Advice from anyone who works in insurance please, thanks

[CrackerJack2021]

NC for this as police enquiry is ongoing. My elderly parents' boundary wall was badly damaged last week by their new NDN. It was sudden, deliberate, no permission was asked and it's made them nervous about security in their garden. The insurance assessor came out this morning and said they are probably covered for the full cost of replacement which is considerable. We will have to get quotes but it's going to be in the £thousands. The police have 'had a word' with the neighbour, we don't know whether he admits it or not, there is no other access to their garden apart from via his. Police have given a crime number and said it's classed as criminal damage, but I didn't get the impression they are going to prosecute him. My question is, do an insurance company pursue someone who has caused damage (when there is a crime number), and to what extent, to get their money back? My parents are going to lose their NCB and face higher premiums and I don't see why he should get away with this. Thanks for any info. I've got to go out 6 - 8pm today so can't respond, please don't think I've left the thread.

I only deal with car insurance but how it works in my field is that without a successful prosecution then we wouldn't proceed due to lack of evidence.

Thanks for your reply gobbynorthernbird.

Why did they do it? Was it an attempt to intimidate your parents in some way?

Again a car insurance one but I had my car damaged and the guy drove off, it was on cctv so although cops have done sod all my insurance are going after the driver for costs so it is possible if it can be proven

Sometimes yes.

Generally if the insurance company choose to persue the neighbour they would negotiate a deal with the neighbours own insurance company. If they’re not insured your parents insurance company are likely not going to attempt to gain money from the neighbour as it would be a lengthy and costly process for them.

Thanks to everyone for your replies.
Sorry for your experience Terminallysleepdeprived.

My parents' insurers, Direct Line, said yesterday afternoon that they will pursue the neighbour for reimbursement of their payment to my parents and their expenses i.e. their £300 policy excess.

There is nobody else who could have done it apart from the neighbour, but the police are being unhelpful in the absence of CCTV footage, which is disappointing.

I just don't want him to get away with destruction without having to pay for the damage he has caused.

Insurers can and do pursue the other party for recovery of costs. There is no need for a prosecution because it would most likely be a civil liability. However, they will make an assessment of their chances of success before pursuing it and if they feel it is not very likely then they may we’ll decide to pass.

As for NCD there is every chance this will be lost - it is after all a no claims discount, not a no blame discount.

Thanks jaundiced, I thought that would be the case.

Further to my previous post, the reason we don't pursue criminal damage without a conviction is because we need to prove who is responsible for the costs, and nobody ever admits to causing the damage and volunteers to reimburse.

Sorry Nordicwannabe I didn't see your question untii just now. I don't know why he did it, I think he's got plans for that side of the garden so now the boundary doesn't exist until / unless we get it repaired. I think he's trying them out to see what he can get away with.

First quote we got today was £7500. :(

gobbynorthernbird we have actually got some CCTV of him it. Don't know whether that would help the insurance company.

of him doing it

Ah, that is useful. Just that what you'd earlier said sounded like there wasn't any CCTV.
It's rubbish that the police haven't charged him yet.

The police have been shameful gobbyorthernbird (Humberside). I'm going to make a complaint to the IOPC if they carry on fobbing me off.