Forum menu
Yesterday son was round at grandmothers, car parked on her road outside, (legally/normally). Hears a loud crunch and goes out to find an elderly neighbour has reversed out of her drive and hit the nsf of his car. Really smacked it in. Neighbour very apologetic and admits fault. Exchange details. Son gets a call from her insurance co. LV an hour later. They say they will deal with it, provide a hire car and take his to the approved centre for repair (all being done today). They then say he needn't tell his insurance company - this seems a bit odd, is this normal these days?
He's in a dilemma because have heard even in no fault situations your insurance company may still hike your premium if you are involved with a claim, but thinks he should tell them in case it all goes a bit wrong. What to advise, any tips?
I wouldn't tell them. They've admitted liability and are sorting.
They then say he needn't tell his insurance company
Possibly because LV are entering the details on a shared database anyway. If it happened to me I'd tell my insurance company, I'd anticipate they'd find out anyway at renewal.
They don't want you to tell your insurance company in case they farm the claim out to an accident management company who will rinse it for all it's worth. I'd still let your insurer know but wait until it's sorted.
I would tell your insurance company now, give them LV's details and say LV are picking up the repair and giving you a hire car.
If you don't, you could be done for non-disclosure at your next renewal.
I'm sure that you have to tell your insurance company, you just don't make a claim with them
You don't need to tell them now but you will need to let them know at renewal time.
This seems to be common when the other party admits fault straight away. My car got reversed into by a friend of friend last year, he managed to wreck the drivers door and front wing on my car. He immediately admitted liability to his insurance company. They were great, they rang me up straight way, had someone out to assess the car, and sorted me out with a equivalent hire car (mine is an Audi A5) while mine was in for repair. Basically it lets them fully control the costs of the claim.
At the time of accident I had told my insurance company that I wold be making a claim, although I hadn't progressed it. When I renewed the insurance on my wife's car it got flagged up that I had an outstanding claim on the insurance database. I had to go back to the other parties insurance company to get them to update the database to say that I hadn't been at fault, or made a claim. All sorted in the end, but would have been easier if I hadn't informed my insurance company....
Look at your policy - it should be written down somewhere if you are required to tell them about all relevant incidents, even no-fault stuff.
Your insurer could find out about it if you have a subsequent claim, and use that to void your policy for not telling them. They will do this if they can.
Your insurer could find out about it if you have a subsequent claim, and use that to void your policy for not telling them. They will do this if they can.
Unlikely they will do it just for the non-disclosure as the would have to repay premium and so make a net loss (once you factor in admin time etc). However it could become problematic in the event of a claim.
Unlikely they will do it just for the non-disclosure as the would have to repay premium and so make a net loss (once you factor in admin time etc). However it could become problematic in the event of a claim.
Yes, this is the circumstance that he goes on to cause a different claim worth considerably more than his premium. It is not unheard of for insurers to look for ways to void the policy when faced with a big claim for injuries and damage.
What Prawny said.
In the past I have not told my insurers in that sort of situation and it has never been an issue.
Mixed opinions then, gut feeling is to tell them soon
What prawny said.. I had the exact same thing happen to me a few years back, except I told my insurance straight away, they then proceed to palm me off to an accident management company and I got that gut feeling I was going to get messed about when they started umming and arring about how soon they could get a hire car out to me.
I called the 3rd parties insurers direct as they admitted full blame and they sorted everything including a brand new Mercedes hire car..
No hassle, they were probably grateful they weren't about to get rinced, so I called my insurance company back and told them I wouldn't be proceeding with a claim.
What really wound me up is that I pay my insurance company to deal with this sort of thing, so the fact they expected me to have to mess about liaising with an accident management company kinda makes my policy worthless.
What really wound me up is that I pay my insurance company to deal with this sort of thing, so the fact they expected me to have to mess about liaising with an accident management company kinda makes my policy worthless.
worthless to you but good money to them for selling on the lead
in similar circumstances I've written a few weeks later when all done and sorted just to notify the incident
[quote=wwpaddler ]You don't need to tell them now but you will need to let them know at renewal time.
This, and as prawny says. LV want to deal with it all themselves which makes sense - no need to involve your insurance company.
Wife had similar, we told ours but they were happy for other party to deal so didn't get involved
Her premium rose on renewal though even with it being a no fault claim. And even worse my insurance went up as she was a named driver on my policy so I said take her off then she as she doesn't use my car. And then my insurance still went up as I lost my married discount I apparently had. I'd have had to tell them on renewal about it anyway as they'd find out themselves if not then even more bother:( bloody cars
I had similar incident with someone reversing into me a few years ago, they were insured with LV. LV called me and sorted the repair and hire car quickly and efficiently, to their benefit as well as mine. I'd already told my insurance company of the incident but didn't pursue a claim with them. Didn't appear to affect my premium. But then neither did a more recent claim when I had to go through my own insurance as someone unknown drove into my car while it was parked. In short inform your insurer but don't pursue a claim, let LV sort it out.
LV are trying to manage the costs of the claim by ensuring repair work, courtesy cars etc are provided by their approved suppliers who they have commercial discounts. if the other party has admitted fault and their insurer have accepted liability, then no you don't have to notify your insurer. however it would be good practice to do so, but make clear to them you are only notifying them and there will be no subsequent claim as the 3rd party has admitted liability
happened to me when my car got rear-ended in a traffic light-stop.. other party admitted fault and would be happy to sort out everything by 3rd their insurance but I still rung my own car insurance to let them know about it as is stated in my car insurance policy to let them know so and so... my insurance company advises me to let them sort it all out as if there is something about the repair that I am not happy about, it would be easier to chase them as they are my own car insurance which I pay to do this kind of situation ... i don't know if i did the right thing letting them sort it out as it took them almost 3 weeks to repair a car rear bumper.
my insurance company advises me to let them sort it all out [s]as if there is something about the repair that I am not happy about, it would be easier to chase them as they are my own car insurance[/s] so that they get their kickback from the repair company / claims management.
From my experience (and it appears also yours) the reason they gave you is actually a load of bollocks. Much less incentive for them to get it sorted quickly when they're not paying.
He reported it today to his insurers as an incident and not a claim, they seemed okay about it and confirmed they'd not lodge it as a claim and happy to let LV get on with it. LV hire car provided is a Hyundai i10 pensionermobile so he's lost all street cred for now.