Insurance Excess-'why' do I have to pay it !?

rolion

Hello,

Short story: been hit from the back,while stationary,by a commercial van,found out he doesn't have valid insurance.
Claimed from my insurance the repair/replacement of my car,but insurance request to pay the excess of €300.

Short Q: why do I have to pay the excess if is not my fault !??

They are not repairing the car,they are paying me a good market value for the car but is stil stressfull enough to get another car,another second hand car with not well known issues...my car was running fine,recently fuly serviced and prepared for winter.
Also,is my wife car so i have to buy a car while having her mindset !

Thanks in advance...

Nissan doctor

Regardless of who's fault it was, its you who is making the claim on your insurance so have to pay the excess amount.

slimjimmc

A. Because you're claiming against your own policy and the excess applies to any claim you make against your policy not just claims which were your fault.

The alternative is not claim and wait until you sue the offender. I'm not sure if a claim through MIBI waives the excess.

MugMugs

slimjimmc wrote: »

A. Because you're claiming against your own policy and the excess applies to any claim you make against your policy not just claims which were your fault.

The alternative is not claim and wait until you sue the offender. I'm not sure if a claim through MIBI waives the excess.

You still pay an excess through the MIBI. I'd highly recommend you claim VIA the MIBI for your loss.

rolion

rolion wrote: »

............

Short Q: why do I have to pay the excess if is not my fault !??

...............

short answer, because you are claiming against the policy

coolbeans

Out of interest OP what action is being taken against the guy who hit you?

MugMugs

Would discussing a legal criminal case here be wise ?

corktina

you have a choice when you take out a policy...cheaper premiums and an excess or dearer premiums with a smaller or non-existant excess.

galwaytt

rolion wrote: »

.
Claimed from my insurance the repair/replacement of my car,but insurance request to pay the excess of €300.

Short Q: why do I have to pay the excess if is not my fault !??

...

Because that's what you agreed to, when you took out your insurance.

You must pay the first 300 (excess) of ANY claim. In exchange for doing so, your premium is lower than it otherwise would have been. You can have a zero excess iirc, but you actually have to pay for it.

I, on the other hand, INCREASED my excess - to 750 iirc, as, there's no way I'd claim for a small bump that would fubar my NCB. That, and the fact that, in your case, 300 wouldn't fix anything.

Why does excess exist at all ? Because having loads of small claims on policies, would drive up the cost of all insurance. Excess 'filters' out all the small stuff.

Unless, of course, you are prepared to pay for it. In which case, you'd have paid the ins co's a lot more than the 300 in extra premia by now.........

rolion

Thanks to all for reply,many thanks for conforming my sad situation !
Is a first for me,i always thought that the excess applies only you claim and is your fault !

The insurance Co came clean,very prompt and very 'hassle free'.
Last letter received today,says the payment amounts,time ,explanation and so on.
I have comprehensive,so i deal only with my insurance.

Re legality of driving without insurance...the 'outsourced support' asked me to go to local Garda station and report the incident and to mention that third party had no valid insurance...I laughed and asked to send me a document that confirms that other party has no insurance,otherwise they have to do it,as part of insurance payments.I have no legal background to claim a so such thing ! Dunno what happened after ...

I have 5 insurance policies with them,i have to check this thing with excess,is driving me crazy !!!

Again,many thanks.
And keep away from troublemaker drivers !

oldyouth

rolion wrote: »

.

Re legality of driving without insurance...the 'outsourced support' asked me to go to local Garda station and report the incident and to mention that third party had no valid insurance...I laughed and asked to send me a document that confirms that other party has no insurance,otherwise they have to do it,as part of insurance payments.

OP If you don't help them recover the claim they paid you from either the MIBI or elsewhere, it will be you that suffers in the end as your No Claim Bonus will be reduced and your premium will increase next year. Just saying....

coolbeans

Make sure you go to the cops and give them your man's details. Driving around without insurance is just not cricket. ****ers like that piss me off.

slimjimmc

rolion wrote: »

Thanks to all for reply,many thanks for conforming my sad situation !
Is a first for me,i always thought that the excess applies only you claim and is your fault !

The insurance Co came clean,very prompt and very 'hassle free'.
Last letter received today,says the payment amounts,time ,explanation and so on.
I have comprehensive,so i deal only with my insurance.

Re legality of driving without insurance...the 'outsourced support' asked me to go to local Garda station and report the incident and to mention that third party had no valid insurance...I laughed and asked to send me a document that confirms that other party has no insurance,otherwise they have to do it,as part of insurance payments.I have no legal background to claim a so such thing ! Dunno what happened after ...

