recording of the incident (obviously don't).  Other drivers that could have been witnesses just drove around and kept going.  I have already received a letter by email stating that it is likely that I will be considered responsible and that they will deal with any Third Party claim accordingly (I have emailed back to contest this).

Damage to my car is minor scratch that a bit of T cut and polish should fix.  Damage to hers (Renault Megane) is wheel arch bent in, which could potentially involve new panel(s).

Is this one of those situations where you have to just accept it?  Also, does this mean that my premium is going to go through the roof next year (have 15 years protected no claims)?  I know I keep the no claims but I presume the base premium goes up a lot.

Gutted.

[quote="MJim"]
Bit of a nightmare.  Driving home last night, I was in the left hand lane and had to feed into the right hand lane (one way street with left lane blocked off ahead due to road works), and as I moved into the gap the car behind accelerated with the result that I caught her front left wheel arch with my right rear arch.  She exclaimed that she was following the car in front (like I was supposed to know).  :wall:

Told the insurer about it (Admiral) who consulted internally and reverted that it would be considered my fault, unless I had a recording of the incident (obviously don't).  Other drivers that could have been witnesses just drove around and kept going.  I have already received a letter by email stating that it is likely that I will be considered responsible and that they will deal with any Third Party claim accordingly (I have emailed back to contest this).

Damage to my car is minor scratch that a bit of T cut and polish should fix.  Damage to hers (Renault Megane) is wheel arch bent in, which could potentially involve new panel(s).

Is this one of those situations where you have to just accept it?  Also, does this mean that my premium is going to go through the roof next year (have 15 years protected no claims)?  I know I keep the no claims but I presume the base premium goes up a lot.

Gutted.
[/quote]

To put it bluntly, yes it looks like you will just have to grin and bare it!  On small claims, the insurance companies will pay out rather than get into lengthy legal action with a case that will be hard to win.  As for the no claims, the top premium should be the same, less any increases that are applied across the board.  You have paid extra to protect your no claims bonus for a reason.  So other than normal annual increases the premium should be the same.

Don

[quote="MJim"]
Bit of a nightmare.  Driving home last night, I was in the left hand lane and had to feed into the right hand lane (one way street with left lane blocked off ahead due to road works), and as I moved into the gap the car behind accelerated with the result that I caught her front left wheel arch with my right rear arch.  She exclaimed that she was following the car in front (like I was supposed to know).  :wall:

Told the insurer about it (Admiral) who consulted internally and reverted that it would be considered my fault, unless I had a recording of the incident (obviously don't).  Other drivers that could have been witnesses just drove around and kept going.  I have already received a letter by email stating that it is likely that I will be considered responsible and that they will deal with any Third Party claim accordingly (I have emailed back to contest this).

Damage to my car is minor scratch that a bit of T cut and polish should fix.  Damage to hers (Renault Megane) is wheel arch bent in, which could potentially involve new panel(s).

Is this one of those situations where you have to just accept it?  Also, does this mean that my premium is going to go through the roof next year (have 15 years protected no claims)?  I know I keep the no claims but I presume the base premium goes up a lot.

Gutted.
[/quote]

Firstly, it will go against you as you were filtering into her lane unfortunately so it does come down to your duty to ensure it is safe to do so....sounds crap, but there it is.

[quote="Don Coffey"]
To put it bluntly, yes it looks like you will just have to grin and bare it!  On small claims, the insurance companies will pay out rather than get into lengthy legal action with a case that will be hard to win.  As for the no claims, the top premium should be the same, less any increases that are applied across the board.  You have paid extra to protect your no claims bonus for a reason.  So other than normal annual increases the premium should be the same.

Don
[/quote]

Unfortunately Don, I have to disagree. Yes your no claims bonus stays in tact....BUT...your base premium will rise as you have had a fault accident (even if non-fault your premium will rise). So although you will still get 60% or whatever your no claims discount is, it will be of a higher starting premium.

I had a non fault claim totally against a third party. They paid out, it didn't go through my insurance at all and directly through BMW. Renewal time I now have to pay an additional £120 per year (even with max discount) as there is a claim in my history. I did (at length) have a discussion with a number of insurance companies who all said it wasn't fair but that is the way it is.

Thanks for the feedback.

Raj could it be worth me paying for the work so at least there isn't a financial claim on my history, or is that a waste of money as the incident will be there on the record anyway?

[quote="Raj"]

Unfortunately Don, I have to disagree. Yes your no claims bonus stays in tact....BUT...your base premium will rise as you have had a fault accident (even if non-fault your premium will rise). So although you will still get 60% or whatever your no claims discount is, it will be of a higher starting premium.

I had a non fault claim totally against a third party. They paid out, it didn't go through my insurance at all and directly through BMW. Renewal time I now have to pay an additional £120 per year (even with max discount) as there is a claim in my history. I did (at length) have a discussion with a number of insurance companies who all said it wasn't fair but that is the way it is.
[/quote]

I see where you are coming from Raj, and although tough the reasoning seems logical. 

Don

[quote="MJim"]
Thanks for the feedback.

Raj could it be worth me paying for the work so at least there isn't a financial claim on my history, or is that a waste of money as the incident will be there on the record anyway?
[/quote]

Difficult one.  It would need the third party to withdraw their claim. Which the insurance company may have issues with.  That said, the questions are not whether you've had a crash, but have you claimed in the last five years, is it not?

Don

Correct, with the bit that states "claims or losses, whether at fault or not"

In other words, you are buggered either way as it would be classed as a "loss" if you did not claim.

[quote="MJim"]
Thanks for the feedback.

Raj could it be worth me paying for the work so at least there isn't a financial claim on my history, or is that a waste of money as the incident will be there on the record anyway?
[/quote]

Unfortunately it has already gone down on file...... :'(

Some of you boys are well minted, how about we start our own insurance company? 

Why would we need money? We just collect the premium money and never pay out, right? Sounds like money for nothing to me 

[quote="pvr"]
Why would we need money? We just collect the premium money and never pay out, right? Sounds like money for nothing to me 
[/quote]

And with that reasoning it is plain to see why you are worth more than me....PMSL.

I believe there used to be a system in place that if your personal wealth was x amount (£8,000,000.00) rings a bell, you didn't need insurance.  I wounded if still true today and if so what's the personal wealth figure?

Don

I remember the system....and for UK Government, that is the way they have done it for years.  Yup you guessed it - a Civil Servant bumps an official vehicle and we all pay the bill.  I had a £20M 'special policy' that allowed me to drive airside at Gatwick - just in case I drove into a parked 747!!!! :-[

Strangely it didn't say what happened if said 747 drove into me!! .  I did get chased down a taxiway by a BCAL BAC111, but that's a different story and involved no map, no radio to ATC and a wrong turn out of the old north side fuel farm (where North Terminal is now) onto a really nice wide road with pretty lights in the middle and at the edge...... O:-)

For personal insurance it might be harder now as some of the injury claim limits are classed 'unlimited' so you may need rather more to self-provide cover.

Richard

Your premium will go up with admiral!

its unfortunate because it was so minor.

I had an accident last yr, wasnt my fault and my car was written off. I didnt claim for it as the car was a spare car and worthless, was only using it coz my "real" car was in the shop. anyways Admiral got wind of it through the polic report and bumped my insurance by £500.

needless to say im not with them any more but i was legally obliged to pay it... should have just claimed.

when i got my insurance papers in the post i noticed it said damage value £500... even though there was no value as i didnt claim...