Hit and run while driving rental car?

BuToNz

BuToNz

BuToNz

Soldato
Joined
18 Jan 2007
Posts
2,796
Location
Eastbourne, East Sussex
Hey guys,

Just wanted some advice on this as I'll likely be dealing with it over the weeks to come.

On the way back from the family visits tonight I managed to get hit while driving a rental car. I was hit from the side while driving in a two lane roundabout - she hit the side of the car. I assume this was because I was in the inner lane and the person in the outer lane let her out and she didn't realise it was a dual lane roundabout.

After she hit the side I ended up on the dual carriage way I was heading on and she drove off another junction on the roundabout. Since I was already on the dual carriage way I had to then drive up to the next roundabout and then come back to meet her (I had assumed she stopped on the other junction).

Coming back she had disappeared. I had only seen her face briefly and took note of the car she was driving but couldn't get the number plate being a bit in shock. No witnesses had stopped - me, my partner and my child were in the car. Thankfully only dazed.

I immediately called the police and they have filed a hit and run which I need to go to the station to sort out tomorrow.

This all happened a few hours ago. The car is perfectly driveable but has a scratches from the front of the door to the rear quarter. What action should I be taking and what exactly should I get told from the rental company?

The police said I just need to give the statement at the station and give the investigation number to the rental company.

Any advice appreciated as I'm pretty terrified I'm going to get screwed over on this one. Never had an accident before.

Thanks!
 
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Having rented a few cars over the last weeks I always had taken the waiver for damage. Who are you with and what was the car? Arnold clark is £500 to £750 excess depending on the car class. Enterprise are £1000 to £1500. The rental company I suspect will not be interested in who was at fault and claiming from them etc they will I assume just fix it on the company insurance and charge you.
 
I've been in a similar situation, and the excess was iirc £1000. You might be better off having the scratches repaired before returning the car, and chalking it up to experience/pursuing the runaway in another way.
 
They will not care who's fault it was and the amount depends on the hire company. Check the excess amount listed in your hire contract. That is the maximum they will ask for, its usually something extortionate, up to 2000 pounds I've seen before.

Saying that, they may not ask for much. I hired a care with Avis a few years ago in Greece and someone drove into the side of the car while we were stationary at traffic lights. They drove off, and we went to the local police station who essentially told us to go away as no one had been hurt. Anyway, the drivers side rear arch was really scratched. When we took it back a damage assessor from Avis took a look and i think we were charged about 250 euros. Want to know the really annoying thing, that time was the one time i had forgotten to get the excess waiver.
 
Car hire companies generally self-insure up to around £100,000 - so individual repairs and even write-offs are not claimed on any insurance. As such, the firm may sting you for the full amount of the excess, or the cost of repair if it's less than the excess.

Have you checked for any CCTV or ANPR in the vicinity of the roundabout?
 
Doesn't sound too promising then :(

Just been to drop the car off and to the police station.

Rental company was ok with it for now but obviously want me to pay the excess (£1000).

Went to the police station with my reference from last night and they were unable to find any reporting of it since apparently was a Merseyside reference. After a bit of explaining I eventually got a statement taken to which I was told they would not go any further without a number plate.

I suggested looking at the CCTV for the retail park/petrol station I thought she had come from but apparently that won't be good enough to assume.

Here is a Google maps of the roundabout: https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@52.6...ata=!3m4!1e1!3m2!1sKHMun9Drxws7fyCXLgce_g!2e0

I was about a car length behind the silver car on Google maps - I assume she had come from the Esso station part on the left and someone had stopped to let her out. The roundabout takes two lanes over it I was in the right hand lane.

Not really sure what to do from here as can't really afford to pay £1k out straight after Christmas - but here are the pics everyone wants to see!
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yikes that aint going to buff out,


its excess time by the looks of it.


certainly keep on top of the police though and if you do get her details take the scummy bint for every penny
 
Maybe she did stop, but as the OP kept going, she decided to leave too. How long did it take you to venture to the next roundabout, turn around then come back?

Still, no witnesses or details, so it looks like you might just be out of pocket here.
 
MooMoo444 said:
Maybe she did stop, but as the OP kept going, she decided to leave too. How long did it take you to venture to the next roundabout, turn around then come back?

Still, no witnesses or details, so it looks like you might just be out of pocket here.
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Took less than 10mins, she kept going from what I could see.
 
More and more people just seem to hit and run these days I think. Either worried about paying up, or, as I believe, they just don't care any more.
 
If I'd been in the wrong yes - I'd of certainly been calling my insurance company.

But then again I have a great appreciation of cars, it's clear most people don't give a crap as long as it does A to B.
 
Ouch, I don't see how else you can move this forwards :(

10mins to return to a crash scene is quite a while though, I'm not surprised she drove off even if she did stop.
 
Yikes, glad none of you were injured but I don't think this story has a happy ending for you (unless you believe in karma) :(
 
ci_newman said:
Ouch, I don't see how else you can move this forwards :(

10mins to return to a crash scene is quite a while though, I'm not surprised she drove off even if she did stop.
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Yeah, could well be that she was left thinking that the OP drove off with no intention to stop.
 
mejinks said:
So what happens with the excess? Do you get it back eventually?
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Only if it costs less to repair than the excess.

I really don't get why people are willing to risk it with a huge excess when it only costs 2 quid a day to reduce the excess to zero with a third party insurance product.
 
[TW]Fox;27405166 said:
Only if it costs less to repair than the excess.

I really don't get why people are willing to risk it with a huge excess when it only costs 2 quid a day to reduce the excess to zero with a third party insurance product.
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Hindsight is a wonderful thing. However, i wouldn't risk it personally either.
 
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