Car Accident - Non Fault - but starting to worry

[nexxusone]

Ok on 20/1/15 i was stationary at zebra with people crossing, got rear ended by builders van cause he's looking at building work other side of road. he's a self employed builder carpenter.

 

He offered to pay for repairs but seeing damage I knew car was a write off - so I insisted through insurance, so we exchanged details, he apologised admitted liability, I did a quick DVLA / MID check, there and then and van insured , mot and taxed.

I even took license number from him, you'd think I done it by book....

 

Now it turns out license , van registered and insurance at his mums address, he lives elsewhere with girlfriend, which you could put down to just forgetting to update.... but here's kicker- I report to my insurance company that day and they contact his insurance company (same as details he's given me) told by my insurance company they have until 30th to fast track payment as car will be a write off. (as I have already got independant estimate)

 

My car is collected and written off by 27/1/15 given a value of £690 which I accept as told if I dont hire car will be revoked or deemed chargable.

 

but he has either not contacted his insurance company and or just not admitted liability, so no payment and all seems in limbo as my insurance company have contacted his and at stalemate.

 

so I now had a hire car for 3 weeks so guessing about £750 of hire - just worried if he's Missing in Action so to speak I will be stuck with a bill for a hire car and no payout.

[GrumpyToSayTheLeast]

Did you have pics and witnesses to the accident? Pics of yours and his vehicle together, apart, road layout etc.

Did you write down witness details? Have you have witness statements in? If you have all this then he can stay quiet like a mouse all he wants. His insurance should still pay out through yours.

[Aretnap]

Insurance companies tend to work slowly and these things take months rather than weeks so there's nothing particularly worrying about the fact that it hasn't been settled after three weeks or so. If he doesn't speak to his insurers it will just delay things a bit, it won't stop them paying out.

 

You don't say where the hire car came from, but generally it will either be provided under the terms of your own policy or by a credit hire company.

 

If it's under your own policy (ie you had the "guaranteed hire car" extension, or whatever your insurance company call it) then you're entitled to it regardless of fault or whether there's another driver to claim against at all, and there's no way you'll be paying for it.

 

If it came from a credit hire company then in the vast majority of cases the credit hire company takes on the risk of the other insurer not paying for it (it's part of the justification for their high fees) and if the insurer won't pay up they take it on the chin. They'll ask about the accident first, and if they judge that the risk of not being paid is too high, they just don't offer you a car. The only way you can end up personally liable for the costs if if you mislead them about the accident on your circumstances, making them think that your case was stronger than it actually was.

 

So basically let the process run its course and don't worry too much.