Being asked to sign settlement for car insurance claim

So i was hit last February by a drink driver and my car was written off. He gave no details of his insurer then left the scene and was arrested later on so contacted my insurer to handle the claim on my behalf. They paid out to me quite quickly, and then found his insurer presumably via the DVLA who refused until recently to admit liability.

My insurer appointed a solicitor to issue court proceedings against the other party and as a result i have an email off this solicitor asking me to sign a settlement. I asked them why i needed to sign this and not my insurer, and they told me its because the claim is legally in my name and they wont settle with my insurer until i sign this.

I would have thought my insurer was the one recovering their costs, not me. Is it right that i should be signing this?

I think they’re legally correct, it’s all done in your name, the insurers are just underwriting it.

But I’d forward it to your insurers anyway and get them to tell you to sign it.  Otherwise the solicitor could send you a letter saying “I settle this for 50p and half a mars bar” which would leave you in hot water with your insurance company.

Yes – let your insurance company know and they will let you know the correct course of action

Contact your insurer and let them know you have this and ask what you should do. They might ask to see the letter to make sure it isn’t detrimental to you.

Yes, as above..

My insurer appointed a solicitor to issue court proceedings against the other party and as a result i have an email off this solicitor

Your insurance companies solicitor? or the guilty parties solicitor?

Either way, not your problem, forward it to your insurance company, that’s what you pay them for.

Thanks, I’m naturally very skeptical of this kind of thing. I’ve forwarded it to my insurer to see what they suggest I do.

The other insurer will be saying “we are not sending the money until airvent tells us we are fair and square and they’re not going to sue us again next week for some other loss they’ve just thought of”.

Forward to your insurer.

They are representing you.  Only sign stuff that comes from your insurer and only when happy with what your insurer have proposed.to you.