Car Crash Claim

[tina88]

Over a year ago, a taxi driver ran into my daughter in law car. She is fully insured through my sons business insurance. The driver admitted full liability and wanted to pay for the damage without going through the insurance. But after him becoming a nuisance with phone calls etc to my DIL, my son told him they were going through the insurers.
The car was written off and my DIL had to hire a car for a couple of months to enable her to get to work. The insurers sent them a cheque but it was for an amount a lot less than the car was worth so my son refused to cash it. They returned the hire car even though the claim hasn’t been settled as they were going away on holiday and it stated in the T&C that if they were going away the car had to be returned.
My son has received an email from his insurers stating that because the third party has failed to make a payment they have now issued court proceedings and in order to take this action further they have paid the court fee on my sons behalf., but he may be able to obtain a refund or help with the fees and so they want him to complete a form based on his financial circumstances from 6 Oct to 6 Nov 2018 and complete and sign a declaration and statement of truth. If he doesn’t meet the criteria (which I doubt he will) then they will seek to recover the court fee from the third party at the end of the claim.
Does this seem legit? I am concerned my son may end up with a massive legal bill.

[Canary42]

Surely the insurers can't make a payment "on his behalf" without his consent. I suspect the e-mail is bogus (scam).

[Peter Pedant]

tell him to ring the insurers and discuss it
yes it seems legit
no he shouldnt be dinged with a gt big legal bill
as any moderate claim is thro small claims

[tina88]

Update: The solicitors involved are representing the car rental company as the third party are refusing to pay the rental fee. It has now gone to court and my son has had to declare his income/expenditure, they really are hounding him. Phone calls, letters, emails and have told him he could loose the case when it goes back to court. It was the car rental people who contacted him asking if he wanted a car!! If he looses will he then have to pay all the court costs or will the insurers pay for this. I have googled these solicitors and people are saying the same thing that hey presto they land up with a nice new hire car then the third party refuses to pay the extortionate bill.