QQ; If you claim from MIB will it affect your own insurance? We’ve had about £800 of damage to the car, but really don’t want our insurance involved. The car is expensive enough to insure being high value convertible with business use, we’re deciding whether MIB claim is going to cost us more in the long run. If it goes through insurance they’ll take the piss and probably cost £4k as they’ll just replace the whole back end of the car, when in reality a smart repair will do.

Backstory:

Mrs Geordie Mick took the dog up to local country park on Saturday and upon her return was approached by some bystanders who informed her a car had reversed into the back of her car. They all offered their details as witnesses and a photo of the culprit, who stopped, rubbed the back of the car, realised the damage he’d done then sped off.

Two mins later he returned as the dipstick had left his car & house keys and mobile phone on his roof when he sped off! The bystanders had hid them from him. He asked an old lady to use her phone, he tried calling his own lost phone but was super twitchy and he fled the scene, again.

Mrs rang me, I blasted up there and rang the Police as I’d ran a few checks and his car had no insurance, tax or MOT. The Police as predicted, weren’t really interested, tried to fob the missus off and said they’d put alerts out for his car but wouldn’t tell us his details.

His phone was ringing all afternoon, but the screen was bust so couldn’t answer it. I googled the phone to see it’s value and it was an Oppo Argos SIM free £150 phone, so I thought he’s probably not that bothered and a few hours later he’d already swapped the SIM as I rang the number and it didn’t ring the phone I had in my possession. So I text him saying “Hi, I’ve found this phone, do you want it back” to which he replied saying “yes please, can we meet up tomorrow!”

sadly, he went radio silent on me and the whatsapp I sent him was delivered but not read.

So today I’ve sent DVLA the V888 form to get keepers details and when I get the info I’ll be popping by his house with the bill.

I would try the police again, leaving the scene of an accident should be taken more seriously than that. Be more persistent with them

I’d just use own insurance, as if following most insurers policy you should declare any incidents at renewal time so will get hammered anyway so might as well have it repaired properly, let them deal with who funds it, is what you pay insurance for.
If he’s left the scene of accident and being this dodgy, what exactly do you expect to achieve turning up at his place, except maybe abuse or assault?

There’s a lot to unpick here. The short version is, “this is why you pay for insurance.”

I’ll think about a longer response when it’s not 1am.

^^—- This, both bits, especially the first bit. That’s why you have insurance.

Pester the police until they act. These arseholes need removing from the roads.

Definitely pester the police ut in the meantime a couple of clicks here won’t take you long
https://contact.dvla.gov.uk/report-untaxed-vehicle

Inform your insurance and claim from them.

Unfortunately, the MIB only cover you if you have 3rd party insurance, if you have fully comp (like I did) then you have to claim through your insurance.
Though the MIB may refund your excess.

I ‘think’ your insurance co will try to reclaim from the uninsured driver, and if not MIB will cover their losses.

Shouldn’t effect your premiums too much as it’s a non-fault incident.

IANAIB but this is based on my experience with an uninsured driver last year.

1. It’s going to cost you anyway come renewal, as you have to declare incidents.
2. This is what your insurance is for.
3. Turning up on a dodgy blokes doorstep with a large bill may not be the brightest of moves.
4. Holding on to his phone and keys is theft.

I had similar. I was fully comp. The nicked car that crashed into my parked car was uninsured.

My premiums went through the roof.

Speak to a solicitor, free inititial consultation

I got hit by an uninsured driver, he gave me his contact details and fake insurance certificate at the scene. Police and my insurance company were both useless, save yourself the hassle and make the claim on your insurance and get on with your life. On renewal my insurance company wanted 50% more (I had protected no claims), shopped around and got it for for the same price as previous year. My claim was regarded as my fault as I correctly informed My insurance company that the other driver had left their lane on a dual carriageway, which apparently unless they admit to it (uninsured driver now in the wind) goes down as a 50/50 as a minimum.

The first question the MIB will ask is “what did your insurance company say?”, so I don’t think not declaring it will help.

Keep pushing the police on it.

I had similar. I was fully comp. The nicked car that crashed into my parked car was uninsured.

My premiums went through the roof.

The exact reason why I posted this. I’ve been here before 20 years ago and got walloped, despite being non fault.

1. It’s going to cost you anyway come renewal, as you have to declare incidents.
2. This is what your insurance is for.
3. Turning up on a dodgy blokes doorstep with a large bill may not be the brightest of moves.
4. Holding on to his phone and keys is theft.

