Guest 667- Registered: 6 Apr 2008
- Posts: 919
#1
Why do we pay insurance and then when it comes to pay out they have to try and con us.
I was driving along Abbey road from Capel le Ferne towards Dover when around West Hougham a car came the other was at speed. The road is a country road and there was nowhere to go so I pulled hard over to the left and stopped but because of his speed he could not stop in time and he hit my stationary car. He then did no more than ram his car into reverse and yes drove as fast as he could backwards up this country road for about half a mile until he came to a cross roads where he skidded round to the left, I had chased after him so I drove across him to stop him getting away.
This guy did no more than try to ram me but I pulled forward in time and he hit the rear end of my car and drove off at speed back towards Capel. Anyway reported it to the Police, NO Action of course as no one was hurt, the fact it was hit and run and he must have had a reason for not wanting to exchange details does not matter. My insurance company well they were the bees knees they want to charge me two lots of excess (2 x £375) as they say it is two accidents, once when he hit me and the second when he tried to ram me as that was in a different area to the first impact.
Hey it's just great keeping legal you end up paying for insurance and then paying again when you have an accident and the police could not care a dam. I know I agreed to the access but I do not see why I have to pay twice. It was not me who drove off, I did not ask him to then ram me to get away.
Unregistered User
#2
You have been dealt with appallingly by the Police and your Insurance Company Harry, while I understand your motive in pursuing the car you should consider your safety first, anything could have happened to you.
#3
Tell us what the other was Harry and we just might spot it for you and the disinterested Police.
Guest 655- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 10,247
#4
I find the police inaction appalling - we need the elected police chiefs!!!
As for the insurance company, there are good and bad and good and bad policies.
The FSA require them to treat customers fairly and if you believe that this treatment was unfair Harry you should make a complaint on that basis. Do so to the insurance company first and if they reject your complaint then go to the FSA Ombudsman. You should make sure that you make the complaint on the basis of 'TCF' and if necessary appeal on that.
As a rule insurance companies dont actually like turning down claims, believe it or not, as it gets them a poor reputation and claims experience is one of the judgements that brokers have to consider when recommending a company.
Guest 672- Registered: 3 Jun 2008
- Posts: 2,119
#5
I'm sorry you had to go through that experience H, If i had been in the same situation I might have totalled both cars just for the hell of it. Appalling.
What is it Barry with this excess thingy, even if it aint your fault you still have to pay?
grass grows by the inches but dies by the feet.
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
#6
some things never improve, been there myself.
the innocent will suffer, forget the police here.
Guest 667- Registered: 6 Apr 2008
- Posts: 919
#7
Thanks for the advice Barry I might just do that as I think it is wrong to be treated like this.
Sid the other car is a Black Citroen Saxo 3 door Hatchback YR52 EKE and it will have bad damage to offside front wing and some damge to nearside front wing where he went to ram me and just caught the rear of my car.
I understand my insurance broker was trying to get me tonight but I was out so maybe they have some news. Nothing from the police though, I doubt they even tried to trace the vehicle even though I gave them the registration.
Guest 655- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 10,247
#8
Ian - if you have an excess then you get cheaper premiums, higher the excess the less you pay in premium. In some cases there is a minimum excess, in other none.
Guest 653- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 10,540
#9
That's awful Harry - on all counts.
Shame on the Police, the guy was committing a crime by doing what he did; shame on the Insurance company for imposing 2 excesses.
I was driving home from work one evening and a big black guy ran out in the middle of the road (this was at Manor House in North London, near Finsbury Park) with a paving slab and threw it at the car I was in, bouncing the paving slab on the bonnet and embedding itself in the windscreen.
Apart from being scared out of my wits, I then saw a crowd of black people coming towards me and I thought that was it.
Luckily they all went past the car to chase after this guy, apart from one person who phoned for the Police.
The insurance company were very kind, they only charged me one excess - for the body repair, not for the windscreen repair.
Scary time though Harry - like yours.
Roger
Guest 693- Registered: 12 Nov 2009
- Posts: 1,266
#10
That's awful, Harry. If it were me, I would be writing to the Police Complaints Commission - Police inaction in instances such as this are inexcusable.
The counter to all this is my own experience with our car insurance recently; elsewhere on the forum I've posted details of a hit and run that my wife was involved with recently. One phone call was all it took and everything else was dealt with smoothly and efficiently, exactly what you want from your insurers at a stressful time. For what it's worth, our car insurance is through Lloyds TSB, and I would recommend them to anyone.
True friends stab you in the front.
Guest 667- Registered: 6 Apr 2008
- Posts: 919
#11
Well I did get a phone call from the police today about 4pm with a crime reference number and they told me they will be writing to the owner of the car with a form he has to fill in within 28days. The form is some sort of questionnaire in which the owner has to state who was driving and why they left the scene of the accident.
Great 48 hours later they will write to the car owner for an explanation. The car apparently is insured, taxed etc and has not been reported stolen. So I asked why they thought he did not stop and went out of his way to get away including trying to ram my car. The officer said they did not know, I kept my cool and said well to me there is only one other explanation drink or drugs but no one tried to find out did they so it's too late now.
Yes Andy I might just do that, the whole idea of no action because no one is seriously injured is a joke. He still committed a crime and all he has to answer for that, is to fill in a dam form.
The insurance Company have been quick in organising my repairs but will not budge on me having to pay twice the excess if I want the car fully repaired. So I will follow what Barry has said to do and I will not insure with them again.
#12
Whilst not expecting any sympathy, there is a French Port a little way from Dover who were meant to lift my boat out on their yacht hoist last week.
They managed to drop my boat ripping off all the stern fittings and causing damage which will go well into four figures, the first one being other than one.
In spite of the fact that there are independent witnesses and it is all captured on CCTV they are being less than forthcoming with admitting liability.
It's all in the hands of my insurance company right now but I suspect that this is going to drag out big time resulting in me having no yacht for the summer and m'learned friends being able to afford a new one.
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
#13
i have heard too that lloyds tsb sort out things very promptly.
Guest 693- Registered: 12 Nov 2009
- Posts: 1,266
#14
Bob
My monnaie is on a Gallic shrug and "C'est La Vie...."
True friends stab you in the front.
#15
Andy, absolutely. So far their offer is that they will not charge for the lift out (when they dropped me) and will give me free storage time whilst I get it fixed.
I'm not sure what the french translation is for 'magnanimous'?
I have put this firmly in the hands of my Insurance Brokers as any other route will not be good for my blood pressure.
Guest 693- Registered: 12 Nov 2009
- Posts: 1,266
#16
Having just checked with schoolboy Franglais dictionary, I can confirm that the French don't just have a word for 'magnanimous', they have an entire phrase for it:
"Va te faire enculer, cochon Anglais" about sums it up, but don't quote me on it.
True friends stab you in the front.
#17
I was moaning about this at school yesterday to the French Department.
I finished my rant by saying that 'lifting boats was one of the two things that the French are crap at'.
They foolishly asked me what the other was.
I said 'defending Paris', and fled.
Guest 693- Registered: 12 Nov 2009
- Posts: 1,266
#18
LOL!!!!!!!!!!
True friends stab you in the front.
#19
Bob!!
Tell it like it is, love it.