Been an idiot, went into the back of someone

DiG

DiG

DiG

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16 Mar 2004
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2,257
Well, I feel like a right muppet! Was on my way to my local Tesco when someone went to pull out at a side street causing the person in front to slam on, cue me not reacting quick enough and sliding into the back of them!

Actual impact was quite slow as it was a residential road and we where going 30. Can't have been more than 10mph shunt. The weird bit is the guy then drove off!

I drove after him presuming that he wanted to stop somewhere not on the main road but he had gone! Caught up with him at a mini-roundabout and flashed my lights signalling left, he turned and we stopped to swap details. First thing he said was "we don't need to go through insurance, or call the police", no insurance then I think. Got his details and gave him mine insisting that I wanted to do things through insurance and went on my way.

I'll post pics of the damage tomorrow, its not too bad, bumpers pushed in a bit and a few bits of trim snapped, hard to tell in the dark. My question is about what happens next, my insurance company have given me a local company to ring in the morning, apparently they will inspect it and then book me in for a repair. Is there anything I need to watch out for in terms of making sure the repair is done properly? Anything I should inspect myself before I take it down or when its repaired etc? Sorry for the questions, never had to do this before!

Best thing is no one was hurt, worst bit is I've lost my carefully earnt 2 years NCB and am looking at £2300 for insurance next year! Feel like a right ****

EDIT: Photos, sorry for the camera phone quality!

http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/WHtAq4dZIBoPn98T4-WbCg?feat=directlink
http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/sGtyXHaMkxFC6QGsN3_jUg?feat=directlink
http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/VoGy2O5eFvSBmxL6B_9Ncg?feat=directlink
http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/i_xu3lpOioiFJGAaO5dwpw?feat=directlink
 
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If it's just a bumper and a few bits of trim then why bother going through the insurance? Have you spoken to them already? What's the car?
 
Shouldn't of went through your insurance if the guy wasn't bothered and drove off. could have saved yourself a fortune and got it repaired cheaper.
 
Sounds like he doesn't want to go through insurance because he doesn't have any? driving off and requesting no Police would get me suspicious.
 
Just fix the front of your car, dont tell the insurance and call it you lucky unlucky day.
 
I'm not sure why you are so insistent on going through insurance, you should be pleased that he's not bothered. You're going to cost yourself a fortune.
 
I'd report the incident to the local Police at the very least.

I had a similar incident a few years back, a car got "slightly shortened by my truck" :o but despite the mangled heap at the side of the road (which I thought was entirely my fault at the time) its owner was more than happy to "Not bother with insurance, No Police, No Police......" - I remember straight away thinking he sounded iffy, why on earth would he not want his damaged (trashed:o) car sorted out courtesy of my employers insurance? :confused:



The Police turned up, made a few enquiries and was told to leave - The uninsured & un-licenced driver of the wrecked car got a ride home courtesy of the Met.......
 
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I want to go through insurance so its all done properly, I a) don't want to pay for repairs to their car, for them to turn round with a whiplash claim 6 months down the line or anything b) want to get my car repaired properly, which I think will probably cost more than the £1200 its costing me to go through insurance (excess + increase in insurance). The cars a Lexus IS250, so not going to be the cheapest to repair, having looked at it again it looks like the front of the bonnet is bent slightly, so thats going to add to the cost.

I thought about them not being insured, should I report that to the police? I'm not sure they will do anything, and it doesn't benefit me, I mean it was my fault, so am I right in thinking that them not being insured isn't going to make a difference to my claim?
 
Run the plate through AskMID - should tell you if it is insured.

Personally I'd stay away from insurance. They wanted to drive off without even knowing your reg or who you are - they're not gonna claim for whippy if they were so intent on getting away.
 
Peerzy said:
Run the plate through AskMID - should tell you if it is insured.

Personally I'd stay away from insurance. They wanted to drive off without even knowing your reg or who you are - they're not gonna claim for whippy if they were so intent on getting away.
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Thanks, have just done so and it shows as not insured, think I'll give my local station a quick ring in the morning, can't hurt! I've already talked to my insurers, so its too late to do anything else. Anything else I need do in terms of making sure the accident repairers do a proper job, I want the car as good as new at the end of this!
 
You can cancel your claim. Phone to say you've changed your mind - you've left them know about the incident but don't wish to make a claim which is all well within the law.

Isn't there some sort of fund or something for uninsured drivers or is that just some companies let you keep your NCB if you have an accident with one of them?
 
To me the no police thing makes me think it'd be something more than no insurance, report it and see what happens :p
 
Even if the guy has no insurance YOU still hit him. I'd leave it if I where you otherwise If you contact the police he CAN and is more likely to sue your insurance for the damages and whipcash.

Just because he had no insurance doesnt mean he cant still sue.
 
Peerzy said:
You can cancel your claim. Phone to say you've changed your mind - you've left them know about the incident but don't wish to make a claim which is all well within the law.

Isn't there some sort of fund or something for uninsured drivers or is that just some companies let you keep your NCB if you have an accident with one of them?
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indeed cancel the claim, either live with the damage and do a bit of diy or pony up and get the repair done out your own pocket, most likely cheaper than the increase on your insurance for the next x number of years
 
Foxtrot26 said:
indeed cancel the claim, either live with the damage and do a bit of diy or pony up and get the repair done out your own pocket, most likely cheaper than the increase on your insurance for the next x number of years
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Thing is it doesn't seem to make that much difference, with my NCB + 1 accident is £200 less than with no NCB + 1 accident, so with my £200 excess that gives me £400 to fix everything. I'm going to go down to the accident repairers today and see how much they quote for the insurance company, if its not very much I'll get a second quote and maybe cancel the claim. I think I can convince the other party not to claim, I'm kicking myself for going after then, I could have just stopped at the scene and I wouldn't have to worry about a 3rd party :mad:
 
DiG said:
I'm going to go down to the accident repairers today and see how much they quote for the insurance company, if its not very much I'll get a second quote and maybe cancel the claim.
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They will probably quote far, far more than you can actually get it repaired for, mine have declared my Rover 220SDi a total loss and paid me out £800 and then let me have the car back, £50 and two secondhand but identically coloured doors later and it's fixed and roadworthy again with £750 change in my pocket, it's madness!

Gonna put it through a vehicle identity check for £40, and then sell it on for £650-700.
 
DiG said:
Thing is it doesn't seem to make that much difference, with my NCB + 1 accident is £200 less than with no NCB + 1 accident, so with my £200 excess that gives me £400 to fix everything.
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Dont forget the next 4 years of inflated premiums aswell.
 
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