1. *accidents – we have not had an accident. Someone has damaged our car and it is always our option to claim or not claim from insurance.
2. See above.
3. Crashing into someone else’s car, leaving your phone and keys at the scene isn’t either, but hey if I get his address info then I can make that assessment and make a decision as to whether I approach him, or indeed find evidence of him driving his car and get an opportunity for the Police to catch him driving it and get it taken off him.
4. Police have actually told me to keep hold of them. I didn’t steal them, they were given to me by witnesses.

Please, don’t ever do jury service.

MIB are there to help you recover uninsured losses from an uninsured driver. If you have comprehensive cover you either claim from your insurers and lose no claims or pay for it yourself – but you still have to declare the incident.

Seems the world around no claims and no fault accidents has got blurred by the new “your no claims is protected if its an uninsured driver” offers. Back in simpler times you lost your no claims unless the insurers recovered their costs in full. Simples. But harsh.

I know what I’d do with the phone and keys!

1. *accidents – we have not had an accident. Someone has damaged our car and it is always our option to claim or not claim from insurance.

Quite correct. You still have an obligation to tell them either now or, dependent on the company, before renewal. Safe option; tell them now.
You haven’t had an accident but it is an incident leading to loss. This what Direct Line say, “Any incidents, thefts or losses, even if they didn’t claim or were not to blame”

I can make that assessment and make a decision as to whether I approach him, or indeed find evidence of him driving his car and get an opportunity for the Police to catch him driving it and get it taken off him.

This is a job for the police, from the start. It’ll be good to have a reference number for your insurer.

Police have actually told me to keep hold of them. I didn’t steal them, they were given to me by witnesses.

You’ll have a Property Other Than Found reference number then?

Get back onto the police and your insurer

You were involved in an accident, unless you were driven into deliberately and there’s more to this story than you’re letting on. You will need to inform your insurance company.

Right.

I don’t believe you can simply “claim from MIB” and dodge any insurance penalties. If you could, everyone would do it and there would be no point in having a Comprehensive policy. Rather, the MIB is there for when you cannot make an insurance claim.

You seem to want to claim on insurance without notifying your insurer. That sounds fraudulent to me? Either way, it’s on you of course but with most policies you’re obliged to tell them regardless of whether or not you’re claiming (which is madness but here we are).

If “they’ll just replace the whole back end of the car” then one would assume that the whole back end of the car does, in fact, need replacing. Have you had anyone look at the damage, got any quotes? Ultimately you / the Mrs will be the one dictating what work if any is carried out.

If “in reality a smart repair will do” then get that done, pay for it out of your own pocket. If you can afford an “expensive” “high-end convertible” as a work vehicle(!) then a chips-away type service should be pocket change for you. It’s likely lower then your insurance excess anyway so there would be little point in claiming.

Be aware however that modern bumper systems are designed to crush internally on impact to absorb a blow – once. If this is what’s happened and you’re planning on bodging it then, well, if it happens again at speed I hope she has life insurance.

Of course the police aren’t going to give you his details. What did you expect? For all they know, you’re planning on turning up on his doorstep mob-handed to give him a shoeing (or worse given they know you’re in possession of his house keys). Given that you say you’ll be “popping by his house with the bill” if you do get his details, what are your next steps if he tells you to stick it up your arse?

You seem to want to claim on insurance without notifying your insurer.

Absolutely not and I’m not sure how you even come up with that, given what I’ve written. We have a £50k car that costs a bomb to insure due to it’s insurance group, value and probably our postcode as it’s the same as the shithole town nearby that is full of uninsured drivers ad 4 cars were taken in one night in our street via keys a few year ago. Despite having 9 years NCD, the Mrs has to absolutely trawl the market every year to get something half reasonable.

I’ve been here before when I scraped someone’s stationary car in a petrol station with my trailer, the real world damage was about £500 which I offered to pay. By the time she got her insurers involved it became a new door skin, half the car painted and two weeks for a hire car. It was a nine year old car and the insurance system absolutely fleeced it for every penny they could and I lost two years no claims.

I was knocked off my motorbike in 2007 and again, the claim was eye watering and 4 years later the insurers tried to sue me for the cost of the hire bike I had for the duration, the only way I got off with the £4k bill was because I didn’t sign the hire agreement for the bike when it was delivered. They also went 50/50 on my behalf and I lost my two years NCD which meant I had to sell my bike as it was uninsurable, despite the accident being none of my fault.

