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Original poster

Car accident involving colleague

201 replies

WrendaleCountryDogs · 28/01/2023 19:12

On Thursday, a colleague was driving into our work place car park and swerved to avoid a car coming out, and went straight into my car. Cctv shows she was going too fast and the other driver had right of way as it's a narrow entrance/exit and road signs show priority is to the one exiting the car park.
Anyway my car is damaged. I was parked in a bay and not in the car. I took car to garage yesterday and they said its going be around £800 to sort the damage. I've got my MOT in February and the car won't Pass based on the damage.
Spoke to colleague,.who I've known for years and we get on really well. I said we can go through her insurance or she can pay for it. She was very evasive and has now said she's not actually insured. She is also adamant she can't pay £800. This is probably true as she's got twin 2 year old and a 15 month old.

What the he'll do I do? I cannot afford this. Car is a 2010 and done over 150k miles. If the mot failed and it was to cost me £800 I'd scrap it and get another car. But it's not me that has caused this damage.

What do I do???

OP posts:
JudgeJ · 28/01/2023 21:59

WeepingSomnambulist · 28/01/2023 19:18

Just be honest with her. Tell her, "I cant afford to pay for this so I will be going through my insurance. That's why I pay for insurance. I'll be giving them your details and theyll take it from there. They may contact the police if you really sont have insurance but I'm afraid that is my only option.
Either you pay for it or I call my insurance and you'll need to deal with the fallout of driving uninsured."

Just be matter of fact, say it and leave her to decide by the end of the day.

I wouldn't do that, I would just go my insurance company and let them deal with the accident and her lack of insurance. If you attempt to sort it without going through your insurance you're condonng her lack of insurance and it could come back to bite you if she is later found out.

JudgeJ · 28/01/2023 22:05

StillWantingADog · 28/01/2023 19:46

You’re going to have to be very matter of fact with her. Unless she can pay up (and in extremis perhaps a family member can help her out; presumably there is damage on her car too) then insurance is your only option - they’ll sort it.

No, if she doesn't get insurance and it's later found out that you knew you could have problems. The next accident she has may kill someone, you can't ignore the lack of insurance.

IheardYouButDontWantToAnswer · 28/01/2023 22:07

CouldOfIsntRight · 28/01/2023 19:25

Get a copy of the cctv as proof, report her to police as uninsured and speak to your insurance.
If you were hit on work property I’d be involving them too.

this

NeedToKnow101 · 28/01/2023 22:12

RicciardoPerez · 28/01/2023 19:29

Just a word of warning, when you go through your insurance and she is dealt with, she will try and play the victim and make YOU feel bad. Will probably cause an atmosphere at work too.

Yep! Happened to me with one of my best friends. After we had both agreed to contact our insurers and say what had happened... she just put her head in the sand and said nothing. Then suddenly I was the bad guy for telling my insurer she had admitted liability. Took years to sort out for the sake of losing a no claims bonus..

Ihavedogs · 28/01/2023 22:13

Would you be pussy footing about if it was a stranger who had hit your car? Would you do the same if it was someone who appeared to have been driving under the influence? What about if you had been sat in the car and injured?

Does what she did make it right as you feel sorry for her driving illegally?

Are you happy to potentially invalidate your insurance by not reporting it?

Are you happy to go without something else (perhaps heating or food or a much needed break, after school clubs etc) to pay for the damage out of your own pocket?

Sorry to say, but it’s people turning a blind eye to illegal driving that costs every legal driver and anyone else who ends up being hurt/injured by an uninsured driver.

You have a responsibility and an obligation to report to your insurance company at the very least and you ought to report to the police.

1980sfookup · 28/01/2023 22:14

This reply has been deleted

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GirlOfTudor · 28/01/2023 22:14

Don't feel bad because of the number of kids she has. That's irrelevant.

Contact your insurance. You'll have to let them know she's uninsured and they'll have to let the police know. It'll teach her a lesson.

You shouldn't suffer due to her bad choices.

Parisj · 28/01/2023 22:16

I'd say, I'm sorry for your situation but its really not ok to be driving uninsured. I can't pay for the damage and I won't lie to my insurers by not informing them.

Milkand2sugarsplease · 28/01/2023 22:23

She took this risk when she decided to not bother with her own insurance. You shouldn't have to foot the bill because of her choices.

Go through your insurance and get the cctv to confirm your description of the event and leave it with them to do as they will with it.

She cannot seriously be expecting you to foot the bill for this because of her choices.

Figgygal · 28/01/2023 22:24

Go through your insurance
Report her to the police
No excuse
Idiot probably drives with her kids in car too - no sympathy

Ihatepcos · 28/01/2023 22:34

Any repercussions are her own doing, not yours. I can't believe someone would be so stupid as to drive to work uninsured.

