Small crash into neighbours house!!

muletide

Strange one happened at home today.

My wife (named driver on my policy) was pulling out of our driveway, and somehow went straight across the road and into my neighbours drive and hit the house just at the front door

She can't explain how it happened and is very upset about it, but not injured. Just lost control for a second or two. She was barely moving when she hit the house but a few (8-10) bricks are knocked out of place. There isn't even a dent on the car bumper just a scratch or two.

Called the Guards who visited and took all our details, and waited for neighbour to return home.

He was a gent about it, naturally he was annoyed but he just wants it put right ASAP. The door has also been knocked out of place and can't be opened and he has new tenants moving in a few weeks.
.

I just want to ensure that everything is repaired to the original standard for my neighbour at the least possible inconvenience to him.


Has anyone ever experienced anything along these lines, I have yet to contact my insurance company as I am not sure there is too much damage or how much it will total. Do I have to involve his house insurance or is it all taken care of by mine?


Just not sure what my next step should be.

Jesus.

Sorry OP but that made me laugh! :pac::pac::pac:

fatbhoy

She can't explain how it happened? Tell her to try a little harder.

Atlantic Dawn

Think yours will take care of it all and they if required will contact the home insurer.

Mr_Red

ring a builder to go out and look at the damage and get quotes

godtabh

muletide wrote: »

Just not sure what my next step should be.

Contact your insurance company.

My 80 year old granny did something like that recently. She couldnt explain it either. Hasnt been on the road since. Maybe your wife should get a medical check up if she cant explain something simple

Jesus.

fatbhoy wrote: »

She can't explain how it happened? Tell her to try a little harder.

godtabh wrote: »

Maybe your wife should get a medical check up if she cant explain something simple

Ah lads, don't start laying into the bloke FFS

muletide

Jesus. wrote: »

Ah lads, don't start laying into the bloke FFS

Cheers,

Have been laying off the interrogations as she is very upset. We have a few small kids who play out there with their friends every day so we know how serious it could have been.

My own theory is that she might have been adjusting the seat at the time as I had just driven the car half an hour earlier; but as I said she is just not sure.

challengemaster

Jesus. wrote: »

Ah lads, don't start laying into the bloke FFS

Is it not a bit worrying that someone, while attempting to leave a driveway, can drive across the road, into someone elses property and crash into a house, and have absolutely no idea how they did it?

It doesn't sound like a small lapse in concentration to me.

Mr_Red

Whats done is done... ****e happens

Get it surveyed to see extent of damage. then get your quotes..... Im sure with how ireland is now you might get some good quotes....if you take action now you will still be on good terms with the neighbour...... don't let it drag out waiting for ideas

Jesus.

Whatever she was doing it sounds bloody funny! Women drivers, eh?

Some of the fellas on this Board should lighten up a bit.

Mr_Red

challengemaster wrote: »

Is it not a bit worrying that someone, while attempting to leave a driveway, can drive across the road, into someone elses property and crash into a house, and have absolutely no idea how they did it?

It doesn't sound like a small lapse in concentration to me.

The OP is not looking for a diagnostic of his misses.....Get off your High Horse and give him help with his request

Jesus.

Jesus. wrote: »

Some of the fellas on this Board should lighten up a bit.

As I was saying....

challengemaster wrote: »

Is it not a bit worrying that someone, while attempting to leave a driveway, can drive across the road, into someone elses property and crash into a house, and have absolutely no idea how they did it?
It doesn't sound like a small lapse in concentration to me.

oldyouth

Your insurance from start to finish, just as if your wife hit a car. His own comprehensive house insurance policy would cover the loss but they would come after you for a recovery anyway. Just pass on your insurance details to your neighbour

muletide

Mr_Red wrote: »

The OP is not looking for a diagnostic of his misses.....Get off your High Horse and give him help with his request

Thanks Red,

Of course I am worried about why it happened, but no one was hurt so my priority is to sort this out as quickly as possible for my neighbour.

Will need to get a locksmith in the morning to open the door - but will this affect any claim ?

Jesus.

Mr_Red wrote: »

The OP is not looking for a diagnostic of his misses....

Just as well. Diagnosing the mental state of any female on the Planet is an impossible task

coolisin

If it was hard enough to knock bricks out of a wall of a house and knock a door out of the wall there is damage to your car.
You just cant see it!

I would get your car checked out too, oh and your insurance should cover it, id get onto them and let them know before the other party contacts them.

oldyouth

muletide wrote: »

Thanks Red,

Of course I am worried about why it happened, but no one was hurt so my priority is to sort this out as quickly as possible for my neighbour.

Will need to get a locksmith in the morning to open the door - but will this affect any claim ?

He is entitled to make any necessary repairs to secure his property but take loads of photos and retain any replaced parts. Do as little permanent reinstatement as possible until insurers can inspect the property

challengemaster

Mr_Red wrote: »

The OP is not looking for a diagnostic of his misses.....Get off your High Horse and give him help with his request

Am I a builder? No.

Job done.

