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Author Topic: Quick Question  (Read 1451 times)

Offline andrewparker

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Quick Question
« on: December 12, 2011, 06:47:43 pm »
Is it an offence to withhold your insurance details?

Been hit by a van driver on the way home and they won't give me their details, saying they'd prefer to sort it out.

Offline SteveyD

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Re: Quick Question
« Reply #1 on: December 12, 2011, 07:07:11 pm »
Hope everyone involved isn't too badly injured :(

just spoke to the mrs and in short yes, during the claim your legal rep should report them to the police and the police will prosecute.  To start the ball rolling all you need is the re number though.  I'd advise you not to accept there help and either go straight to a solicitor (pm me for contact details if you want) or straight to your insurance company as regardless of fault they need to know.


Offline JJ

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Re: Quick Question
« Reply #2 on: December 12, 2011, 07:10:25 pm »
A similar thing happened to me recently.  I returned to the car park in Birmingham where I'd left my company van to find it pushed halfway out of it's bay with the tailgate and rear bumper all stoved in.  I discovered a business card with the person's name torn off wedged under one of the wiper blades with "Reversed into you. Call me on 07...." written on the back of it.  After loads of calls and messages left, he eventually rang me back and would only give me his christian name, car registration no. and his insurers name.  I spoke with a very nice lady from my fleet company's insurers who took all the details I had from me and told me not to worry because they "have a special department upstairs that deals with idiots like him!".   Several weeks later I got a letter from the insurers to say that the 3rd party was now denying any involvement in this accident.  I simply replied with "Would the 3rd party client like his business card back?".  Unfortunately, the van got written off later that week so I wasn't able to get my teeth into that one!

I would speak to your insurers and tell them what's happened.  They can probably find out who he is from a registration number.  Failing that, I'd report it to the Police.  Aren't you meant to exchange details if anyone is injured or any vehicle or property is damaged?  

I hope everyone is OK and the car isn't too much of a mess.

Offline garrardrj

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Re: Quick Question
« Reply #3 on: December 12, 2011, 07:43:33 pm »
The insurance database will tell your insurance company who they are insured with. They don't have to give it to you . Just their details . Different if there is injury involved but then the matter needs police involvement . I shouldn't worry too much about them not giving it. See below

You are not obliged to give your insurance details unless there is injury in which case you must provide those details to anyone with reasonable grounds to require them.

In a damage only crash, you are only required to provide details of
Your name and address
The name and address of the owner of the vehicle (may be a company car for example)
The registration mark.
The other driver must do likewise.
If you fail to comply with these requirements, then it must be reported as soon as practicable but in any case within 24 hours in person to the Police.


« Last Edit: December 12, 2011, 07:51:33 pm by garrardrj »
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Offline Beddie

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Re: Quick Question
« Reply #4 on: December 12, 2011, 08:18:24 pm »
The insurance database will tell your insurance company who they are insured with. They don't have to give it to you . Just their details . Different if there is injury involved but then the matter needs police involvement . I shouldn't worry too much about them not giving it. See below

You are not obliged to give your insurance details unless there is injury in which case you must provide those details to anyone with reasonable grounds to require them.

In a damage only crash, you are only required to provide details of
Your name and address
The name and address of the owner of the vehicle (may be a company car for example)
The registration mark.
The other driver must do likewise.
If you fail to comply with these requirements, then it must be reported as soon as practicable but in any case within 24 hours in person to the Police.




+ 1  :happy2:

This has been my experience when a 3rd party declined to give his insurance details at the scene as he also wanted to 'sort it himself', police wouldnt get involved due to the fact there were no injuries and are also extremely unlikely to try and prosecute for failing to provide the details due to the above, in my case MID provided his insurance details and turned out he wasnt insured on that vehicle anyway hence wanting to avoid insurance involvement  :fighting:

Nailed him in the end though!  :wink:


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Offline andrewparker

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Re: Quick Question
« Reply #5 on: December 12, 2011, 08:18:56 pm »
Thanks for the concern guys. Luckily I was the only one in the car. The lad has cut across me exiting a roundabout (from the inside lane) and swiped my front. The car is scraped around the front valance and the alloy wheel is scratched. The engine management light has came on and the traction control light is continually on. The tracking is totally off and the splitter is sticking out an inch at the front. He said he didn't see me, but he was basically trying to beat a que of traffic by flying down the outside, then cutting over. I braked as hard I could avoiding being hit further down the car.

