Just had a call to say a local firm's van - being driven stupidly - has smashed our car parked outside our house. Not sure what the damage is yet or whether they've done the decent thing and left a note, but a nearby neighbour has witnessed it all, got details, and said she'll make a statement if necessary. What's the best course of action please, to avoid being fleeced by either the driver and/or an insurance company? Car is a ten year-old Focus so it it's not valuable. Guessing its low value might even mean it's a write-off. Buying a new one will be a proper PIA right now. Ta for any tips.
Report it to the police and inform your insurance.
That's it.
do you have fully comp on your ins? if so let them know and let them deal with the company that's liable.
Aye, what he said ^
Had a similar thing recently, big beer delivery lorry took my transporters wing mirror clean off. Missus heard it, who knows if driver would have chapped the door.
Hardest bit was that the brewer who owned the truck was registered in Eire, and despite us both having the same insurer (Aviva) the Irish and UK divisions of the insurer were reluctant to talk to each other. Took longer than it should.
Phone your insurance company.
If you get home & find no note left by the van, consider calling the Police - leaving the scene of an accident etc.
Buy your neighbour a crate of beer/bottle of wine/bouquet of flowers to say thanks....
Cheers, folk. Fully comp I think. This happened once before in my previous house (hazard of living in Hebden) and I ended up losing out as the insurer wrote the car off and paid out only half of what I'd paid for it (I had to write an arsey letter to make them up the payment). Just hoping to avoid being out of pocket like this again. Also, other half is almost 8 months pregnant - timing for new car buying couldn't be much worse. Wondered if it's worth giving the driver a chance to sort without resorting to insurance (but I won't have confidence going this route if he hasn't owned up).
stumpy - will certainly be buying the neighbour a bottle, yes.
Just hoping to avoid being out of pocket like this again.
It's an insurance company - no chance. Even if you're fully comp with protected NCB and the other party pays out you'll still be considered a higher risk and your premiums will go up.
Buying a new one will be a proper PIA right now.
Not mine, but...
http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/2004-ford-focus-edge-16-petrol-3-door-with-roof-bars
Cheers again. Yes, insurance company will no doubt come out on top one way or another. Might try not to use it.
jamie - baby due next month so cheers but need a 5-door really.
Cheers again. Yes, insurance company will no doubt come out on top one way or another. Might try not to use it.jamie - baby due next month
Use the insurer. If you think finding a new car is going to be a PITA with a baby on the way, it's nothing to the PITA of getting the other party to cough up!
wl - Member
Cheers, folk. Fully comp I think. This happened once before in my previous house (hazard of living in Hebden)
Was it a trouser lorry?
Was it a trouser lorry?
Unlikely in Hebden.
Having just gone through almost exactly the same recently my experience/tuppence-worth is:
1 - tell your insurance company
2 - get the other party's transport manager (if they have one) to accept liability
3 - find out that the police wouldn't pursue the other driver despite their leaving the scene without giving details
4 - get car fixed (if they write it off you can just get a settlement from them, keep the car and get it repaired yourself
Not trouser lorry, no. That would have been doubly pants (I'll get my coat...)
ctk - Member
Was it a trouser lorry?
Unlikely in Hebden.
I set them up... 😀
Had same happen to me, lucky thing is I was walking up to my parked car at the moment another driver drove right into the side of it.
Contacted my insurer. Other party admitted liability.
All worked out well, was given a courtesy car whilst mine was being repaired. No significant impact on my premiums.
Happened to me about 10 years ago, but there were no witnesses. Parked outside front of house, every panel on drivers side got scraped. We reckon it was a drunk driver.
Informed insurance and police.
Police said they'd come and take a statement - they never did.
Insurance kept the incident on record and said I'd claimed.
The car was of not a great value so I had it repaired (as it was just panel damage) out of my own pocket. I had to argue with the insurance that I'd not claimed t get them to remove it from records.
It was a pain in the arse and I was out of pocket for it.
Hopefully your witness will mean you don't suffer a similar fate - Good luck.
So, the damage is significant. There's a cracked rear bumper and a dent in the main body work I'm guessing the insurance company might say it's a write off as it's an old £2.5k car. I'll be well out of pocket, no doubt. Culprit (a firm, which I called this morning because they didn't leave any note) is denying it even though my neighbour-but-one (a very reliable witness) says unequivocally that it was them - she saw them drive too fast, saw them hit mine, saw my car jolt on impact. She swears by it, and says her kids saw it too. I guess I need to report it, but I reckon I'll lose out ultimately. Just trying to work out how I can lose out as little as possible. Any tips?
Next stop police, would be my suggestion.
Is a local brewery, that you can visit and see if any vehicles are dinged?
They might have trackers on their fleet but probably deny it.
I'm guessing, were you on the road up to pecket well?
Edit. Brewery reference for no reason.
You've had the answers up there. Police, (which I'd have done immediately as no note left) and your insurance company. Might be worth getting the neighbours account written down while still fresh in the memory.
You can claim on their insurance for anything that leaves you out of pocket IIRC, including any increased premiums. Don't accept the first valuation of the car, if written off, but equally their insurance won't be picking up the tab for the car you might like, eg. a couple of years newer with less mileage.