As for "high horse", it's started to become a bit of a misnomer on here. What I said is not being on a high horse (aka. taking myself to being superior) - It's something that should be investigated (as has already been suggested) in case there's a more serious cause, and the next time it's not a house.

kneemos

Don't know why you're intent on going through the insurance,a handyman might sort it for a couple of hundred quid.

muletide

Thanks for all the advice - will contact the insurance company in the morning, any ideas how long the process of getting the door and house repaired through the insurance company will take?

If it is too long a process - I will fork out for it myself, - last thing I want is the neighbour to be put out longer than necessary

coolisin

kneemos wrote: »

Don't know why you're intent on going through the insurance,a handyman might sort it for a couple of hundred quid.

I doubt its a small handy man job.
It sound like strucural damage, im not a builder but I would not like some handyman coming to look at it.
8-10 bricks and a door out of place after a 1.5 ton piece of metal hit it.

Op its what you pay insurance for, yeah you'll take a hit at premium time but so be it, you want to pay for the work to be done to the house.

PucaMama

Jesus. wrote: »

Just as well. Diagnosing the mental state of any female on the Planet is an impossible task

why is this casual sexism acceptable?

mickdw

muletide wrote: »

Thanks for all the advice - will contact the insurance company in the morning, any ideas how long the process of getting the door and house repaired through the insurance company will take?

If it is too long a process - I will fork out for it myself, - last thing I want is the neighbour to be put out longer than necessary

These house repairs may well be quite substantial. If it knocked out bricks and moved the door, it is possible that whole wall panel could have damage and need rebuilding.

Jesus.

Jesus. wrote: »

Some of the fellas on this Board should lighten up a bit.

As I was saying...

PucaMama wrote: »

why is this casual sexism acceptable?

PucaMama

Jesus. wrote: »

As I was saying...

i dont get you

oldyouth

muletide wrote: »

If it is too long a process - I will fork out for it myself, - last thing I want is the neighbour to be put out longer than necessary

Liability is not an issue. If your neighbour can obtain estimates by the time the loss adjuster calls out (usually within 48 hours of notification), then there is no reason why it shouldn't be sorted in a week.

Things that may slow it up include; Delay in you filling out a claim form for your insurer, delay in your neighbour getting a structural engineer to do up a report, query over the estimates to repair

HomelessMidge

challengemaster wrote: »

Is it not a bit worrying that someone, while attempting to leave a driveway, can drive across the road, into someone elses property and crash into a house, and have absolutely no idea how they did it?

It doesn't sound like a small lapse in concentration to me.

He asked for advice about damage to the house. He's not looking for his wife to be assessed! Calm down on him.

Jesus.

PucaMama wrote: »

i dont get you

Evidently :rolleyes:

Mr ratbag

my wife did 17k worth of damage to my house earlier this year & wrote off company car which in turn cost me my job
she couldn't explain what happened either

PucaMama

Jesus. wrote: »

Evidently :rolleyes:

:rolleyes: yourself!

kneemos

Mr ratbag wrote: »

my wife did 17k worth of damage to my house earlier this year & wrote off company car which in turn cost me my job
she couldn't explain what happened either

So it's your house.Interesting.

muletide

Mr ratbag wrote: »

my wife did 17k worth of damage to my house earlier this year & wrote off company car which in turn cost me my job
she couldn't explain what happened either

Puts my problems into perspective , wish it was my house that was hit though, feel really bad for my neighbour

bear1

Mr ratbag wrote: »

my wife did 17k worth of damage to my house earlier this year & wrote off company car which in turn cost me my job
she couldn't explain what happened either

Why was your wife driving your company car?
I might be wrong, but most company cars I've dealt with have only been insured for the actual worker.
If this is legit then I feel bad for you, if not then.. well I'll feel bad for you

spurious

I can see how it could have happened.

Reversing, goes to brake, she thinks her foot is on the brake, (it's not, so) car accelerates, panic makes her press harder as she believes she is on the brake.
Crash.

Not the end of the world, no one dead.

Bongalongherb

spurious wrote: »

I can see how it could have happened.

Reversing, goes to brake, she thinks her foot is on the brake, (it's not, so) car accelerates, panic makes her press harder as she believes she is on the brake.
Crash.

Not the end of the world, no one dead.

I don't know about that man. Every driver knows where the brake is. How could any person make a mistake between the brake and the accelerator ?. I just cannot understand how a person could mistake where the brake is.

Sh!t happens I suppose, and maybe there was a few things on her mind when she was reversing, but there is no excuse getting into a car to drive if a person is not 100% observant in what they are controlling.

I just find it very hard to believe that a person can mistake the brake from the accelerator.

spurious

Bongalongherb wrote: »

I just find it very hard to believe that a person can mistake the brake from the accelerator.

Twisting in the seat to look out the back window, I can see how feet, particularly small ones could get 'repositioned'.

