Car crash claim

meoklmrk91

My friend was driving last Sunday when coming up to traffic lights his brakes failed and he went up into the back of another car. It was a light tip and there didn't appear to be any damage, the driver took his details and told him that she would have to get the car checked over by a mechanic, she then got into the car and drove off before he had time to get any of her details.

We went to the Garda station to report the accident and gave all our details but not hers because she didn't give him any and the following morning he rang his insurance company and told them what happened they said that he was liable for the accident.

Tonight the owners husband rang him and told him that there was in fact damage done to the car, he told him that if he couldn't come up with €500 by Saturday then they would go through his insurance company and his insurance would go up by €5000 because they had spoken to the company. He also said that there was other passengers in the car and ''we don't want those claiming''

How is this right,didn't they leave the scene of the accident doesn't that mean that my friend isn't liable and even they do go through his insurance how could damage worth €500 turn into a raise in his insurance of €5000?

meercat

first
get the insurance details from the other vehicle
second
check that she was insured to drive it
third
if she is covered,pay up as quick as you can

it was your mates fault

500 euro is relatively cheap compared to what it could cost

alexmcred

I'd let them off to deal with the insurance company to be honest.

pippip

I suspect they don't have insurance. Your mate would still be liable but definitely dodgy situation. I wouldn't deal with them directly at all. There is no way they know any off your mates insurance details.

Does your mate have bonus protection?

Atlantic Dawn

Get your friend to have them submit him a written quote of all repairs required as it seems they are just trying to extort €500 out of him. To be honest they sound a touch like scummers and them mentioning €5000 of a raise in his insurance is just pure complete bs. And most important ask for their insurance details, if they refuse tell them that you are going to the Gardai as you suspect their car to be uninsured.

It doesn't matter if the claimants in the car seek and got €4.9 million out of personal insury for the crash your friends insurance will only go up the same as if it was a claim for €500 in damage, you just lose your no claims bonus and start fresh no matter what size the claim is. Insurance companies have whole departments to deal with fraud and they will resolve it.

meoklmrk91

pippip wrote: »

I suspect they don't have insurance. Your mate would still be liable but definitely dodgy situation. I wouldn't deal with them directly at all. There is no way they know any off your mates insurance details.

Does your mate have bonus protection?

He doesn't have bonus protection he only has third party, fire and theft.

bladespin

Report that conversation and attempted extortion to the gardai, TBH if that's the way they're approaching it he'd be better off letting the insurance company handle it.

johnos1984

bladespin wrote: »

Report that conversation and attempted extortion to the gardai, TBH if that's the way they're approaching it he'd be better off letting the insurance company handle it.

I'd echo that. They will keep coming back for more and more.

You pay insurance for a reason, calll the insurance company and explain the situation and what has happened so they will know what to expect when the call comes.

When they ring back tell them you have informed your insurance company and that they should now deal with them directly and not to contact you anymore.

your insurance premium is only affected if they claim...........which I doubt they will in this case

monument

bladespin wrote: »

Report that conversation and attempted extortion to the gardai, TBH if that's the way they're approaching it he'd be better off letting the insurance company handle it.

+1

Report that to the gardai asap.

lau1247

what is the excess?? just something to consider if they are looking for only 500, anymore i'd say let the insurance co deal with it

meoklmrk91

My friend just texted the husband there a few minutes ago asking him to send on the insurance details of the girl who was driving the car as she said it was her mothers and the reg of the car he texted back saying yeah no prob at all I will just ring the insurance company in the morning and give him my friends details and leave the insurance company sort it out altogether.

johnos1984

Better off I think.

Did he send the insurance details back? Make sure driver, car and details match

meoklmrk91

johnos1984 wrote: »

Better off I think.

Did he send the insurance details back? Make sure driver, car and details match

No he refused

beanie10

Your friend is totally in wrong and unfotunately whats right or wrong doesnt come into it.
A friend of mine was stuck in traffic in Tallagh where he slightly rubbed the car in front, she got his details he never notified the insurance company. The insurance company settled last week for €13,000 soft tissue damage and €600 car damage.
Do not pay her let insurance sort it out thats what they are there for.
his insurance will not go up €5,000 but he will lose hie ncb.

johnos1984

meoklmrk91 wrote: »

No he refused

I bet he did

Did you take any record at the time of their details, even reg number and drivers name would help a lot?

meoklmrk91

johnos1984 wrote: »

I bet he did

Did you take any record at the time of their details, even reg number and drivers name would help a lot?

No, they drove off straight after she got his details and didn't give him a chance to get any details, they are refusing to give any details now all we have is a phone number.

johnos1984

meoklmrk91 wrote: »

No, they drove off straight after she got his details and didn't give him a chance to get any details, they are refusing to give any details now all we have is a phone number.

Call the insurance company first thing in the morning, tell them what happened and also, importantly, tell them they refused to give you their details if that is what happened and then explained the driver diidn't own the car.

AFAIK its illegal not to give insurance details when asked after an accident

mikehunts

Insurance companies make me laugh, friend of mine had an accident, her fault by the way but anyway she hit a wall bounced around and grazed the bumper off the car that was coming in the other direction. They got out of their cars and nobody was injured, guards came to the scene and said how fortunate she was that the other car had no damage. Cut a long story short the other driver claimed and got 40grand out of it. Insurance company didnt ring her or send a letter just coughed it up. Friends insurance is sky high because of it.

Seth Brundle

beanie10 wrote: »

Your friend is totally in wrong and unfotunately whats right or wrong doesnt come into it.
A friend of mine was stuck in traffic in Tallagh where he slightly rubbed the car in front, she got his details he never notified the insurance company. The insurance company settled last week for €13,000 soft tissue damage and €600 car damage.

I don't think the liability is being disputed, its the extortion that is!
Also, don't always assume that someone who claims to be injured from a soft bang isn't actually injured (says me typing here with a sore neck from an incident several years ago).

beanie10 wrote: »

Do not pay her let insurance sort it out thats what they are there for.
his insurance will not go up €5,000 but he will lose hie ncb.

More than likely the insurance company will cough up but its peace of mind, etc.
The third party here sounds like a proper chancer.