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[Closed] Car accident with uninsured driver

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Ms njee20 just had a minor altercation with another car, dark road and that, so not entirely sure of the particulars, but he basically opened his door on her, braking her wing mirror, and denting/scratching her wing. Apparently he was rather elusive, 'forgetting' his insurer and offering a first name and phone number only.

Just checked the motor insurance database and sure enough he's not on there!

I've suggested that for that reason he's unlikely ever to surface, and that ms njee20 ought just to suggest involving insurers if he does.

Happy to forget it and suck up the small cost of a new wing mirror (less than excess), but having found he's uninsured is there anything we can actually do that won't involve sizeable premium hikes at renewal, but may leave him out of pocket!?


 
Posted : 19/03/2014 11:21 pm
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Report him to the old bill?


 
Posted : 19/03/2014 11:24 pm
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Police as above, and small claims court.


 
Posted : 19/03/2014 11:32 pm
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Rozzers

or use one of your bikes as a mallet across his bonnet...


 
Posted : 19/03/2014 11:32 pm
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[url= http://www.mib.org.uk/Home/en/default.htm ]Motor Insurers Bureau[/url]

Funds for damage/injury by uninsured or untraced drivers - ask around at work 😉

You will need to have reported it to the Police though.


 
Posted : 19/03/2014 11:33 pm
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Haha, cheers Nobby, did suggest just asking at work!

Can't see small claims court being worth the hassle for a £30 wing mirror. If you tell the police, presumably you have to tell your insurers too...?


 
Posted : 19/03/2014 11:37 pm
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Tell the police, next time it may not be just a minor crash


 
Posted : 19/03/2014 11:45 pm
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Can't see small claims court being worth the hassle for a £30 wing mirror. If you tell the police, presumably you have to tell your insurers too...?

Are you sure , wing mirrors usually cost a whole lot more than £30 these days and you have the scratch and dent to consider too .


 
Posted : 20/03/2014 12:08 am
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Aye, thats the rub. Yep wing mirror is that ballpark on eBay - it's only a 2004 Polo.

Thinking just going to do everything by the book and sort it through insurance, if we can claim back through MIB even better. I envisage a dispute about fault and it getting agreed as split liability, but hey ho.


 
Posted : 20/03/2014 12:16 am
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If you tell the police, presumably you have to tell your insurers too...?

Nope - not unless her policy has a specific condition insisting upon it.

The MIB can be really helpful with such things but they will insist on it being reported before they'll act.


 
Posted : 20/03/2014 12:18 am
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Tell the police, next time it may not be just a minor crash

And this.

More often than not there's much more of a story to tell - no MOT, banned, warrant etc


 
Posted : 20/03/2014 12:20 am
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As above Police


 
Posted : 20/03/2014 12:37 am
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Yep, police. No need to tell insurer unless specifically directed to. Speak to them once you have spoken to the police and ask them to contribute to the replacement.


 
Posted : 20/03/2014 1:40 am
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Get the scrawnies involved and invest in a large pair of bombers. This is your only course of action.


 
Posted : 20/03/2014 1:43 am
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Get the rozzers onto him straight away. How would you feel if he had injured her and she now needed a lifetime of medical care?

Lowlife scum altogether, he deserves stringing up.


 
Posted : 20/03/2014 6:32 am
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You'd be mad to go through the insurance for a £30 mirror, if not just for the hassle of the phone calls.

The MiB, I think they only pay out where your insurance won't cover personal injury, (such as with a third party policy) damage to the car would be paid by your own insurance.


 
Posted : 20/03/2014 6:54 am
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Unless it's changed, an it could have, the MIB only pay out for personal injury and not for yor car. I had a cheap car totalled by uninsured driver in a "stolen" car some years back. I got some money eventually but I was still about £600 out of pocket.
I'd seriously consider disabling his car in some way.


 
Posted : 20/03/2014 8:58 am
 hora
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Suck up the cost and move on.

Why? You tell your insurer? Guess what for circa 3yrs your premiums WILL increase (you may have protected NCD but your premiums will go up) as you are an increased insurers risk.

Also is it strictly speaking a car accident? He opened a door onto you?

The can of worms here though is the other driver approaches a claim company and claims you hit him and he has neck pain. However hes shooting himself abit here as to do that would hilight that he was uninsured...

Personally I wouldn't see it as a car accident so if re-proached later I'd say the event never happened and your mistaken..

Look at it this way- you go down that route- he'll suddenly have numerous passengers who will claim your wife hit him and all have neck ache and will back up the driver. It'll go 50:50 but as the driver wasn't insured it'll go to your insurer to pay.....MIB? Guidelines say ideally settled by the insured drivers where possible isn't it (read their T&C's).

Your judgement call.


 
Posted : 20/03/2014 9:02 am
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That's twice I've agreed with Hora recently. Shudders....


 
Posted : 20/03/2014 9:10 am
 hora
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If hes driving round uninsured (you checked the reg- as in how you know?)- if so ANPR will pick him up at somepoint and hes car seized.

He'll have previous form no doubt.


 
Posted : 20/03/2014 9:14 am
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As above. Just pay to fix it. Insurers will find some way to up your premiums for the next 5 years. Report the driver anonymously on the special number or here http://www.dft.gov.uk/dvla/onlineservices/report_unlicensed.aspx


 
Posted : 20/03/2014 9:26 am
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I would pop along and chat to your local police. Tell them you don't want to go through insurance and why (policy increases will cost you quite a bit over 3/5 years depending on insurer). They will hopefully send an ANPR camera round his way and catch him in the act and crush his car.


