Idiot smashed my car door

AX_Man · Unread post by **AX_Man** » 09 Oct 2006, 11:27

Some idiot reckless driver, my father, when reversing from in front of his house decided to turn the corner too early and as a result has left my Saxo rear door with a severe concave in it and some serious scratches to the wheel arch and tyre.

He has admitted full liability seeing as my car had been parked there, was stationary and with no one in it. He contacted his insurance company, Frizzell, who agree. His insurance had said they would contact me and there wasn't a need for me to contact mine. I thought though it was best to just in case (mine is Marks and Spencer through Equity Red Star) as any claims have to reported with 24hours of the incident and I thought if anything happened further down the line I am covered.

Whose insurance arranges the repairs, courtesy car and what about any excess and my no claims?

Do I have a say in the choice of repair garage? Autodex (approved by most insurers) have a branch 5 minutes drive from my work so that would be convenient.

The annoying thing is he drives a Volvo estate and has only broken glass and very minor scratches

KP · Unread post by KP » 09 Oct 2006, 11:37

You dont need to bother with your insurance co at all as all it does is harm your quotes in the long run as you have notified them of a claim

You go thru the 3rd parties insurance for everything from hire car to repairs and additional costs as well.

drpau · Unread post by **drpau** » 09 Oct 2006, 17:04

Dont talk to me about insurance - some moron in a vito van pulled into my lane with no indication of him moving anywhere - hit the rear qarter on the drivers side of my Xsara. In my eyes it was clearly his fault. I had a passenger who saw it all and the van driver even said sorry and that he hadnt seen me cos of the blind spot of his van. Spoke to my own insurance company (NIG-waste of space!)and they said "How do we know that its not you that has driven into his lane? You dont have an independant witness!" (She was a stroppy cow an all!)- or in other words that I could be lying to them about what happened. This is my insurance company by the way! Not his (I naively thought they would be on my side!) so now they want to go 50/50 and said that whatever I had to say had no bearing on the situ. I would have been better off not ringing them up - as it is now Ive lost 150 quid excess have a 50/50 claim on my driving record for 5 years and have lost no claims!

Im well brassed off.

You are lucky that the moron who drove into your car admitted anything and didnt just drive off

Good luck with it

jeremy · Unread post by **jeremy** » 09 Oct 2006, 18:45

Insurance companies have things like knock for knock agreements which they say saves everyone money. Only thing to do is to notify your company of the accident and then pursue the claim against the other driver. However you will also recall that its a condition of your and every other policy that you don't admit liability - so the other driver's insurance company may not share his view (and indeed may be entitled to avoid the policy if he has admitted liability.)

All good fun!

jeremy · Unread post by **jeremy** » 09 Oct 2006, 18:46

Insurance companies have things like knock for knock agreements which they say saves everyone money. Only thing to do is to notify your company of the accident and then pursue the claim against the other driver. However you will also recall that its a condition of your and every other policy that you don't admit liability - so the other driver's insurance company may not share his view (and indeed may be entitled to avoid the policy if he has admitted liability.)

All good fun!

AX_Man · Unread post by **AX_Man** » 16 Oct 2006, 17:11

After a week of no contact from anyone, I received a letter on Saturday from ACM@ulr saying they'd been trying to contact me. So I rang them, found out they are part of the M&S brokerage (why didn't their letter explain this?), they had really old contact details for me (although when reporting the incident the week earlier (through their out of hours service it seems) I'd gone through phone nos etc).
They are saying as I have legal cover on my insurance, Drive Assist are going to arrange the repair and courtesy car and would ring me an hour later. They also transferred me to Equity Red Star claims, who don't work weekends.
I am still waiting for Drive Assist to contact me.
I have spoken to Equity Red Star today who seemed surprised that I have been told to use Drive Assist as using my dad's insurance I wouldn't have to pay excess or anything or have to get it claimed back. However ERS very helpful and say that their record of the incident is for information only but I can always go back to them for a claim.
So many people, noone ringing me,
All I want is my car repaired!
Although I am now reckoning for the usual stroke of the chin and say the car is 5 years old so will be written off. I will be really p*ssed off as the car is otherwise immaculate, suits our needs, is fun and easy to drive and has only just done 30K on the clock.

citronut · Unread post by **citronut** » 16 Oct 2006, 19:11

yep and then if you retain salvage rights before you can re/insure the car you will have to get a new MOT,independant enginers report and a VIC test certificate
regards malcolm

handyman · Unread post by **handyman** » 18 Oct 2006, 14:24

Hello AX man, having read through the threads on this item you seem to be very harsh on your father and his part in the accident. After all, your car, like mine is only a tin box and can be replaced. It is not precious and irreplaceable, where as your father is.
I hope this is not out of place but to call your father an idiot, especially in such a public place as this Forum is a little disrespectful. I presume, as he drives a Volvo, he does not have the opportunity to read this Forum.

citronut · Unread post by **citronut** » 18 Oct 2006, 18:43

i agree with HANDYMAN i also thought your not ment to mention V***O in the same breath as CITROEN yuck,HE HE HE
regards malcolm

AX_Man · Unread post by **AX_Man** » 19 Oct 2006, 11:53

It had come after my elderly father had been telling me he had his field vision test and had got his driving license extended for 3 years. I'm not being disrespectful to him. He should have seen my car. He had no excuse.

My car is not replacable as I am completely and utterly broke. Drive Assist apparently have decided to write to me as I wasn't home when they rang yesterday (they should have my work number).

I've got an incident form to fill in for ERS which assumes someone was driving the car. And I have to find my driving licence and photocopy that. I haven't the foggiest where it is ... And it also says about getting 2 quotes for the repairs. When I crashed my AX a few years ago the insurance company (Hastings) referred to me to a repairer and they did the repairs no problem.

citronut · Unread post by **citronut** » 19 Oct 2006, 18:10

where abouts in the country are you
regards malcolm

drpau · Unread post by **drpau** » 19 Oct 2006, 19:41

Ahh, didnt read your first post properly - didnt know it was your dad who had hit you!

WHat you said about Hastings (them sourcing you a repair centre) - the same happened with me, insurance co' sorted it out. Give 'em a bell back and just tell them to take it to one of their approved repairers.

Just got my Xsara back today - done a good job - I asked the guy how much it cost (how much it cost the insurance co) out of curiosity ---£1026 I was amazed cos the level of damage was quite small- perfectly driveable etc

AX_Man · Unread post by **AX_Man** » 11 Dec 2006, 16:07

I contacted the broker whose legal arm fired off a threatening letter to my father. He forwarded it to his insurance company. 2 days later a firm arranged to collect it and carry out the repairs while I was out of the country so didn't need to play about with hiring cars.

The only snag was they needed a new skin and Citroen sent them 1 which was damaged so had to be sent back. However they have done an outstanding job, done a complete valet too, repaired the gearbox which hadn't been mentioned to them, and tightened the brakes which I was going to get looked at this week.

As my fathers insurance arranged all this, I haven't paid an excess at all so my no claims is unaffected.