Had an accident - advice?

[chr1s]

I'm not sure - I don't have a criminal mind

It just rings alarm bells that someone can get this kind of information anonymously, on a stolen phone.

Maybe they could see the address where a driver lives, someone whose name they know, then get their insurance details and write bogus letters to try to get bank details.

Or claim a fictitious accident.

Or maybe write and cancel the insurance of someone they had a grudge against.

Or make a note of the insurance details of someone with a similar car to their own, for use in any minor accident they may cause.

Or something more devious, beyond my imagination.

 

[306maxi]

They still have to prove what happened though.

 

[Most Easterly Pandas]

This next bit won't help you at this stage, Maxi, but it may be useful to someone else. If you have a smartphone, it's now possible to get the other driver's details from the MID at the time of the accident. Have a read of this. This will immediately alert you if the other party tries to give false details. Best of all, it's free (for now).

Its not free to get insurance co details of other party, only to check vehicle is insured. Even then it only gives you vehicle particulars and confirms insurance co and policy number, no specifics on who's insured to drive it.

Well I've just been involved in an accident. I'm not going into details yet but I hold the third party completely responsible. Their insurance company insist I go through mine which I'm not too happy about.

Advise them you'll get it repaired yourself and pursue their through court to recover your costs, might kick their backside into gear.

Won't they do there hardest to make sure the 3rd party coughs up so they don't have to pay instead?

Not nessecarily, there are a lot of **** insurance companies out there who happily settle knock for knock / 50/50 affecting your NCD etc.

Also means as I've said prior you'll have to go by your insurance co's T&Cs, which again if a budget insurer etc can be shockingly bad!

I'm not sure why, but something about this worries me.

Anyone can get my insurance details

Policy number and your insurance company. What they gonna do with that?

Maybe they could see the address where a driver lives, someone whose name they know, then get their insurance details and write bogus letters to try to get bank details.

Or maybe write and cancel the insurance of someone they had a grudge against.

No offence, but you really think insurance companies are stupid enough to divulge info like that. Insurance can only be cancelled once adequate security (DPA) checks have been made, and they're hardly going to inform someone of bank details

 

[jrkitching]

Its not free to get insurance co details of other party, only to check vehicle is insured.

It is if you do it using a smartphone at the time of the accdient.

"The free askMID mobile phone service launched by the Motor Insurers' Bureau (MIB) today will help millions of accident victims a year to check vehicle insurance details at the roadside... ...The new askMID Roadside service provides drivers with an instant check of the Motor Insurance Database (MID) from their mobile phone. This confirms whether the other vehicle involved in the accident is showing as insured on the MID and provides the other party's insurance details so that the claim can be pursued quickly."

 

[chr1s]

they're hardly going to inform someone of bank details

I was thinking of convincing letters to the customer, to get bank details. Like phishing emails, but more convincing, with the customer's name, address, insurer and policy number.

 

[jrkitching]

P.S I have to drive the bloody Subaru to work now

Be interesting to see if your wife can bump your fuelly average over 50mpg while she's using the 500 .

 

[Most Easterly Pandas]

and provides the other party's insurance details so that the claim can be pursued quickly."[/I]

Yes, their policy number, and the contact details of their insurer. This is all, or it was when someone on here used that service (the £4 check) about 6-12 months ago (can't fund the post now :bang

I've just used the free check (which I've only just found out about through you making me aware) and all that gives is the name and contact details of the insurer for the vehicle in question. Doesn't even give a policy number, so I can't see much fraud occurring from this.......

I was thinking of convincing letters to the customer, to get bank details. Like phishing emails, but more convincing, with the customer's name, address, insurer and policy number.

But how are they going to get those details? MID only holds limited info regarding the insured, and their insurance co as that's all they need to hold. Equally they only supply limited info when required, as above.

 

[chr1s]

I've just used the free check ... and all that gives is the name and contact details of the insurer for the vehicle in question. Doesn't even give a policy number, so I can't see much fraud occurring from this.......

But how are they going to get those details? MID only holds limited info regarding the insured, and their insurance co as that's all they need to hold. Equally they only supply limited info when required, as above.

If you only find out whether the vehicle is insured and the insurer's details, then that's fine. I was under the impression that more information was given.

 

[ChrisUK]

Well I've got it all sorted through my Company "debenhams" who are great! .

They've already said due to the details of the accident they're treating it as third party 100% fault and are repairing my car, not taking an excess and not affecting my no claims! .

 

[306maxi]

Be interesting to see if your wife can bump your fuelly average over 50mpg while she's using the 500 .

Tbh it should be over 50 already, I've got about 6 months of fuelups i need to put on!

 

[306maxi]

Had a chat with the broker today, thought it was all going fine only to be emailed an hour or so later to say that I'd have to deal direct with the insurance company. Effing useless.

 

[306maxi]

Confused now. Called up the insurer who said that a claim HAD been passed through, but that the other party hadn't confirmed that an accident had occurred so couldn't proceed with a claim. I've just had a call from a third party claims handling team offering to sort it out and arranging a hire car.

Not quite sure how we go from not knowing whether an accident took place to seemingly admitting liability and offering to sort it for me all within the space of 20 minutes.


