Who is liable for fire brigade charges

Hasmunch

My parents were involved in a car crash in December and were not at fault. Their car was a write off and was replaced by the other parties insurance.
This week they received a bill for fire brigade charges. My mother rang their broker and the broker informed my mam she is liable for these charges.

Before i ring the broker tomorrow, i need a sense check. Surely as the other party was 100% liable for the crash they should cover the fire brigade charges. Is this correct?

Sue Pa Key Pa

The beneficial recipient of the services is primarily responsible for the invoice. However, if a 3rd party is responsible for the accident, your parents have a right of recovery from them

Hasmunch

Thank you, i will contact broker tomorrow and go through this with them.

Sue Pa Key Pa

While personnel in the front line of the fire services are magnificent people, it started to become a practice for local authorities to bill people outrageous amounts to attend incidents, knowing insurers would pick up the tab. The cap on policy benefits is an effort to stem increases.

Note; If a 3rd party causes the loss, you can't be out of pocket. Your policy limit doesn't come in to play.

mrsbeebee

Send it to the other persons insurer with a note and contact the local authority to say your parents weren't at fault and they should forward the bill to the insurer also. Your parents aren't responsible for this bill.

Sue Pa Key Pa

mrsbeebee wrote:

Send it to the other persons insurer with a note and contact the local authority to say your parents weren't at fault and they should forward the bill to the insurer also. Your parents aren't responsible for this bill.

The local authority are not going to pursue a 3rd party on your behalf. The invoice is your responsibility but you have a right to recover it from the 3rd party

radharc

Sue Pa Key Pa wrote: »

The local authority are not going to pursue a 3rd party on your behalf. The invoice is your responsibility but you have a right to recover it from the 3rd party

They would be mad to pay it and go through the hassle of claiming it through 3rd party insurance; a firmly written letter back to the local authority denying any responsibility for the debt will the the end of it.

Parchment

Sue Pa Key Pa wrote: »

While personnel in the front line of the fire services are magnificent people, it started to become a practice for local authorities to bill people outrageous amounts to attend incidents, knowing insurers would pick up the tab. The cap on policy benefits is an effort to stem increases.

Note; If a 3rd party causes the loss, you can't be out of pocket. Your policy limit doesn't come in to play.

Happened my ex - he had an accident on the border of two counties.....two fire brigades came and two fire brigades billed him!

Sue Pa Key Pa

radharc wrote: »

They would be mad to pay it and go through the hassle of claiming it through 3rd party insurance; a firmly written letter back to the local authority denying any responsibility for the debt will the the end of it.

They don't usually give up. You have responsibility for the invoice, as you benefited from the services. However, the 3rd party is liable for any loss naturally flowing from the accident. As their insurers have already conceded on liability, they will reimburse you for the outlay and probably agree to pay the local authority directly on your behalf.

Ignore it and it becomes your debt and all that follows from that

judeboy101

Can you argue that you didn't ask for the service and were not responsible for calling them? I mean if a neighbour walks by my house and seems it necessary for a lick of paint, am I liable to pay the painter if the neighbour engaged them?

hinault

Engine of my car went on fire.
My neighbour called the fire brigade.

Fire was extinguished.
Received a bill for €955.

I assumed that my insurance policy would pay the bill.

Transpires that only comprehensive policies are covered for fire/ambulance service costs (AXA Insurance).

I got in to a protracted debate with my insurer (AXA) and in the meantime kept the local authority informed. 12 months in to the protracted debate,
I started receiving letters from Stubbs Gazette because the local authority handed the case over to Stubbs.
I had to settle the bill personally, eventually

Reati

I must be well put of touch or just lucky enough never to have needed any of these services as I thought our fine tax dollars paid for these services.

OldMrBrennan83

This post has been deleted.

judeboy101

hinault wrote: »

Engine of my car went on fire.
My neighbour called the fire brigade.

Fire was extinguished.
Received a bill for €955.

I assumed that my insurance policy would pay the bill.

