My car slid in the snow, scuffing another car, no damage, someone told my insurance company..- now my NCD/ins renewal has been refused!!

[mrk123]

During late dECEMBER we had some snow, I parked car bottom of my hill... I came back 2 hours later and it had slid around 3ft into a car... I had turned my wheels full lock to the curb... the car probbaly just lost its footing, and slid to the right but down hilll.

 

When I got there the owner came over and accused me of hitting and running, after I told him I had simply parked and waited for snow to go he cooled down.. He moved his car and there was a small maybe 8cm dent in plastic bumper, and in mine around a 12cm dent... 

 

And some paint scratches on his.... more on mine, but I am not bothered about mine. 

 

I walked past his car 3 days ago and the dent has gone, and I too have got th dent out of mine, just simple heat gun... 

 

The police were there too, they gave him my insurance and I got his.,. I messaged him later and he agreed to get a quote from a garage... this was before I seen the dent had been removed,. 

 

He did not message me back to say he had been garage.. 

 

The police officer knocked on some doors and managed to get a witness statement to say I had parked the car, I still have the log number for that.   (which proves it was not hit and run).

 

Anyway today I had a call from my insurance company, saying they needed to talk to me about an accident.. I said I will call them back as I need to confirm it's not a scam, which gives me time to think.. 

Now, in there message they text me after a call with phone number it also states as I did not declare the accident to them..\\

 

It says

 

"""""""" we have been notified by a third party that your vehicle was involved in an accident on 00/00/00.

You have not notified us of this claim and therefore you may be in breach of the conditions of your policy.

We need to investigate further before we can decide whether we can deal with the claim, until we let you know in writing nothing said or done or anyone acting for us should be understood as confirming our position. 

If we decide we won't deal with the claim, the road traffic act 1988 ensures that innocent parties are protected in such circumstances,..... and it goes on but getting long now. """"""""""""

 

I understand I should have let them know but the issue was minor, I have just gonr to check his vehicle also and no dent and just some minor paint scartches that would probably even buff out.. 

 

Can anyone advise here please? 

 

I have not called them back, where do I stand here, in my mind they have no right to threaten me with any such action. I don't want to say anything I don't have to say or admit to anything I don't have to admit to. 

 

 

 

Edited January 4, 2022 by mrk123

[BankFodder]

Certainly you are required to inform your insurance company about any kind of incident and if you don't then it may backfire on you – as seems to be the case here.

One of the problems is that when you don't inform your insurer then they draw their own conclusions which are generally speaking that you are trying to wriggle out of something.

You say that the incident occurred in late December – but you don't give us a date.

[mrk123]

Well you dont' give specifics like date, reg number, insurance company out online.. 

It was after xmas and before NYE. 

Reason for not letting insurance know was because me and other guy agreed to deal with it, and damage was miniscule.

Edited January 4, 2022 by dx100uk
unnecessary previous post quote removed

[BankFodder]

So why don't you give us the specific day as you've been asked?

And regardless of what the "other guy agreed to", it still doesn't absolve you from your responsibilities under the insurance contract and particularly since the police have been involved, it would have been prudent to inform your insurer to put your good faith beyond doubt.

What date did this happen please

[mrk123]

It happened on 29th dec... 

Edited January 4, 2022 by dx100uk
unnecessary previous post quote removed

[BankFodder]

Quote

Dear XXX

Reference number XXX – your letter/email dated XXX

Thank you for contacting me in respect of the above incident.

I'm fully aware of my responsibilities under the contract. I have a duty to let you know about any incident as soon as reasonably possible.

This incident occurred on 29 December and as you may be aware, this is right in the middle of the Christmas/New Year's season together with associated commitments and bank holidays and so forth.

It was always my intention to inform you about this at the earliest opportunity and in fact your message has pre-empted the necessity for doing this.

I'm glad that you are aware of the incident – if you need any further information or if you have any questions then don't hesitate to let me know.
Now that the festivities et cetera are largely over, I will be able to attend to this without any delay.

As you may know, the police have already been involved at an early stage and there is a reference number – XXXX.

It is clear that the accident was an unfortunate circumstance caused by my vehicle sliding down a hill in ice while it was parked in unattended and caused extremely minor damage to another vehicle.

It's unclear why my car moved when it was properly parked and I suspect that it may have received a nudge from some third-party you then failed to stop and provide details.

I look forward to hearing from you

Yours faithfully

 

[mrk123]

OK thanks, so just ask them for an email?? They have asked me to give them a call back.

[BankFodder]

You've been here since 2013 so I'm quite sure that you know what our general advice is about speaking to these people on the telephone and I'm also quite sure that you have read our customer services guide and that you have implemented the advice there anyway.

I would send them the written message first. Very important. Essential that you have a paper trail and then Irish would suggest that you leave it until Thursday if you decide to call them and if you do call them then asked them if they have seen the email and why haven't you had a response.