Tilllly · 28/01/2023 22:35

People like this cost us all more in premiums

Agree with the majority of posters here - and chat to your manager too

HoppingPavlova · 28/01/2023 23:30

Don’t even understand why this is a question? You go through your insurance giving all required details, they pay/organise for repairs. How they choose to deal with her is up to them, nothing at all to do with you.

Fraaahnces · 29/01/2023 00:39

I very much doubt that your workplace is going to be very sympathetic to her driving an uninsured vehicle and so recklessly that she caused an accident regardless of her personal situation. Guilt-tripping you about it is absolutely manipulative behaviour and worth reporting to HR as well. Go through the correct channels so that you are protected legally and can continue to go to work, etc. What a silly, irresponsible woman she is! I really hope she hasn’t been driving the kids in that car!

TenTenEleven · 29/01/2023 00:50

WrendaleCountryDogs · 28/01/2023 19:31

Her kids weren't in the car. I don't want her to lose her license as she'll lose her job too as we work rural and there is no transport. But I can't not go through my insurance

Another word of warning: now that you know she has no insurance, if this came to the attention of the police or courts, you could be guilty of an offence for conspiring with someone who is uninsured.

She's an idiot for driving uninsured and she's well and truly fucked it for herself. But that's on her. You don't really have the option to do nothing.

Quveas · 29/01/2023 03:21

Not sure if she drives as part of her work, but when we claim mileage we have to sign that we have a driving licence, insurance etc. If that is not true its a disciplinary offence and coyote result in dismissal.

Quveas · 29/01/2023 03:21

Could - no coyotes in sight thank goodness!

LunaAndHerMoonDragons · 29/01/2023 03:33

WeepingSomnambulist · 28/01/2023 19:18

Just be honest with her. Tell her, "I cant afford to pay for this so I will be going through my insurance. That's why I pay for insurance. I'll be giving them your details and theyll take it from there. They may contact the police if you really sont have insurance but I'm afraid that is my only option.
Either you pay for it or I call my insurance and you'll need to deal with the fallout of driving uninsured."

Just be matter of fact, say it and leave her to decide by the end of the day.

Id also point out to her that the moment you do this not only is she at risk for driving uninsured it's also likely to become much more expensive for her. Insurance often have to make good to a higher level then most people would bother with, like replacing an entire panel instead of just fixing the dents.

Nicecow · 29/01/2023 03:44

You said yourself you can't afford this. Tell your insurance, you aren't responsible for her stupid choices. Not your problem and if she had any integrity she shouldn't even be expecting you to foot the bill! She is not your friend.

WestBridgewater · 29/01/2023 06:25

TenTenEleven · 29/01/2023 00:50

Another word of warning: now that you know she has no insurance, if this came to the attention of the police or courts, you could be guilty of an offence for conspiring with someone who is uninsured.

She's an idiot for driving uninsured and she's well and truly fucked it for herself. But that's on her. You don't really have the option to do nothing.

Show quote history

The only insurance offences are Use/Cause/Permit regarding not having insurance. The OP has done none of these and would not face any prosecution in the UK for conspiring with someone who is uninsured as there is no such offence.

whowhatwerewhy · 29/01/2023 07:20

You need to inform your insurance. She's chosen to drive with no insurance that's not your problem.
Depending on the value of your car and the cost of the damage your car might be written off .

watchfulwishes · 29/01/2023 07:27

WrendaleCountryDogs · 28/01/2023 19:31

Her kids weren't in the car. I don't want her to lose her license as she'll lose her job too as we work rural and there is no transport. But I can't not go through my insurance

What are your responsibilities? Your job, your car, your insurance policy.

What are her responsibilities? Her job, her car, her insurance policy.

Your policy says you must tell them if you are in an accident. That is what you must do.

The alternative is not logical, you can't seriously be willing to pay £800 on behalf of another person and invalidate your own insurance by not declaring? Be sensible.

msbevvy · 29/01/2023 07:40

Make sure that the CCTV is kept and not recorded over.

I wouldn't hesitate in reporting her to the police and insurers. Hopefully that will prevent her from driving her children around in an uninsured vehicle.

TidyDancer · 29/01/2023 08:00

What has she actually said she proposes to do about this? Did she just leave you hanging after admitting she had no insurance and made no further comment?

Her stupidity (both in her causing this accident and not having insurance) is her issue to solve, not yours. Her solution can't be just to say 'I can't pay for this, sorry'. You offered her the chance to pay it to effectively make this problem go away but she can't or won't.

I would tell her very matter of factly that you are going through your insurance company and have to give her details over to them. See what her reaction is.

And as someone suggested up thread, do actually check she's not insured and not just playing some bizarre woe is me game with you.

IbizaToTheNorfolkBroads · 29/01/2023 08:54

Go through your insurance, that is what you pay for.

Don't let your heart overrule your head. Your car needs repairing, however much you sympathise with your colleague's situation.