Car damaged by rolling into tree

Diarmuid

A relative had an accident with their car today. The had switched the car on to allow it to defrost and went inside the house. Unfortunately it's a car with an automatic handbrake and I don't know if it was they way they left the car running, but the hand brake was disengaged and the car roll down the garden and hit a tree. Hard to tell the extent of the damage, doesn't look too bad but it's a 161 Golf so I'm guessing the cost of repair is going to be significant. I'm wondering what is the best way to handle this from an insurance point of view?

No injury to anybody or anything apart from the car.

Presumably if they have comprehensive, this would be covered by insurance? Would this be seen as an "at fault" accident, and by extension and NCB protection would be gone?

SCOOP 64

They may have protected no claims bonus if so should be ok.

cml387

It might be wise to find out the cost first. Any claim against the insurance policy will result in a loss of NCB unless there is NCB protection.

It might be cheaper in the end to not go through insurance

blackbox

If you have NCB protection, does that follow through if you change insurer?

coylemj

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118204575#Comment_118204575

I don't think so. Either you pay for it as an extra or they give it to you as a loyalty bonus. So if you move, it's gone.

Gregor Samsa

There's another thread on Motors where someone unfortunately had their car stolen while they were getting something out of the boot, and were asking how they'd fare with insurance. They had left their keys in the car (didn't say whether the engine was running or not).

In response to that question, I said that the first place was to check their insurance policy, and I quoted the An Post/FBD one as an example. It says that the vehicle should:

never be left unattended or unlocked with keys still inside the car or any window or sunroof open. 

I stressed (and do here too) that the only opinion that matters in relation to interpreting this is that of the insurance company. What I or anyone else think is ultimately irrelevant (my irrelevant opinion there was that the car wasn't "unattended" as they were actively getting something from the boot).

However, it would strike me that in this instance, leaving the engine running and then going into the house would indeed be leaving the car unattended. In that case, it might not go so well with the insurance company. The NCB bit is probably the least of their worries.

ratracer

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118204575#Comment_118204575

No. And as I found out the hard way, you can’t easily change insurers after it either, as you have to tell them about the claim, and many won’t take on a person with a claim in the last three years.

I claimed a no fault accidental damage on my car, that my wife was driving at the time. Next renewal was a costly pain in the ass reminder! The insurance game in this country sucks!

CassieManson

Apparrently its an offence to leave your car unattended with the engine running..

Gregor Samsa

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118205525#Comment_118205525

On a public road (as per section 87 of the Road Traffic Regulations Act 1963). However, that wouldn't apply to private property, which the OP's situation describes ("the car roll down the garden").

Diarmuid

Thanks guys. It was parked on a private driveway. Turns out the NCB protection is going to cover it but as one of the posters mentioned, that might be an issue if she moves to a different insurer.

UrbanFox

While the car is in for repair get the garage to check specifically that the hand brake mechanism is alright.

It is probably the case that the brake was operated improperly. However, imagine if that was a 3 year old and not a tree. By getting it checked out you are being responsible.