What do I do about this?

[d0gsb0dy]

Last week, I was involved in a car accident on a dual carriage-way when another vehicle pulled out into the side of me.
Fortunately, and miraculously, nobody was seriously hurt although my wife suffered whiplash.
As my car is fairly old (P reg.) I only have 3rd party insurance. I have been in touch with my insurance company who have told me that I must claim on the other driver's insurance. How do I go about this?
One of my concerns is that they may want to write off my car, which is a diesel Corsa, and very economical and reliable. Would I be obliged to accept this decision?
My car has damage to the plastic trim and passenger door, but I have no idea what the bill would be.
Any advice appreciated.

[Hymie]

In answer to your first question (How do I go about doing this?) � At the time of the accident, you should have exchanged details with the other driver, including:-
Vehicle details, make, model, colour, registration no.
Name & address of the other driver, together with insurance details.
Besides this, you should also have recorded date, time, location � made a contemporaneous sketch of the road layout, position of vehicles etc.
If there were any witnesses � their name(s) & address(es).

Once you have the other person�s insurance details, you should contact the insurer, telling them you intend to make a claim against the insurance, for the accident. They should send you a claim form for you to complete.

Complete the claim form (ensure you keep a copy of any documents you send them) � all being well, the other party�s insurance should eventually settle your claim.

You are under no obligation to accept the other persons insurance to scrap the car � you can insist to put in the position you were, had the accident not happened. Having said that, you cannot reasonably spend �10,000 restoring a 12 year old car, when you could buy a replacement (of equivalent condition/quality) for �500 � which is probably all the car is worth.

Given the value of your claim, providing the other driver admits responsibility, they should pay out fairly promptly. From an insurance point of view, their biggest concern will be that they do not admit liability for the accident (on behalf of their client), and find you want to sue for millions on a personal injury claim.

Given that the car is only worth around �500, it is almost certainly a right off (the damage costing more to repair than the car is worth). There is nothing to stop you negotiating with the insurers, for them to pay you an agreed amount, with you keeping the car and arranging a repair yourself.

Should the

[Hymie]

Should the other driver not admit the accident was their fault � then your fun will begin.

(The missing end of my post)

[d0gsb0dy]

Thanks, Hymie. Yes, I have got all the details you mention, but not the name of his insurance company. I shall telephone him tomorrow to obtain this information.
Thanks for your advice. If it gets interesting, I'll post the details here.
d0gsb0dy.