He passed me his details and his boss's phone number. It was a work van for a large electrical company. When I got home I called him and he said he had learnt about the accident but wanted to avoid any insurance claim. I've since called him and told him I'm not happy dealing with it in that way, which I think he was expecting. I'll need a courtesy car, and the damage doesn't look to be entirely cosmetic, meaning I may be without the car for more than a few days.

Bloody typical that something like this should happen so close to Christmas.

Offline Beddie

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Re: Quick Question
« Reply #6 on: December 12, 2011, 08:28:29 pm »
Yeah the timing stinks mate but gladly your ok and the car can be fixed much easier than you could :smiley:

I'd play it 100% straight tbh and limit your contact with the 3rd party as much as possible and let the insurance companies deal with it, we all pay enough to let them work for it behind the scenes when something like this happens after all!!

I had almost exactly the same scenario except it was a large pest control company van and myself in my company vehicle, turned out the driver was using his partners van and was not insured hence him wanting to avoid insurance involvement, ended up having to ignore his many calls offering all sorts to keep it all quiet and just let the insurance companies fight it out  :happy2:


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Offline andrewparker

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Re: Quick Question
« Reply #7 on: December 12, 2011, 08:44:17 pm »

I'd play it 100% straight tbh and limit your contact with the 3rd party as much as possible and let the insurance companies deal with it, we all pay enough to let them work for it behind the scenes when something like this happens after all!!


Yep, I think that's sound advice :happy2:

Offline andrewparker

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Re: Quick Question
« Reply #8 on: December 12, 2011, 08:50:33 pm »
Are there any other things I should document beyond the sequence of events, time of accident, and evident damage?

Offline Beddie

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Re: Quick Question
« Reply #9 on: December 12, 2011, 08:59:28 pm »
Are there any other things I should document beyond the sequence of events, time of accident, and evident damage?

I informed my insurance company about the 3rd parties reluctance to have any insurance involvement and also his many phone calls basically bribing me to keep things quiet, this is all circumstantial evidence in respect to apportioning blame but did seem to ring alarm bells with my insurer as i'm sure they see this type of thing quite often..

I also made a note of the physical appearance of the driver as i had a gut feeling he wasnt insured and may try to pass himself off as someone else  :fighting:


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Offline andrewparker

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Re: Quick Question
« Reply #10 on: December 14, 2011, 11:24:39 am »
Well this is the damage. The alloy has a large scratch across the centre, and the damage to the front valance and wheel arch is obvious. The arch also appears to be pushed in and there is a scuff on the back of the headlight. My engine management light has came on too so I wonder if the charcoal canister took a bit of force.


Offline andrewparker

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Re: Quick Question
« Reply #11 on: December 17, 2011, 12:15:50 pm »
Got confirmation from the repair centre this morning that the front suspension has been damaged. Doesn't look like I'll have the car back until the New Year.

Offline PND

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Re: Quick Question
« Reply #12 on: December 17, 2011, 12:23:09 pm »
Not good news but better to get a good repair done rather than a quick one.  It is a pain for you but these things happen.  Assuming you've managed to get a courtesy car, at least you'll be coating that with road salt instead of your own.

Hope you get it all sorted - it'll be done before you know it.  :happy2:

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Offline andrewparker

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Re: Quick Question
« Reply #13 on: December 17, 2011, 12:38:43 pm »
Yeah, I told the garage that I was in no rush. I've got a rather lovely MK6 Golf to drive around in too, so not all bad.