Confusing, going to need to call up the insurer to make sure they're admitting liability before I go getting a hire car or allowing the car to be taken away. Am I silly for thinking like this?

 

[colin79666]

Confusing, going to need to call up the insurer to make sure they're admitting liability before I go getting a hire car or allowing the car to be taken away. Am I silly for thinking like this?

Not at all. Unless they admit liability and offer to pay up you could find yourself being pursued for hire costs.

 

[306maxi]

Not at all. Unless they admit liability and offer to pay up you could find yourself being pursued for hire costs.

Spoke directly to the insurer who said that in this case it's their belief that the other party is at fault even if their party denies liability, but seeing as though the other party hasn't even been in contact with the insurer and hasn't been contactable today, I'm not going to take any risks and put myself in a position where I may be liable for costs.......

 

[Most Easterly Pandas]

Be careful with any paper work you signed for courtesy car also, make sure its not through an accident management firm etc (there is another name for these companies also and it excapes me) who will, as mentioned above, persue you for costs should TP insurer not pay.

I've always pushed for a courtesy cars to be supplied through Enterprise etc, where the insurance co pay them direct before the car is supplied, for x number of days at a time.

 

[The Beard]

A few years ago a minibus backed into Mrs. Beard's Stilo at at junction. After they'd admitted liability, which they did once they knew who their driver had hit, I went to a local large body shop that is a FIAT approved repairer. Quite unexpectedly they asked if I wanted to go through our own insurance company, which I said: Preferably not.

As a result they contacted the other party and their insurance company, we got a courtesy car and although it took 3 weeks to have the claim processed and the car repaired with FIAT parts and Mrs. Beard's insurance weren't in the loop at all. There wasn't even any excess to pay.

 

[306maxi]

Be careful with any paper work you signed for courtesy car also, make sure its not through an accident management firm etc (there is another name for these companies also and it excapes me) who will, as mentioned above, persue you for costs should TP insurer not pay.

I've always pushed for a courtesy cars to be supplied through Enterprise etc, where the insurance co pay them direct before the car is supplied, for x number of days at a time.

The insurer have admitted liability so I'm not worried now. Got a hire car coming on Friday afternoon

 

[306maxi]

Advise time.


Looks like the Panda may be a total loss.

Should be getting a call tomorrow to discuss it with someone....

The guy said the retail value is about 3k and that the pictures he had of the car showed a few bits of wear like the fact that the seats are all pretty grubby, there's a relatively small scuff on the front bumper. To be fair it's not exactly a pristine example of the breed, but I want as much for it as possible of course because, well it means I get a nicer car to replace it.

There are two on ebay that more or less match it for spec, mileage and age.

Mine is a 56 plate one and has 86k miles on it IIRC.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2007-FIAT...4483383?pt=Automobiles_UK&hash=item58a623c237

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Fiat-Pand...0730919?pt=Automobiles_UK&hash=item19e70f6fa7

Bearing in mind that mine is perhaps a tiny bit scummy what do people reckon is a fair ask for it?

Just remembered that the front bumper has a small crack in it too, scuff is on the right hand side. Aside from that the body was very tidy before the accident.

http://oi49.tinypic.com/2kms0p.jpg

Plus sides. When I bought it in 2012 it had the gearbox, diff and coolant changed, the wheels have been refurbed, new battery (which I forgot to take out....), passed its MOT with flying colours in December so it had over 11 months MOT when it got pranged.


Tbh I don't know if I'd even accept the car being repaired now, the interior was damp after sitting outside our house for a week or so before it went (due to the trim breaking, the inside is effectively open to the elements), the place where it's gone is right next to the River Dee and today it was very foggy going into work and the car is going to be rather moist inside, before the prang it's the sort of car I'd have chucked some new seats in and happily have sold to anyone on the forum and been happy to accept good money for it, now I just couldn't do that in good faith. I did mention this evening that I was concerned about moisture ingress so the guy knows that I want something done very quickly either way.


What do people think would be a fair amount to ask for considering that to replace it with an identical one of the same age/mileage I'm looking at 3-3.5k and that it's probably never had the gearbox and diff fluids done which was done with all Selenia fluids.

 

[Most Easterly Pandas]

I'd push for the full replacement cost of as like for like as possible. Although they could argue betterment I'd remind them your wife wasn't at fault, and it's their job to put you back into the same position you were in before the crash with no financial loss.

I'd give them the following ultimatum, I've done it before, and as long as you're not too OTT with it tell them they can either source you a direct replacement, with the same level of service history (I take it you've got all the fluid changes documented etc?) or they can make you a cash offer to get one as close in condition as possible and some more to get it all up to the same service level as yours was. They'll normally settle for a few hundred more as it isn't worth their hassle. You've a strong argument of the car not being your average Fiat Panda that you can replace just like that with it being a 4x4.

I'd be tempted to try for salvage also if you're not 100% happy with payout and then just shove it straight onto eBay.

 

[ChrisUK]

:yeahthat:

Key is to not be too greedy.

As for my claim they assessed my car over a week ago! Still waiting to get a call to book it in. Apparently they're waiting on prices from Fiat Dealers..

At least the third party as admitted full liability so I'm getting some physio massage from some fit bird