Insurance Query

[mrswitzend64]

Hello. Sorry this is a bit of long one. Can anyone please offer advice on the following.... Just before Christmas I got a call from my insurer to say my daughter had had a bump in my car in mid November (she's a named driver and I'd lent her the car to go to the hairdressers. She's 19 by the way). She had "forgotten" to mention this incident to me!!! Anyway, the insurer gave me an incident number and explained that I needed to call them back whilst she was there, give them this number and then put her on the phone to explain what had happened. (I had to make the initial call as I am the policy holder). The other party's insurance company had alerted my insurance company to this accident. My insurer didn't know at that stage how much damage had been caused to the other persons car (the damage on mine was minimal when I went to look) . My insurer did say though that the other persons car was a mobility car and if they couldn't get a similar hire car whilst their damage was being repaired, they may have to get taxis. (Apparently I could be charged for this as it's not covered on my fully comp policy.) I rang my insurers back later that day as requested with my daughter present and she explained what had happened. Which was ..... The other person had pulled in against the kerb to allow a street cleaner to pass. My daughter couldn't see the street cleaner, assumed the other car was parking and so overtook. The other person then pulled back out and my daughter clipped their front bumper with the back door of my clio. Anyway, I haven't heard anything at all from my insurance company since we called them back mid December. The chap we spoke to said he would send us some forms to write a statement of what had happened and draw pictures of the road / photo's of damage to my car etc...... but I have not heard a peep since. I thought perhaps as it was just before Xmas the forms may have been delayed in the post, but still nothing as of today. So my query is this .... (finally!) Do I contact my insurers to see what's happening (and probably end up with a big bill) or do I say nothing, and hope they forget or have lost the details. If it's the latter, will they have a record of it and could this ruin any future insurance I want to take out or any claim I may make in the future? We are an honest family (but poor!!) I don't want to be dishonest. Don't know what to do for the best. Please help !

[Canary42]

I don't think your insurance company will bother to take this any further if the other party hasn't made a claim (they have a very weak case after all - the other party that is). That may explain the silence.

They will have a record however and MAY alter your next premium accordingly - they are b@stards for doing that sort of thing. So you may have to shop around on renewal for a better deal.

[SirOracle]

I agree with Canary that the Third Party pulled out whilst being overtaken by your daughter,and the TP actually pulled out when your car was probably at least two thirds past the TP.
This looks like the fault of the TP if the damages were to the TP front bumper and to the rear of your car.
If you explain this to your Insurer I am sure they will agree.
If they do not agree then it is up to your Insurer to negotiate with the TP, and I would add that any loss of use claim for hiring a car,or indeed paying for taxis, is their responsibility ,not yours.
This applies even if you only have TP cover and not Comprehensive,so I don't think that the person you spoke to knows what they are talking about here.
There could be an Excess on your Policy which MAY apply to the TP section,which you will have to ascertain by reading your Policy.
Hope this is of some assistance to you.

[mrswitzend64]

Thank you Canary and SirOracle. My brother said he thought the TP was at fault by pulling back out without indicating as she overtook and hitting the back door of my car. The damage is as you say SirOracle, 2/3 of the way along my car. She genuinely thought they had parked and overtook accordingly. I was worried incase I get landed with a big bill if I do chase up whats happening, or my premium shoots up. I haven't made any claim as mine is an old car and the damage is barely noticable. I suppose I should mention it when my renewal comes up?