Car Accident

[eash]

Someone hit the back of my friends car and the guy who banged into her wants to do it privately but am I right in thinking she still has to tell her insurance company?

[4getmenot]

I wouldnt otherwise that would be counted as a claim, if he wants to pay privately then agree to that and not ring insurance

[eash]

Thanks for your help guys, looks like 50/50 then. I've left it up to her to decide what to do.

[New Judge]

Almost all insurers stipulate that you must inform them of any incident in which you are involved regardless of the circumstances or the damage, or whether a claim is to be made.

This is because sometimes costs far greater than that originally forecast can ensue. For example, in the case you describe, the other party can suddenly "develop" personal injury symptoms resulting from the crash then and allege that your friend reversed into him. The potential costs of this can far exceed that of a scraped bumper and they want to know as soon as possible what their liabilities might be.

[danchip]

the other driver may want to do it privately because they havent got insurance, tell your friend to get his insurance details and sort it out through the proper channels, if he cant supply his details get the money off him and then report him to the police

[lemonsorbet]

She should contact her insurance, giving this guy's name, phone number, address, car registration and car make, model and colour. If he has no insurance, then this will show up immediately.

Perhaps he has a HUGE excess on his insurane, so if the damage is only minor, it would be best for him to pay it himself, rather than lose his NCB.

[chas2008]

best way is to go through a non-fault accident group like ,helphire ...take over the claim from you and supply a like for like courtesy car.
people offering to pay opens up all sorts of problems, the cost may be far greater than they anticipate and damage that is not immediately visible until the vehicle is properly estimated or stripped...also will they pay for a hire car ???

[Ethel]

chas - that is exactly what I pay my motor insurance company for. Why involve yet another company in the claim? Your own insurance company has to give helphire permission to handle the case anyway.

[chas2008]

sorry to disagree with you Ethel but you dont have to ask your insurance to use an accident management service, but they are only interested in non-fault collisions.
One of the main reasons to use them is to get a like for like courtesy /hire vehicle.
Most insurance companies are only obliged to supply a basic loan car, ie 107/C1 /C2 /KA/Fiesta which doesnt impress the customer whos driving a BMW/Jaguar/range rover !..
Actually no insurance company supplies loan cars, the repairers have to at there cost ,to get the insurers work. Remember that when you see the next add by a motor insurer saying THEY supply a courtesy car...

[woozer]

Be very very careful if you use one of these accident help people that is not affiliated to you insurance company policy because
1. If there is a dispute over liability or quantum and they are not communicating with your insurers it can cause awful problems
2. Often they have small print stating that you must reimburse them if they cannot get the hire costs etc back from the Third Party - and if you have had a top marque vehicle on hire for a week or two you could end up having to find thousands of pounds if the claim is not settled 100% in your favour.
3. Some of them (Iam not saying all of them) inflate the costs of claims by charging top end fees and other charges - this impacts on all of us by affecting our insurance premiums - and as I said before, if you do not get a 100% agreement on liability you could find it hitting your pocket very hard.