If the car is still driveable (sounds like it is), I'd let the insurance company write it off then buy it back as salvage and continue to use it without repairing.
You think it's worth £2.5k, so let's assume the insurance will offer you £1750. They'll probably sell it back to you for 10% of the settlement, meaning you get £1575 and get to keep the car (and you'll save on future insurance costs as it will be recorded as a Cat C or D write-off, so it's only worth insuring 3rd party now).
If you were planning to run it into the ground anyway, then you've made yourself £1575. If you were planning to sell it next week for £2500 then you're out of pocket.
Cheers all. Yes, I live towards Pecket Well off Keighley Road, car was parked outside my house. I probably will report it, but I was hoping to settle without involving insurance/police as it tends to leave me out of pocket in terms of payouts and premiums (this has happened once before, elsewhere, 12 years ago). I didn't really think the culprit would deny it, given I have a very credible witness willing to make a statement. Naive of me, perhaps.
Legoman - this might be an option. I buy cheapish cars and run them for years, so your plan might work well.
It worked out more-or-less like that for us when my wife's car was written off a few years ago. Had to fight with the insurance co. for the car's value though.
Good luck with it.
police! failure to report/leave details carries a hefty penalty. ban + fine.
Legoman - cheers for that. Appreciate it.
Years ago, I was walking home in the morning, after being a dirty stop out, and turned the corner to see my smashed up car on the side of the road with white stuff all round it. First thought was that it foam used to put out a fire, as I got closer I smelt milk. Turns out that a milk float had hit my car at max speed!
This happened to Mrs Binners car last week. Someone went right down the side of it, properly creasing the door, so not a light scuff. They also did the same to the car parked in front. Then they buggered off without leaving a note, or owt. We were worried the insurance might write it off, but its in being fixed at the moment.
Our place is similar to Hebden. Narrow stone-terrace roads, double parked. I don't know why anyone would bother having a decent car. Every single person on our road has had their car clipped on at least a couple of occasions. It just goes with the territory, regularly replacing smashed wing mirrors
Its annoying as it'll bump up her premiums, and its a 250 quid excess. Hey ho... some people are just born twunts, I suppose. 🙄
Don't phone your insurance company until you know you want to make a claim.
Even a reported accident that you then don't actually make a full claim will impact your renewal premium.
I guess I need to report it, but I reckon I'll lose out ultimately. Just trying to work out how I can lose out as little as possible. Any tips?
Yes. Stop pissing about and report it, to plod and your insurers. If the other party are denying liability you're unlikely to get a penny unless you do...
Except, ultimately, I could easily end up worse off if I report it.
Currently, you have no one who will pay you anything. Report to plod and insurer, let their well paid legal team chase the culprit. With the baby on the way the last thing you want to be doing is chasing a firm who would willingly leave the scene without informing you, and then deny culpability.
you're obliged to report to plod anyway, i think.
you'd be nuts not to. you have a good independent witness. it's an easy collar for them.
Happened to me but no witness who could recall plate or identify vehicle. Did chase up a very vague lead and insurance co kept on it but lack of direct witness meant it couldn't go forwards. £4K of damage done, paid my excess and got car fixed. Suspect lego mans route could leave you better off anyway, get the mallet and duct tape out and you're good to go! Definitely 100% report to plod and your insurance co. Not much hassle and well worth the effort. A credible witness will make a massive difference and people who leave the scene after an accident NEED stopping. What if they wing a cyclist or pedestrian next time, think they'd stop?
you're obliged to report to plod anyway, i think.
Only if someone is injured. The Road Traffic Act 1988 (section 170).
Years ago, I was walking home in the morning, after being a dirty stop out, and turned the corner to see my smashed up car on the side of the road with white stuff all round it. First thought was that it foam used to put out a fire, as I got closer I smelt milk. Turns out that a milk float had hit my car at max speed!
By a strange coincidence, many years ago my mum woke me up early in the morning, asking where my car was, because there was another car parked outside. There was indeed, a Triumph 1500, with the front totally smashed in, front wheels pointing in different directions.
My car, a '54 Morris Minor, was parked with all four wheels on the footpath, the other side of next door's house, with the boot stuffed in, and the bodywork on the offside badly damaged. There was a notice left, saying "Sorry if there's any damage, see you later" and a name, which didn't mean anything.
A bit later on the owner turned up, said he'd dropped a tape on the floor, had bent down to pick it up, looked up too late and hit my car!
Anyway, the police got involved, leaving the scene, etc., and it turned out the scamp had been clubbing until gone 3am, was driving around to kill some time until he started work at 4am as a milkman.
He was over the limit left the scene, lost his job, his license, a heavy fine, and I did get some insurance back, although, sadly, because the paint wasn't up to much the insurance wouldn't cover a repair, and I just didn't have the money to get it fixed at the time.
Stupid thing is it was still perfectly drivable, unlike his, and I really wish it found the money and got it repaired, it was a great little car. 😐
It's an insurance company - no chance. Even if you're fully comp with protected NCB and the other party pays out you'll still be considered a higher risk and your premiums will go up.
Mine went down by 30% after I made my first claim in 10 years, so it might not be all bad.