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Original poster

DS17 has crashed his car, then cancelled his insurance help please !!

239 replies

iloveshetlandponies · 20/03/2024 08:03

He only passed a few weeks ago and yesterday was driving home from school and he went into the back of the car in front of him. This was due to someone pulling out on the driver in front and my son braked hard but unfortunately did not stop in time and has bumped the back of the car in front

Luckily no one was hurt and the other driver was reasonable and exchanged numbers and agreed DS (aka me!) would pay for the damage rather than going through insurance . The other chap is going to get a quote for the damage and contact us today to sort

However in his panic my son decided he doesn't want to drive for a while and so went onto his car insurance app and cancelled his own policy 🤦‍♀️ (he has pay as u go with Veygo and it's still insured because I've got my own insurance on the car which you have to have when insured with Veygo)

But now I'm panicking in case the damage is not affordable / the car is a write off and the chap has no choice to go through his insurance. My son now isn't insured - although he was at the time of the accident - so what will happen ?? And it's not like we can just reinstate the insurance as he's now had an accident, Altho not reported

It sounds daft but in all my years driving I've never had an accident and never had to claim so I'm not even sure how it all works !!

OP posts:
ForNaiceHiker · 20/03/2024 08:05

shit

he and i suspect you are pretty screwed

ring up insurance company and get clarity. now

user1471505356 · 20/03/2024 08:08

Do not panic, he was insured at the time of the incident. The fact that he subsequently cancelled his insurance does not change that.

treacledan71 · 20/03/2024 08:09

Sure you will be ok if had it when accident happened. Did he do it the sane day.

MaloneMeadow · 20/03/2024 08:09

Realistically OP if your son has been stupid enough to cancel his insurance straight after having an accident then he isn’t mature enough to be driving a car, end of

Damnloginpopup · 20/03/2024 08:10

The policy was still in force at the time of the accident and you have cover too so I would THINK it's covered*. Meanwhile, don't panic, just wait and see what the cost is going to be. Hopefullly nothing or minimal - some people can't be arsed dealing with it

You should inform the insurer, technically, but if you are avoiding doing so (understandable) you best wait it out.

  • It should be but I can't say for certain.
Toomuch44 · 20/03/2024 08:11

He was insured at the time of the incident, so he should argue that one.

Also, the did the person who pulled out in front do it unsafely, ie without looking, not giving cars in road time to react. If so, might want to argue they caused the accident due to irresponsible driving.

rainbowunicorn · 20/03/2024 08:12

MaloneMeadow · 20/03/2024 08:09

Realistically OP if your son has been stupid enough to cancel his insurance straight after having an accident then he isn’t mature enough to be driving a car, end of

Don't be so ridiculous. He is a 17 year old boy and he made a mistake. Nothing to do with whether he is mature enough to drive or not.

Damnloginpopup · 20/03/2024 08:13

MaloneMeadow · 20/03/2024 08:09

Realistically OP if your son has been stupid enough to cancel his insurance straight after having an accident then he isn’t mature enough to be driving a car, end of

He cancelled it because he came up with that decision himself. No need to be a twat about it and call him stupid FFS.

Wolveswithapack · 20/03/2024 08:14

Why are people being twats?

He was insured

He had a bump

What he did afterwards is irrelevant.

MaloneMeadow · 20/03/2024 08:16

Damnloginpopup · 20/03/2024 08:13

He cancelled it because he came up with that decision himself. No need to be a twat about it and call him stupid FFS.

Show quote history

To suddenly cancel your insurance on a whim right after an accident (without even consulting parents first) is not exactly sensible or logical behaviour. If he can’t use basic reasoning then he shouldn’t be behind the wheel, I say this as a parent of a new driver too.

Sunshineandrainbow · 20/03/2024 08:18

Wait and see what the other bloke says and then reassess.

Hope your son is OK.

CaptainCarrotsBigSword · 20/03/2024 08:18

Toomuch44 · 20/03/2024 08:11

He was insured at the time of the incident, so he should argue that one.

Also, the did the person who pulled out in front do it unsafely, ie without looking, not giving cars in road time to react. If so, might want to argue they caused the accident due to irresponsible driving.

Won't work. If you go into the back of someone, you are always responsible - because it is up to you to drive with sufficient distance ahead to stop in case of emergency.