I have 5 insurance policies with them,i have to check this thing with excess,is driving me crazy !!!

Again,many thanks.
And keep away from troublemaker drivers !

The "outsourced support" as you put it (condescendingly imo), was correct.

You only have to make the complaint and you certainly don't need a legal background to do that. Any person can do that, and I'd go so far to say you are obliged (morally) to do that since driving uninsured is a criminal offence. It's then up to the Gardaí to investigate your complaint, collect evidence and recommend prosecution, the DPP to prosecute and a judge to rule. But first, you have to report it.

rolion

Thank for replies.

I am upset of having to look for a car replacement when my older car was running just fine (kind of new automatic gearbox in it).I'm not in the mood of going shopping for another car,of course second hand as no one these days give you car finance (i'm not working in Public Sector).

Re other driver having or not having insurance....i can attach the picture taken in the day of accident,showing,in colour that his insurance disk is valid from May 2011 until May 2012 and insured with QuinnDirect .
Called the Garda station,reported the crash,been told that if is "no blood" on the road,just exchange driver/car details...you know what i mean by that !

Based on what legal facts i can go and declare to Garda that his insurance is not valid !??? His windscreen' disc shows correct date !! Based on someone "not knowing" Irish local time !? Called the Insurance local branch in DW and requested advice related to what to do.Been told ,in plain local english that is not my problem any more,i have comprehensive insurance and that's all ! Done and dusted !

What if the guy ...had/has valid insurance !?? Can i expect consequences from Garda for false declaration or some strange early 'in the morning' visits !??

Subject closed from my side.IF anyone feels that due to morality of the case,i can pass details and follow-up themselves. I never drove on all my cars without insurance,i don't know how is to drive and i don't want to know !



I have to go shopping for another car...

Short Q:will you buy a sh car now,in December or wait until January,hoping the prices will fall due to "one year older" !?? Found a nice Volvo S80 2004,hoping that in january to "break" the €300 excess !

Regards.

johndaman66

corktina wrote: »

you have a choice when you take out a policy...cheaper premiums and an excess or dearer premiums with a smaller or non-existant excess.

Are you sure? I do know that some policies offer this option but very few do so in my experience. After I started driving, my insurance was still quite high and more insurance companies other than just Quinn Direct started quoting me I would always ask if it was possible to increase my excess to reduce my premium when getting a quote. I was moreless told no point blank in practically all cases...unless of course they were fobbing me off or things have changed since whereby they are obliged to offer the option

oldyouth

johndaman66 wrote: »

Are you sure? I do know that some policies offer this option but very few do so in my experience. After I started driving, my insurance was still quite high and more insurance companies other than just Quinn Direct started quoting me I would always ask if it was possible to increase my excess to reduce my premium when getting a quote. I was moreless told no point blank in practically all cases...unless of course they were fobbing me off or things have changed since whereby they are obliged to offer the option

The point being made is that when a policy has an excess (standard or selected by you), it allows the insurer to offer cheaper premiums to their clients.

OP, do the correct thing and comply with the request. You'll end up paying more at renewal if you don't.

maidhc

Every answer here is wrong!

As you were hit by an unisured driver, your claim is still against that driver. While he does not have insurance, you will be indemnified by the Motorists Insurers Bureau of Ireland (www.mibi.ie).

If you had a TPFT policy you would claim directly from the MIBI, and after much weeping and gnashing of teeth they would pay out.

However you have a comprehensive policy. In this case they norm is your insurer will pay promptly and get the money back from the MIBI. YOUR NCB SHOULD BE UNAFFECTED! The insurers often don't pay out the stated excess, which I think makes no sense, as it is not an own damage claim.

You can recover the excess from the MIBI directly, and if you are injured in anyway you can also claim this. You should fill in the form in the MIBI website to make the claim.

If none of this makes sense, then go to a solicitor. This is the stuff they do.

oldyouth

maidhc wrote: »

Every answer here is wrong!.

Don't be making such sweeping assertions like that. The OP has already sucessfully claimed (as is his right) against the comprehensive aspect of his own policy. It is, in effect, an Own Damage Claim at this stage and his NCB will be effected if they are not successful in recovering their outlay

The debate here is over the excess and the need to give assistance to his insurer in their pursuit of reimbursment from the MIBI.

rolion

Thanks to all for input,very helpful.
I have decided to search legal advice,i am meeting my solicitor next week,i will keep you updated.

Season Greetings to all...