Insurance Companies

wakk44

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Insurance Companies

I was involved in a minor shunt in the car at our Morrisons car park about a month ago,I was stationary and waited at the zebra crossing for pedestrians to cross.It was busy and I had been waiting there for a minute or so when a woman inexplicably reversed her car into the back of my car.The rear fog light was broken and there was some damage to the rear wing and reversing sensor.The other driver refused to get out of the car,was quite obstructive and reluctant to exchange insurance details.
When I explained that it was a legal requirement to exchange insurance details if there is any damage to vehicles she eventually(after about 10 minutes) produced her insurance document.Fortunately she was insured and we exchanged insurance details.
She then apologised and explained that she was used to driving her other car which had reversing sensors fitted.Luckily for me the car park was busy and I was able to get the details of 2 independent witnesses who saw everything,one of them was a Morrisons employee who was collecting trolleys.
This morning I got a letter from my insurance companies solicitor saying the other parties insurance do not accept liability for the accident.He has asked them to produce their own independent witnesses to back up their version of events and given them 3 months to reply.
It all seems like a bit of a game to these legal departments but I suppose they have to try and justify their existence.
 
Bad luck Mate but that is what happens when a collision occurs, the other party lie through their teeth. I never go anywhere without first setting up the dashcam. It would have made your case open and shut in your favour. If my Lad comes across the spare one he thinks he has, I am going to permanently mount that one on the rear window as well.
 
My wife had a similar shunt in a B&Q car park, other party apologised profusely at the time but subsequently denied liability. Only when threatened with B&Qs CCTV evidence did they cave in.
 
I think the moral of this incident(and many more by the sound of it)is don't take anything at face value and don't believe it when the other driver accepts liability and apologises at the time.It's all well and good apologising but when the other driver gets home and realises the implications of lost excess,NCD and higher insurance premiums they try and get away with it and change their story.

I did get some photos which show her poor road positioning and me parked at the zebra crossing.I've also got 2 totally independent witnesses who will back up my account of events.I await her response with interest,particularly on why she doesn't think she is responsible for the incident.

I think that a lot of this is the standard posturing by the solicitor which merely serves to prolong the case and no doubt lines the legal profession's pockets.

It's another reason for getting a dash cam and I think I will take Jim's advice.
 
I think the insurers are looking to settle at 50/50, then it costs both parties their excess.

Re dashcams, if it is set to record audio it is worth leaving the ignition/engine on so any conversation is recorded,
 
I firmly believe that little old ladies, Sunday school teachers, vicars and even nuns would admit it was their fault and then lie in this situation.

 
Edina;n12888 said:
I think the insurers are looking to settle at 50/50, then it costs both parties their excess.

Re dashcams, if it is set to record audio it is worth leaving the ignition/engine on so any conversation is recorded,
Click to expand...

You may be right Chris,I've not been impressed with my insurance companies solicitor at all in what seems to me is a cast iron case.I was stationary and have 2 independent witnesses,what could be easier?The cynical view is that both sides are colluding to drag it out and claim more legal fees,watch this space.
 
Many years ago a pal and I met a couple of girls who followed us in their car. I pulled up in traffic and a driver exited from that pubs exit and dinged my vehicle. He insisted that I'd driven sideways into him.

I asked him to wait a moment and walked back to the girls car and chatted through their window.

Back with the culprit I told him that an "independent" car had seen the event and were acting as my witness. When I went to his house for the money he threw it on the table in anger.

I calmly thanked him and walked away with the cash.
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Many years ago when I worked for a truck dealer, an insurance assessor told me never admit liability or apologise if you're involved in an accident, that's what you pay your insurance for.

Graham
 
I think you will find that insurance companies actually insist that you never admit liability at the scene of an incident and will always deny liability when a claim is first made , they then fight it out later if the claim is large enough to warrant their expense.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Update.
After 9 months the other party's insurance company has admitted full liability for the accident and paid for my repairs/hire car in full.
Their loss assessor took measurements of both cars and insisted that the accident couldn't have happened as the damage on both cars didn't correspond and then tried to say the damage was present on both cars before the accident......outrageous behaviour.This was virtually calling me,mrs wakk and 2 independent witnesses all liars.

My insurance company initiated court proceedings,sent the other insurance company the 2 independent witness statements and gave them 28 days to respond,after that they just caved in quickly and paid up.An excellent result but it's taken too long to settle the claim.
 
A few observations after this successful but protracted insurance claim;-

1/Take any apology or admission at the scene with a pinch of salt.

2/Try and get as many independent witnesses as possible,I had 2 which probably swung the case in my favour.

3/Try and get pictures or a video of the scene,preferably with the vehicles in position after impact.

4/Never trust loss adjusters,they are supposed to be neutral but this one certainly wasn't which definitely contributed to it taking 9 months.
 
All phones have a voice recorder these days and if not you can download one, even telephones recorders too.

Having the presence of mind to use it is another issue, you could also make a video of the damage to the cars and it may inadvertently ;) ;) record their confession.
 
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