Claiming insurance - what's the process?

cormee

Hi,

Some advice would be appreciated here.

Some guy drove into my pillar yesterday and badly damaged it, and the wall.

There was an witness who alerted my wife. She asked for his contact details and he said he would drop it in later, drove off, and (obviously) never dropped in his contact details later. Now I know that's illegal, you can't leave the scene of an accident without giving your details...but my question is, I know where this guy lives, can I simply get his insurance details off his window and contact his insurance company and let them sort it out? Or what would be the correct process in this case?

Anan1

cormee wrote: »

...but my question is, I know where this guy lives, can I simply get his insurance details off his window and contact his insurance company and let them sort it out? Or what would be the correct process in this case?

Yes, i'd do it now and have no more direct contact with him. I'd inform the Gardaí too, just in case he tries to deny it later.

Jimmy Bottlehead

Anan1 wrote: »

Yes, i'd do it now and have no more direct contact with him. I'd inform the Gardaí too, just in case he tries to deny it later.

Yup. He had his chance to be decent and honest, and he chose not to be.

Let your insurance policy drill him.

cormee

Jimmy Bottlehead wrote: »

Yup. He had his chance to be decent and honest, and he chose not to be.

Let your insurance policy drill him.

Thanks Jimmy & Anan.

Jimmy, you said let 'my' policy drill him? Do I contact my household insurance company? I had assumed I'd contact his insurance company.

Jimmy Bottlehead

cormee wrote: »

Thanks Jimmy & Anan.

Jimmy, you said let 'my' policy drill him? Do I contact my household insurance company? I had assumed I'd contact his insurance company.

Ah sorry, I thought you meant the pillar in your car!

I'm not 100% sure but I'd contact my insurance company and pass along the details, it's up to them to then chase down the guy... but I stand to be harshly corrected on that!

godtabh

make sure you do all you are meant to do ie inform the Gardai contact insurance companies etc

Seth Brundle

1. Get his insurance details from his car. Take some pics of the pillar and also his car.
2. Call into the Gardai and let them know of the incident.
3. Contact his insurance company and register a claim.
4. Maybe contact your solicitor as otherwise its you Vs his insurance company.
5. Contact a reputable builder and get a quote.

godtabh

kbannon wrote: »

5. Contact a reputable builder and get a quote.

I'd get 3 to show you arent trying to pull a fast one

menance

You can claim off your own home insurance policy and get the job done fast.
If you have reported it with Gardai then you're laughing as your Insurance company will pay out no problem.

I had a similar problem and used a company who managed the claim and did the repairs, it cost me nothing and took all the hassle out of it for me..I can PM you their details if you like..

cormee

Thanks for all the feedback - I ended up getting his details, reporting it to the Gardai, then calling his insurance company.

He started to fix it himself once his insurers got in contact with him. That was a week ago and he hasn't been back to finish it off.

I called his insurance company back today to tell them I'd be getting a 3rd party to finish his work off and claiming off his insurance if he doesn't finish it off in the next week, and they agreed 100%. They said they'd pass the message on to him.

At this stage he has a lot more to lose, his no-claims, by not finishing the job off.

Vicxas

Call the Gardai, get the insurance details and call them.

Anan1

cormee wrote: »

Thanks for all the feedback - I ended up getting his details, reporting it to the Gardai, then calling his insurance company.

He started to fix it himself once his insurers got in contact with him. That was a week ago and he hasn't been back to finish it off.

I called his insurance company back today to tell them I'd be getting a 3rd party to finish his work off and claiming off his insurance if he doesn't finish it off in the next week, and they agreed 100%. They said they'd pass the message on to him.

At this stage he has a lot more to lose, his no-claims, by not finishing the job off.

Personally, I wouldn't have let him near the work. What if it cracks/falls down in a years time? What if this were to cause damage or, God forbid, injury to a child?