I’m trying to work out whether it’s just as easy to fox it ourselves using a local body shop who will fix the scuff, put the trims back together and weld the back of the bumper and fix the small split instead of a whole new bumper which is OTT.

Be aware however that modern bumper systems are designed to crush internally on impact to absorb a blow – once. If this is what’s happened and you’re planning on bodging it then, well, if it happens again at speed I hope she has life insurance

Agreed and upon a quick inspection at the crush bar and packing, it’s all totally A1. But point taken.

Of course the police aren’t going to give you his details. What did you expect?

He’s committed a crime, we have FOUR witnesses and we have a legitimate reason for his details for civil recovery purposes.

Given that you say you’ll be “popping by his house with the bill” if you do get his details, what are your next steps if he tells you to stick it up your arse?

Then, A) I know that it is him and where he lives, B) I have an address to file a CCJ to C) I can keep tabs on whether he’s still driving his uninsured, untaxed and MOT’d car and notify the Police when he does.

You were involved in an accident, unless you were driven into deliberately and there’s more to this story than you’re letting on. You will need to inform your insurance company.

It wasn’t an accident at all. Someone whilst reversing, hit our car. As much as he’s an uninsured low life, he was just reversing out of his space when he did it.

Why do you say there’s more to this story than I’m letting on? Again, I’m genuinely dumbfounded as to why you come up with that.

https://mobile.twitter.com/_DHOTYA 😉
RM.

https://mobile.twitter.com/_DHOTYA 😉
RM.

What does that even mean?

I would say that considering you have already contacted the police, you have gone down a path where you now have to declare it on your insurance, so you might as well go for a full claim and complete repair to your car.

You could try getting an online insurance quote using bogus information (different name, another house on your street with same car) and enter the claim to see what the premium would be.

It’s always crap when something like this happens. Something similar happened to my Mrs 2 weekends ago, but the car that hit her in the car park was insured. Long story short, in my view the correct course of action is reporting the incident to the police which you’ve done then reporting it to your insurance company who will then arrange repairs and claim off the MIB for you as the other driver is uninsured. Your car will get repaired and then it should go down as a not at fault accident. Job jobbed. Or if it is just cosmetic / chips away type stuff then pay for it yourself. Ours looked so much better once I’d been out with the polishing cloth but there’s still a patch of paint missing and a dent to sort – so it goes in to the bodyshop next week.

It wasn’t an accident at all.

I think you’re being pedantic and creating a huge potential liability for yourself. It will be a condition of your insurance policy that you inform them of events of the kind that happened, however it’s worded. If you don’t, and they find out, they can invalidate the policy leaving you uninsured.

Apart from that, given that the driver that hit your car didn’t do it deliberately, it WAS an accident.

UPDATE:
Just spoke to the Police again, the detail that I missed is Lancashire Police have a policy of not pursuing accidents where there was no injury. So despite there being a crime committed, they have effectively turned this into a civil issue by saying I should pursue the other driver through insurance/civil courts.

He confirmed he has their info and could potentially release it, but wasn’t convinced I’d done my research enough by quoting ‘under Section 35 of the DPA’..

I can’t believe you are considering anything other than a MB authorised repair on a £50k car.

Just spoke to the Police again, the detail that I missed is Lancashire Police have a policy of not pursuing accidents where there was no injury.

That isn’t wholly true…

“Road Traffic Collision (RTC) If drivers have exchanged insurance details and nobody is injured, no police action will be required, please call your insurance company to report the incident” https://doitonline.lancashire.police.uk/PEDisclaimer/Create

Why do you say there’s more to this story than I’m letting on? Again, I’m genuinely dumbfounded as to why you come up with that.

aren’t you the fella who tried pulling a fast one on Ling and got completely pwned.

It wasn’t an accident at all. Someone whilst reversing, hit our car.

If that’s not an accident what is it exactly?

As above though, this isn’t what the MIB is for, it’s exactly what your insurance is for.

The reason your insurance is expensive is that you live in an area where this sort of accident happens and where there’s a shithole town nearby that is full of uninsured drivers ad 4 cars were taken in one night in our street via keys a few year ago

aren’t you the fella…

More recently I seem to recall him suggesting he was going to go to some miscreants’ house and sort them out. A bit like this thread really.