I'm guessing obviously, but I wouldn't see it as impossible.

visual

Is the car an automatic ?

bear1

Bongalongherb wrote: »

I don't know about that man. Every driver knows where the brake is. How could any person make a mistake between the brake and the accelerator ?. I just cannot understand how a person could mistake where the brake is.

Sh!t happens I suppose, and maybe there was a few things on her mind when she was reversing, but there is no excuse getting into a car to drive if a person is not 100% observant in what they are controlling.

I just find it very hard to believe that a person can mistake the brake from the accelerator.

Right, we are going in circles here.
The OP originally posted to ask how the procedure insurance wise looks like.
The wife made a mistake for which her and the OP will have to pay for.
Questioning how she did it is a different matter and one the husband will have to figure out and not us.
OP go through your insurance unless you have the funds to cover it but personally I'd go through the insurance.

bear1

visual wrote: »

Is the car an automatic ?

The brake is still in the middle though.

Mr ratbag

bear1 wrote: »

Why was your wife driving your company car?
I might be wrong, but most company cars I've dealt with have only been insured for the actual worker.
If this is legit then I feel bad for you, if not then.. well I'll feel bad for you

she was just moving my car to get her car out as i was in bed with man flu
at first i thought we were foo**d but fortunately it had open cover
i was lucky to get a good builder who specialized with insurance claims , so it was quite straight forward

cock robin

OP if the missus can't explain how the accident occurred, avoid at all costs the insurance route. She will be expected to fill in the exact details on the claim form. Knowing those cnuts her next policy might be silly money anyway. If the neighbour is cool with it get a handyman. Other wise the surveyors will be out given its a house and who knows what else...

Bongalongherb

bear1 wrote: »

Right, we are going in circles here.
The OP originally posted to ask how the procedure insurance wise looks like.
The wife made a mistake for which her and the OP will have to pay for.
Questioning how she did it is a different matter and one the husband will have to figure out and not us.
OP go through your insurance unless you have the funds to cover it but personally I'd go through the insurance.

I understand, but mistaking where the brake was could have been a very very serious mistake indeed, that's all I'm saying. I'm not attacking his wife for her mistake, I just cannot understand how the mistake was made while reversing a ton of metal onto the road and how she continued to reverse into the neighbours house, and also why she didn't use the brake or hand-brake even when she lost control.

Any way, I hope your wife got/gets over the shock of it and everything works out ok.

visual

bear1 wrote: »

The brake is still in the middle though.

There is only two pedals

the reason I ask was it an auto is because we are trained to use brake and accelerator with right foot and clutch only with left.

Autos we should only use right foot but many people form bad habit of using the left foot for braking and more often than not interchange right and left foot to brake.

Not a big issue but what it does is remove the learned responce to lift foot off accelerator and on to brake. When somthing goes wrong and having to think quickly a mistake is made by right foot being planted to the floor while its still on accelerator pedal.

Its common enough in low speed crashes with elderly drivers where a car should have stopped easily but accelerated instead.

king_of_inismac

I agree with several of the posters here regarding your wife's health.

This isn't motivated by sexism but rather genuine concern.

There are many medical reasons why someone would lose their concentration, control or memory. Some are benign and others are more serious.

Whatever about the damage to the house, I'd advise asking your wife to visit a GP. In my view the best case scenario is that it was a simple run-of-the-mill mistake on her part.

Best of luck with it all anyway.

Supergurrier

"The house just came out of nowhere officer"

visual

Supergurrier wrote: »

"The house just came out of nowhere officer"

Reminds me of a tv documentary Britains worse drivers they where going through a accident report of driver who crashed into tree at end of her road.

The tree suddenly appeared in front of me and I couldn't stop in time. It is the same tree that I crashed into last week when it came out of nowhere.

corktina

why did she call the Gards?

BreadnBuddha

Jesus. wrote: »

Just as well. Diagnosing the mental state of any female on the Planet is an impossible task

PucaMama wrote: »

why is this casual sexism acceptable?

Because Jesus says so.....it was possibly omitted from the Bible v. 16.7.1934, but it was in the original.

He also says a sense of humour is a Godly thing.

He reckons his cat prefers German cars, but he's a Jap fan himself.

And he said ring your insurance company OP, that it's coming out of the Devils paycheck if they have to pay out.

Gazzmonkey

To minimise hassle I would get the insurance company to sort it out for you, then your lady should pay you back for your own losses and do all the cooking & house work for the next 20 years.

However, when the insurance company askes how it happened I don't think they will accept "I don't know" as an answer.

Cuddlesworth

Nobody here can asses the wall. 8 to 10 bricks and a door not opening to you could very well be 10-15 feet of a wall structurally weakened, insulation and DPC damaged and a brand new door and frame. You need to put this through the insurance company, the costs can start racking up really quickly when you damage something loadbearing on a structure.

I also agree with others about your wife, as somebody who had a scare with Epilepsy a few years back its a really good idea for her to get checked out. I wouldn't say that if she has said exactly what she did wrong and how it happened or even had a fair idea, but blacking out like that and doing something so fundamentally wrong could be a serious medical condition.