If they say that they haven't received it and tell them that they have lost it and you are going to send them a copy of it – make sure that you use "forwarding" so that the header to the previous email is clear for them to see. Make sure you get the name of the person you are speaking to so that you can address your copy email specifically to them and also with a reference number because by now they should have a reference number.

But you will have an idea all of this because you have read our customer services guide several years ago – won't you?

[mrk123]

I have pictures I took on the moment I got there, which shows the car having slid down, luckily veering to the right of the other car, only just kissing the bumper, as I turned the wheels in to the curb.

 

Also I just went down now to photograph that guys bumper, no dent and only minor paint marks. 

 

Should I show these to the insurance co?

Edited January 4, 2022 by dx100uk
unnecessary previous post quote removed

[BankFodder]

I don't think you need to show photographs yet. I think you need to find out what is going on first

[mrk123]

Thanks, yes good shout on the paper trail.. I have added to your ref email and sent it... If no reply in 2 hours I will call them and ask them to check emails... 

Edited January 4, 2022 by dx100uk
unnecessary previous post quote removed

[BankFodder]

I made it clear that you should be waiting until Thursday. That means between two days and three days – not two hours.

 

[mrk123]

OK will leave a note now to call email once more then call on Thursday or Friday.. 

I just replied to their email they sent me with their number and info on... As I said I don't know who they are (on the phone) and they need to send me an email.

 

I am just curious why you say 2 days minimum?

Edited January 4, 2022 by dx100uk
unnecessary previous post quote removed

[BankFodder]

Because they need to understand that you have written to them and that they have all the information and they need time to be able to receive the email, process it, absorb it, attach it to the file – all of that.

If you simply answer to their beck and call then it continues the impression that if they hadn't gotten on your case about it, that you wouldn't have said anything.

I don't know if you really imagine that an organisation like this will appreciate that they've received an email from you and understood it all et cetera in two hours?

And incidentally, please don't start quoting everything I say.

I know what I've said – what we are interested in is what you say

[mrk123]

OK yes I will leave it for now then. 

Yes I don't want to be suddenly very keen when I was not before, good shout. It's like a game of poker. 

So I will call them Thursday afternoon and ask f they have got the email I sent, if not I will FWD the original email I sent. And then go from there.

[mrk123]

Hi. 

The insurance company have messaged back from the email I sent.

I did not call them just waited longer. 

They emailed back after 4 days. 

 

They have asked to see photos... I told them I had some...

However, the photos I have just show some minor scratches to the both cars close up, literally just some scuffs.. 

Obviously I will have to send these now....  They don't show any skidding of car down hill or even the cars, just close up, and they are just light scuff marks - thankfully. 

 

It has snowed again today, I have not attempted to leave! 

Edited January 7, 2022 by mrk123

[mrk123]

It says 

 

"So that we can deal with the claim presented to us by the other vehicles insurer, can you please provide photos that you refer to" etc. 

 

I have asked the guy whos vehicle it is and he has said he has not told his insurance company, would the police have done this? i want to tell them to go away to be fair.

 

End of day both vehicles have a few scratches on!

 

Are they trying to slip me up with something here?! Surely they are, so they can end my policy in effect reducing their risk of one day soon having to pay me out for another accident?

 

I hate insurance companies!

Why are they all the bad of the earth???!!!

Edited January 8, 2022 by dx100uk
Swearing.

[mrk123]

Hi can anyone advise please? 

[dx100uk]

Do as your ins are asking

yes the police if approached will give details over.

[mrk123]

@dx100ukIf approached?? The insurance companies are actively approaching police looking for info?

[dx100uk]

On 04/01/2022 at 10:20, mrk123 said:

The police were there too, they gave him my insurance and I got his.,.

 

[mrk123]

@dx100ukOK THAKNS....

 

The insurance co have asked for photos, all i have is close up of the scratches on his and the scratches on mine, I will have to send noe because I said I have them... But, should I also say, "me and seller have agreed to deal with ourselves" or something else?

[dx100uk]

On 04/01/2022 at 10:20, mrk123 said:

we have been notified by a third party that your vehicle was involved in an accident on 00/00/00.

 

they have got to act, the other party must have told their insurers so thus your insurers have gotten involved , but they are protecting your/their interest, before you know it, the otherside will claim they had 15 passengers and themselves in the car and all have whiplash wanting +£5k each.

 

sadly as @unclebulgaria67 will probably confirm, our motor insurance expert, this goes on 100's of times a day.

 

dx

 

[unclebulgaria67]

Agree with dx, that your Insurers are trying to save you from a potential financial nightmare. Unfortunately, some people see any accident as opportunity to make money and if you don't help your Insurance company, the third party may decide to come after you directly.

[mrk123]

@dx100uk

@unclebulgaria67

 

Thanks, I have emailed the 2 pictures of both cars.. Well just the bumpers with minor scratches on.

Hopefully this is the end of it.