 
Posted : 20/03/2014 10:02 am
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Hora, there could be a valid policy on the car. Doesn't mean the guy was covered by it though.


 
Posted : 20/03/2014 10:32 am
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Also is it strictly speaking a car accident? He opened a door onto you?

No, I'd say a "minor altercation", in fact it was in the first 7 words of the thread, just gave a more descriptive title.

Personally I wouldn't see it as a car accident so if re-proached later I'd say the event never happened and your mistaken..

The rather sizeable scratch on the door corresponding to his dented door would testify against that sadly, and that will likely cost more than the mirror to rectify.

She's going to tell the police, reserving judgement on insurance!


 
Posted : 20/03/2014 10:38 am
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She's going to tell the police, reserving judgement on insurance!

Surely it has to be both or neither. Every insurance renewal I've ever completed has asked if there have been any losses (I don't think they use the term accident) in the previous year irrespective of whether a claim has been made.


 
Posted : 20/03/2014 10:42 am
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Hi,

It is an reportable accident as per

"The law defines a reportable road traffic collision as an accident involving a mechanically-propelled vehicle on a road or other public area which causes:

Injury or damage to anybody - other than the driver of that vehicle,
Injury or damage to an animal- other than one being carried on that vehicle (an animal is classes as a horse, cattle, ass, mule, sheep, pig, goat or dog).
Damage to a vehicle - other than the vehicle which caused the accident.
Damage to property constructed on, affixed to, growing in, or otherwise forming part of the land where the road is.

If they take place in a public place the police can investigate off-road collisions, for example, collisions in car parks, which, because they are open to the public, are deemed public places."

Basically the car just has be on a road or public place, it does not need to be in motion. Opening of doors causing damage or injury is a specific offence.

I would urge you to at least report it to the police. If he is uninsured as you suggest it may be classified as a hit and run if he has not provided name and address to you partner.

Most police forces have a policy of only investigating offence accidents which your one may well be.

Regards


 
Posted : 20/03/2014 11:25 am
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geoff - what accident - i see no accident.

if theres no claim theres no accident.

its only a loss if you fix it 😉 i have dents and dings all over my car that i could fix - all have occured in carparks .... are these also reportable.

my only caveat is that IF a third partys involved - go through the insurance. things go nasty quickly - its worth the increased payments.

im involved in an insurance claim at the moment with a lying biatch.(who tried to get me to stump up without going through the insurance and for me to pay to fix her car because my fiancee appologised at the scene...to which my reply was - are you serious - you were at fault)


 
Posted : 20/03/2014 11:41 am
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if theres no claim theres no accident.

Whilst you are morally correct, we are talking about insurance companies here 😈


 
Posted : 20/03/2014 1:04 pm
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you need to report an uninsured driver as cars are dangerous and they have now shown themselves to have poor judgement at least twice - using one uninsured then opening a door on your car.

Glad you did OP
As for insurance I would not bother as what you get back will be less than the premium change IMHO


 
Posted : 20/03/2014 1:11 pm
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Get the scrawnies involved and invest in a large pair of bombers. This is your only course of action.

There's still room for an alternate urine/footwear approach if you ask me.


 
Posted : 20/03/2014 2:01 pm
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im involved in an insurance claim at the moment with a lying biatch.(who tried to get me to stump up without going through the insurance and for me to pay to fix her car because my fiancee appologised at the scene...to which my reply was - are you serious - you were at fault)

This is the thing that she's worried about - if he's happy to drive around uninsured then it doesn't seem beyond the wit of man that he'll suddenly fabricate a load of damage/occupants/injuries if you completely ignore it.

She reported to police. Most likely going to 'inform' the insurance company but not claim. Premiums Will rise, but seems fairly insignificant from doing a couple of quotes, and she can sleep soundly rather than worrying he's going to pop up and be a dick about it (as he was at the roadside apparently!).


 
Posted : 20/03/2014 9:00 pm
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We've just had the same thing tonight. 😐

Hit from behind by a taxi driver whilst stationary at a give way.
Witness, luckily, was an off duty Police officer who was extremely helpful.

Sadly, the tp's car has been checked and has no cover according to the Police and our insurance company.
I've spoken to the Taxi company who, reluctantly, have provided some details. Whether accurate or not, time will tell.

Quite a big smack - our bumper is bust and I know from previous experience there's going to be a lot of unseen damage to the rear of our car.

We're fully comp and are going through our insurance.
Got the shakes and feel a stiff and sore now.

Good luck, hope you get things sorted out.


 
Posted : 20/03/2014 10:21 pm
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Likewise, sounds like far more ballache than our case!


 
Posted : 20/03/2014 11:01 pm
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Well, we're comp, so at least the car will get fixed.
I really, really, really hate private hire companies.

Even before we'd said anything to the other driver he was shouting the odds about there being no damage or injury.
Should have seen his face when the witness identified himself as a copper and ran a check on his car. 😀

This is the second time this has happened - I'm banking on them being insured through the firm but reluctant to give details.
Also got a funny feeling the driver wasn't who he said he was - not one bit of ID on him.
He's had a caution, so let's see what happens.


 
Posted : 20/03/2014 11:08 pm