Transpires that only comprehensive policies are covered for fire/ambulance service costs (AXA Insurance).

So if you ring up fire brigade to your neighbours car your neighbour pays?

hinault

judeboy101 wrote: »

So if you ring up fire brigade to your neighbours car your neighbour pays?

That's what happened in my case.

The neighbour saw my car on fire - he called the fire brigade - fire brigade extinguished the fire - I paid the bill.

Sue Pa Key Pa

judeboy101 wrote: »

So if you ring up fire brigade to your neighbours car your neighbour pays?

Yes. The person who receives the benefit from the services pays, regardless of who makes the call

Hasmunch

Just a quick update on this.

I rang the broker. The claim is going through my mothers insurance and they will seek recovery from the third party insurance.
When i questioned the broker on these charges they contact my mothers insurance.
My mothers insurance will seek recovery of these charges with the other costs and will ensure the fire brigade charges are paid.

The only issue is that in the mean time is that the county council will not be paid until the third party pays up. I will contact them and let them know the situation so they are aware the insurer will be paying directly and it may take some time.
On the plus side i should hopefully get some crash related medial expenses back for my parents which i was not aware that they paid.

Thanks for the advice.

9935452

Sue Pa Key Pa wrote: »

Yes. The person who receives the benefit from the services pays, regardless of who makes the call

A few years back a neighbour was burning bushes.
A passer by called the fire brigade.
The neighbour refused acess to the fire brigade.
The tried to bill him for their services .
He refused to pay as he didnt call them or get any service off them .
They then went after the passerby who rang them and got ayment from him.

Sue Pa Key Pa

9935452 wrote: »

A few years back a neighbour was burning bushes.
A passer by called the fire brigade.
The neighbour refused acess to the fire brigade.
The tried to bill him for their services .
He refused to pay as he didnt call them or get any service off them .
They then went after the passerby who rang them and got ayment from him.

The neighbour burning the bushes was not in need of the benefit of the fire services

9935452

Sue Pa Key Pa wrote: »

9935452 wrote: »

A few years back a neighbour was burning bushes.
A passer by called the fire brigade.
The neighbour refused acess to the fire brigade.
The tried to bill him for their services .
He refused to pay as he didnt call them or get any service off them .
They then went after the passerby who rang them and got ayment from him.

The neighbour burning the bushes was not in need of the benefit of the fire services

Totally but they still got paid for their time. .
It would make you think twice about ringing the fire brigade.
That or pull the sim card from your phone so they dont know who rang them

UrbanFret

9935452 wrote: »

Totally but they still got paid for their time. .
It would make you think twice about ringing the fire brigade.
That or pull the sim card from your phone so they dont know who rang them

You Cannot burn bushes without a "permit to burn" from the local authority, that is a fact. Primarily to avoid the very issue mentioned here. As regards RTCs or traffic accidents to the layman. The local authority sends the same bill to each party involved in the incident ,it's up to the insurance companies to sort out who pays. Oh and if there's a fatality involved then there is no bill.

9935452

UrbanFret wrote: »

9935452 wrote: »

Totally but they still got paid for their time. .
It would make you think twice about ringing the fire brigade.
That or pull the sim card from your phone so they dont know who rang them

You Cannot burn bushes without a "permit to burn" from the local authority, that is a fact. Primarily to avoid the very issue mentioned here.

As i said above it happened a good few years ago .
A general tip back then was to ring the fire brigade and let them know you were doung a controlled burn

UrbanFret

9935452 wrote: »

As i said above it happened a good few years ago .
A general tip back then was to ring the fire brigade and let them know you were doung a controlled burn

Years ago that used to suffice . Nowadays, like everything else it's a bit more long winded. You send in your "intent to burn form" at least 3 days in advance of the burn. The local authority contacts ERCC (eastern regional control centre) or WRCC depending where in the country you are. they also send a letter informing the local station officer of the application. If someone reports the burn, Control now know that this is a controlled burn,permission has been granted for it and they do not alert the fire service.;)