It was a nine year old car

if you scraped my 18year old Volvo the outcome would have been the same – just because it isnt a 50k car doesnt mean it shouldn’t be in the condition it was in before you dragged a trailer past it.

The reason your insurance is expensive is that you live in an area where this sort of accident happens and where there’s a shithole town nearby that is full of uninsured drivers ad 4 cars were taken in one night in our street via keys a few year ago

I was going to type that almost word-for-word. The reason OP’s insurer wants to know about these incidents / losses (or ‘accidents’, since presumably they occurred accidentally) is so they can adjust the premium against the risk. If their car sits on a leafy driveway in a posh area and never moves, it’s a lower risk to insure than if it gets driven loads and left in places with a high likelihood of some ne’er-do-well bumping/nicking it.

@OP It sucks but it’s the way of the world, and unless you are planning to commit fraud (unwise since you have now signalled this on an internet forum) you need to tell your insurer.

The offender’s actions and the police response are maddening, though, so you have my sympathy (to an extent).

Pester the police until they act. These arseholes need removing from the roads.

Harsh, but fair. They are doing their best with limited resources though 😉

@OP It sucks but it’s the way of the world, and unless you are planning to commit fraud (unwise since you have now signalled this on an internet forum) you need to tell your insurer.

The offender’s actions and the police response are maddening, though, so you have my sympathy (to an extent).

^ This.

You are pushing water uphill OP.

If you can afford a high value car in an area with high insurance premiums, then surely you have protected no-claims or understand that the insurance can get pricey?

He’s committed a crime, we have FOUR witnesses and we have a legitimate reason for his details for civil recovery purposes.

And this is what an organisation who have proper data protection, stick to legal process and all sorts of relevant policies and procedures in place. Perhaps something like, and I am just speculating here, an insurance company?

It wasn’t an accident at all. Someone whilst reversing, hit our car.

Do tell us, what was it then?

Just spoke to the Police again

What did they say about returning the phone and keys?

Why do you say there’s more to this story than I’m letting on?

No-one is. Your story indicates an accident, in an area by your own admission where you observe a lot of illegal drivers, and which is best resolved by your insurers. This is the best, and really only, course of action.

Please, don’t ever do jury service.

I haven’t yet been called. If however I am, I will be happy to stick too the way the law and process works.

You may have to take this on the chin with your insurance – many won’t let it affect your no-claims as a non-fault or un-insured driver, but premiums will go up for a costly car.

My son is having a nightmare with LV – a truck in front of him shat it’s prop shaft, hit sons car and a number of others. Truck company being an arse too.

Let the insurance sort it for a slightly less stress free life. I would want a proper repair on a relatively new expensive car – especially if leased – they will sting you if not repaired properly.

Truck company being an arse too.

I wonder if all their maintenance schedules have been followed to the letter. These things usually highlight shoddy work practices and land the business owners in the dock. Not saying prop shafts don’t just shit themselves, but usually a good reason behind it

Absolutely not and I’m not sure how you even come up with that, given what I’ve written.

It’s literally your opening sentence. You want to make an insurance claim without telling your insurers. Let us know if it works out for you, I wouldn’t mind some of that free money myself.

We have a £50k car that costs a bomb to insure etc etc

You can afford to get it fixed then. What are you complaining about?

He’s committed a crime, we have FOUR witnesses and we have a legitimate reason for his details for civil recovery purposes.

No you don’t. Your insurance company does. You do not need this fella’s home address and you will hopefully be blocked from discovering it at every turn, with good reason.

Then, A) I know that it is him and where he lives, B) I have an address to file a CCJ to C) I can keep tabs on whether he’s still driving his uninsured, untaxed and MOT’d car and notify the Police when he does.

A) So what? What do you intend to do with this information?
B) I’m sure the courts will be able to work it out without your intervention. There are – shockingly I know – procedures in place to facilitate this.
C) Also not your concern.

—

Lancashire Police have a policy of not pursuing accidents where there was no injury.

That’s correct in and of itself, a routine shunt is not a police matter. But that’s not what you’re asking. Rather, fleeing the scene of an incident is a crime that they should be pursuing.

My brother had the same thing happen to him once – drunk+no insurance driver bounced off 4-5 cars on their street. His insurance company claimed from the MIB but i’m not sure on any excess or if his premium went up. Took some time to sort out, if I remember.