Hit & Run on My Car - Caught Up With Culprit

ballooba

Hi,

A certain individual crashed into my car outside my house last monday. This happened while I was in the shower and as such I didn't witness it.

I went out to drive into town and saw a big gash down the back right corner. I checked the windscreen for details and found none.

Through jigs and reels I managed two days later to track the guy down and he admitted liability to a Garda. He claimed he had left insurance details on the window. He actually hadn't but that is neither here nor there.

He said that he wished to resolve the matter without resorting to insurance as he didn't want to lose the no claims on his commercial insurance. I agreed and went and obtained an estimate.

I dropped the estimate into Donnybrook Gardai, but they are now having trouble getting in contact with him.

The Gardai have given me the gentleman's insurance details and told me to just sort it out through insurance.

He is with Quinn, I am with Eagle Star. How should I proceed to ensure I get compensated properly and don't affect my policy?

My policy is up for renewal in October and I will have 1 year's no claims. I have also just passed my test this Monday. *\o/* Yay!!! *\o/*

TempestSabre

Bug the heck out of the insurance company, and keep an eye on what they are doing.

kdouglas

similar incident with a (drunk) driver who hit my father's car while it was parked, all nice about it and saying he'd pay for the damage etc... but he's proving a little hard to track down when it comes to handing over the cash.

id say give him a couple of calls and try to get in contact with him, if you've no contact after a week or so, leave him a message/send a letter to his house saying that if he doesnt contact you you'll have no choice but to have his insurance pay for the damage.

after that, give him another few days and then go to his insurance company. since the damage was his fault and he has admitted liability, then it shouldnt affect your insurance/ncb at all

John R

I'd give them one chance only to sort it out directly. You are doing them a favour by not involving the insurance company, if they are going to piss about over it then just go straight to the insurance claim.

TempestSabre

Dunno why you'd do them the favour of waiting. He didn't leave a number for you..

ballooba

Gardai have already told me to contact insurance. They are washing there hands of the matter.

I'm not concerned with this guys no claims so I won't be contacting him. After all he did leave the scene of the accident. Just wondering should I contact my insurance or his etc.

leeroybrown

Ring your insurance company with his details, etc. They will advise of anything you need to do. They may tell you to contact the other insurer directly to make a claim or might offer to process the claim and pursue his insurer for the money.

Stark

Last time I had to make an insurance claim, I rang my own insurance company (Quinn Direct) who told me nicely to sort it out myself while they put a hold on my NCB. But they were nice enough to give me my NCB back when I'd finished dealing with the other insurance company. Melted my heart.

You're still better off ringing the other person's insurance company yourself though. If you make a comprehensive claim off your own insurance company and let them do the job of claiming back off the other person's 3rd party insurance, then your NCB could be tied up for months. I had my claim sorted out in a week by doing it myself.

Oh yeah, and I got strung along with the "Oh I'll pay for it in cash" crap for a while as well.

jimmycrackcorm

Don't go to your own insurance as they may likely place your policy in a risk zone. Make a claim directly against the other partys insurance. Any messing about with not paying up cash then don't do the guy any favours...

milltown

Go straight to his insurers. You don't even have to tell them whether you have the car insured, it was not being driven when the incident occurred, so don't give them any details of your insurance. Insurance companies have a nasty habit of settling these things behind your back and it could cost you in the long run.

Darragh29

John R wrote:

I'd give them one chance only to sort it out directly. You are doing them a favour by not involving the insurance company, if they are going to piss about over it then just go straight to the insurance claim.

You've already given him one chance and he's messing you around. The crap about leaving a message on your windscreen!?!?! Only for you being lucky to be able to find him, you'd be paying for this yourself.

In circumstances such as this, I'd be going to the most expensive main dealer I know for bodywork and getting a quote for the top figure and sending it straight to his insurance company. If he didn't want his no claims bonus affected, the time to take care of this was when he left the scene fairly confident that he'd never find you...

Darragh29

milltown wrote:

Go straight to his insurers. You don't even have to tell them whether you have the car insured, it was not being driven when the incident occurred, so don't give them any details of your insurance. Insurance companies have a nasty habit of settling these things behind your back and it could cost you in the long run.

Very good advice.

ballooba

Darragh29 wrote:

You've already given him one chance and he's messing you around. The crap about leaving a message on your windscreen!?!?! Only for you being lucky to be able to find him, you'd be paying for this yourself.

In circumstances such as this, I'd be going to the most expensive main dealer I know for bodywork and getting a quote for the top figure and sending it straight to his insurance company. If he didn't want his no claims bonus affected, the time to take care of this was when he left the scene fairly confident that he'd never find you...

Insurance Assessor is due in a few minutes.

The estimate I have is from a guy recommended by Ballsbridge Motors. €€€.

Assessor started telling me it was a bit steep.

tdc

your lucky you caught him, too many people get away wit this kind of thing

Darragh29

tdc wrote:

your lucky you caught him, too many people get away wit this kind of thing

Rerra, teach him a lesson for all of us and Sccccrrrreeeeeeew 'em!!! ;-)

ballooba

Darragh29 wrote:

Rerra, teach him a lesson for all of us and Sccccrrrreeeeeeew 'em!!! ;-)

I managed to sting him for €1500.

Probably just make him more inclined to leg it next time but sure at least I got my pound of flesh.

milltown

ballooba wrote:

I managed to sting him for €1500.

Probably just make him more inclined to leg it next time but sure at least I got my pound of flesh.

SCORE!

I hope you remembered to claim for the hire of a car while yours was in the bodyshop.

ballooba

Did I ?!?

Did him for an Avensis for two days.

Fey!

Glad to hear you got sorted.

And congratulations on getting your test!

ballooba

Fey! wrote:

And congratulations on getting your test!

Thanks, even though I still can't believe they let me out onto the road.

peasant

And since when is it that gardai can not be bothered with prosecuting someone who left the scene of an accident?

Last time I checked, that was still an offence ....

elexes

peasant wrote:

And since when is it that gardai can not be bothered with prosecuting someone who left the scene of an accident?

Last time I checked, that was still an offence ....

well u know them young ones they never like to follow protocall . or so the papers say

maby you should try and tell the guys in the station how to do there job that always go's down a treat.

unless you want to prosicute him for a hit and run . which he didnt do untill you can prove that he didnt leave his details for you. then you should contact the insurace company