Query re. insurance

Mike_B

I'm posting on behalf of my girlfriend - I don't drive myself so can't really help her out, haven't a clue about all this stuff.

The story is, she has been driving for about 6 months on a provisional and is insured (comprehensive) on her mother's car. Her parents are on holiday at the moment and she has been using the car a bit while they're away. Yesterday she was driving through Blackrock and there was a bit of construction going on (trucks etc on the side of the road) and she rubbed up against the side of one of the builder's vans. Initially she thought all she had done was hit her passenger side mirror (as it snapped 'shut' against the side of her car) but when she got home she realised that she had also scraped the side of her car a bit and put a bit of a dent in it.

Now in an ideal world she would just get the car fixed before her parents come home and they would be none the wiser (they would never let her out in the car again). What she is worried about is that she may have damaged the van and a claim could be made against her parents insurance. Is this possible? All the builders were standing round and could defintely have got her licence plate if they wanted. If this did happen how would her parents be notified - by a letter?

Bearing in mind the damage to her own car is minimal, I think that any damage to the van would be even less and she is just freaking out over nothing. Plus I haven't a clue if you could make a claim against someone based on their licence plate, or how likely this is. So thought I would throw it out there to you folks.

unkel

Mike_B wrote:

What she is worried about is that she may have damaged the van and a claim could be made against her parents insurance. Is this possible

Of course it is

I could go off on a rant now that she shouldn't have been driving the car on her own on a provisional license, but that wouldn't really help you

If it was me, I'd go back to the construction site with her and ask for the foreman. Explain the situation. This would obviously leave you at their mercy, as in they might make up a claim. It would help a lot if your G/F could remember any details of the van she hit

Mike_B

Thanks unkel. If a claim was made, what would be the first her parents would know about it? Would the insurance company send a letter, call, what?

unkel

Mike_B wrote:

If a claim was made, what would be the first her parents would know about it? Would the insurance company send a letter, call, what?

I'm not quite sure

If she'd be able to settle with the builder without going through the insurance and if she'd have her parents car fixed before they return from holidays, the parents will never need to know

ciarsd

as unkel said. drop up to the site, ask for foreman, have a look for the van she hit and try sort it out without the involvement of insurance companies. wether the builder copped it or not is irrelevant: if he/she did, and you don't act he/she could take you to the cleaners, if he/she did not, then its the moral thing to do and could save a lot of anxiety and messing around.

MrJoeSoap

What a spammer.

ciarsd

yeah nice and constructive - copy and paste :rolleyes:

Bluetonic

unkel wrote:

I could go off on a rant now that she shouldn't have been driving the car on her own on a provisional license, but that wouldn't really help you

It's perfectly legal to drive on your second provisional, the OP doesn't state if it's a first, second or subsequent provisional so you can't say she shouldn't have been driving the car on her own on a provisional license anyhow!

Although he does mention she has been driving 6 months on a provisional she could have had a previous provisional and not driven on it.

Big Nelly

Mike_B wrote:

Thanks unkel. If a claim was made, what would be the first her parents would know about it? Would the insurance company send a letter, call, what?

Well I put up a similiar thing earlier this year but search dont work!! in that situation my cousin was being accused of hitting a car and driving off....was called into Garda station for a hit and run.....now he got it sorted out because the day they said he hit the car he wasnt even in the county because he was away at a wedding!! anyway according to peopel on here(not sure myself) this could be seen by the Garda as a hit and run and she could lose her license!! I dont think it would go that far but it could if you got the wrong Garda!!

Anyway why didnt she stop and tell someone she hit the van?? there is no excuse to say that she just thought she hit the mirror!! what if there is alot of damage done to the van? the poor builder will have to go and pay himself or go to his insurance which could put up his quote????? thats a joke and your GF should be ashamed of herself!!!

You talk about an ideal world? in a ideal world she wouldnt be allowed on the road on a provisional because this just shows another reason why provisional drivers are a danger on the road! if she cant judge the dimensions of her car then what hope is there? what would have happened if some poor sod was standing at the side of the road??? knock him/her down and then drive off?????

If I was you I would get quick smart down to the builder before he reports to the Garda!! then get your GF some driving lessons!!!