MindHowYouGoes · 20/03/2024 08:20

Toomuch44 · 20/03/2024 08:11

He was insured at the time of the incident, so he should argue that one.

Also, the did the person who pulled out in front do it unsafely, ie without looking, not giving cars in road time to react. If so, might want to argue they caused the accident due to irresponsible driving.

The majority of the time if you go into the back of someone you are found to be at fault - you should leave enough stopping distance and be aware of hazards on the road to be able to stop in time.

Idideridest · 20/03/2024 08:20

If the other person makes a claim then DS will have to pay the full year’s insurance (if he hasn’t paid up front).

All part of growing up.

ForNaiceHiker · 20/03/2024 08:21

MaloneMeadow · 20/03/2024 08:09

Realistically OP if your son has been stupid enough to cancel his insurance straight after having an accident then he isn’t mature enough to be driving a car, end of

this

he is 17 and he has managed to crash his car already AND respond to the incident without an iota of sense

DirtyDensDog · 20/03/2024 08:23

Don't forget that most insurance companies require you to report any accident within 24 hours.

Kat2328 · 20/03/2024 08:24

Did he have a black box? If so they will already know about the accident and exactly the time it happened.

You need to report it to them, even if you decide not to get them to pay out, or it may cause problems getting insurance in future.

Original poster
iloveshetlandponies · 20/03/2024 08:26

Thanks everyone

I know he's been stupid 🤦‍♀️ I think he just reacted in a panic

No black box

OP posts:
Bunnyannesummers · 20/03/2024 08:26

If he didn’t report the accident when it happened, and it didn’t get any sort of police reference etc, then the insurers have no proof it happened while he was insured and are very unlikely to pay out - they’ll just think you’re trying to scam them.
There’s a time frame to report to insurance as well - I think it’s got to be within 24 hours, but it’s meant to be as soon as reasonably possible, so they’d be questioning why he didn’t do it yesterday, if he wasn’t hurt and nothing was preventing him.

Kat2328 · 20/03/2024 08:34

Did he take photos at the scene of the accident? as they will have a timestamp.

NB Taking photos at the scene of an accident should always be the FIRST thing you do, before anyone moves their car (or drives off!)

Ifailed · 20/03/2024 08:42

If there's any chance of a claim against his insurance, I expect they'll treat it as suspicious, especially as he didn't report it.

Original poster
iloveshetlandponies · 20/03/2024 08:48

I didn't know about the 24 hours thing but makes sense !

I guess I'll just have to wait to hear from the chap DS crashed into

OP posts:
ProfessorSlocombe · 20/03/2024 09:08

CaptainCarrotsBigSword · 20/03/2024 08:18

Won't work. If you go into the back of someone, you are always responsible - because it is up to you to drive with sufficient distance ahead to stop in case of emergency.

Show quote history

It's not automatic, but you'd need some sort of proof.

If the person in front just slammed the brakes on for no reason, then they could be partly liable under various driving laws.

Also if they pull in from one lane to another leaving insufficient stopping distance and then slam the brakes on, they can be liable. (This was the MO of the cash-for-crash gangs for a while),

Dashcam footage can be used to prove these events.

TonTonMacoute · 20/03/2024 09:23

MaloneMeadow · 20/03/2024 08:09

Realistically OP if your son has been stupid enough to cancel his insurance straight after having an accident then he isn’t mature enough to be driving a car, end of

Sort of feel this nails it. Sorry.

**
If the person in front just slammed the brakes on for no reason, then they could be partly liable under various driving laws.

Could be, but clearly not in this case. People might have to do an emergency stop for all sorts of good reasons, it is a driver's responsibility to keep a safe distance behind the car in front.

ProfessorSlocombe · 20/03/2024 09:27

TonTonMacoute · 20/03/2024 09:23

Sort of feel this nails it. Sorry.

**
If the person in front just slammed the brakes on for no reason, then they could be partly liable under various driving laws.

Could be, but clearly not in this case. People might have to do an emergency stop for all sorts of good reasons, it is a driver's responsibility to keep a safe distance behind the car in front.

Show quote history

Could be, but clearly not in this case. People might have to do an emergency stop for all sorts of good reasons, it is a driver's responsibility to keep a safe distance behind the car in front.

Oh quite. However my inner pedant came to life, briefly.

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