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Is this normal? Car insurance claim

15 replies

CurlsLDN · 16/05/2025 09:42

Hello, in August 2024 I was driving through a supermarket car park at under 10mph, and a parked car reversed out of its space, hitting the back side of my car.
I’ve attached a diagram as I know they’re compulsory! my car is green, there’s is red, blue are other parked cars. They didn’t start moving until I had already started passing behind their car.

my car had damage to the back passenger door and back wheel arch.

the other driver admitted fault at the scene, and to her insurers.
I contacted my insurers (Tesco) and the swiftly got my car fixed.

in November Tesco contacted me to say the other party had changed her mind and now said it was not her fault - no explanation was given as to how it could be my fault/no fault.
Tesco passed the case on to a solicitor.

it’s now 9 months since the accident and I’ve heard nothing from ‘my’ solicitors. They ‘don’t take phone calls’ so I’ve emailed them 4 times asking them for an update but had no reply.
ive asked tesco insurance for an update and they always phone me next day, but all they can say is it’s with the solicitors.

in the mean time I’m still waiting for refund of my excess, and I’ve had to renew my car insurance with this marked as an open claim and my fault so I’m paying very expensive car insurance. Tesco have told me this overpayment will be refunded once the claim is settled as no fault to me, but it feels like I’m waiting forever and out of pocket.

  • is 9 months+ a normal length of time for a seemingly straightforward claim to be settled?
  • is it normal for the solicitors not to give any updates at all?
  • should I escalate this somehow? To who?

thanks for any advice and experience you can share, this is my first time making a claim!

OP posts:
CurlsLDN · 16/05/2025 09:43

Diagram!

Is this normal? Car insurance claim
OP posts:
Bunnyisputbackinthebox · 16/05/2025 09:46

I waited 17 months for the case to be closed.. Twat Man Driver denied fault.. Despite driving round the bend of a country lane on my side and hitting me head on.
I overpaid insurance.. Was massively inconvenienced when a renewal was refused on my second car... Never received any monies back for overpayment...

MignonsMorceaux · 16/05/2025 09:55

Took me a year. Wasn't my fault but because they decided it wasn't that clear cut (i had dash cam evidence!) I had to pay the excess. It got paid back eventually. And yes no updates until the end.

CurlsLDN · 16/05/2025 10:11

Ok Thankyou both, seems I need to settle in for the long haul then!

OP posts:
PleaseAndThankYou12 · 16/05/2025 12:10

What a nightmare OP! I used to work in car claims and the onus is always on the reversing party - so I have no idea how or why they are dragging their heels. Even if the driver doesn’t want to admit they are liable, it’s up to the insurance company - there are plenty of case law examples for different scenarios etc. I would say that 9+ months is ridiculous - you could always send a strongly-worded email to solicitors and insurance to advise that you are raising a case with the FOS. Good luck!

BangersAndGnash · 16/05/2025 12:13

The other driver is so obviously at fault.

All v frustrating.

I would be putting pressure on Tesco, they are the ones who employed the solicitor on their behalf.

Latenightreader · 16/05/2025 12:13

I had someone go into the back of me when I was stopped at a zebra crossing. Their insurance wouldn't pay so it went to solicitors and it took almost a year. Thankfully they paid just before the court date, which was a month before my renewal date, so my premium was unaffected.

Spanador · 16/05/2025 12:24

I've had two claims in the last couple of years, both not my fault and both with solicitors having to be involved. The first one admitted fault on police bodycam and it still took nearly 2 years to be paid out, and the second one took about 8 months

House0fBamboo · 16/05/2025 12:32

Mine took 2 years and 3 months to go to court, despite the fact the insured wasn't even driving and had let his child have the keys to his rather expensive company car. ( I had photographs of the insured getting out of the back seat and his son in the driving seat) they reversed into me whilst I was stationary.

The only updates I got were when they needed something and then the court date - the other side settled on the morning before court

MigGril · 16/05/2025 12:35

Similar thing happened to me only there was no real damage to my car so I didn't find out how long it took them to sort the case out. It was settled as not my fault though.

CurlsLDN · 16/05/2025 16:26

Thanks all, really helpful to hear your experiences. It’s amazing that we pay for this service and yet it takes forever! At least I feel reassured that I likely haven’t just been forgotten.

thanks @PleaseAndThankYou12 for mentioning the FOS, I’ll look into that and keep it as a route to escalate if this goes on like this much longer

OP posts:
TwoBlueFish · 16/05/2025 16:31

I had a transit van run into the back of me while I was stationary in May 2022. He admitted fault, it went to court in Feb 2024 (he disputed the car hire) and finally settled in January 2025.

CurlsLDN · 16/05/2025 16:33

@TwoBlueFish wow, I’m really in the early days then!

OP posts:
thenightsky · 16/05/2025 16:40

DH was hit on the back passenger side wheel arch by someone driving into him on a roundabout. It was his right of way, but other party said he'd driven into her. Not sure how given cars cannot go sideways. This was last Sept and our insurance is also with Tesco. We've just settled 50/50 as they've ground us down. Other party told some terrible lies too.

kissmyfatass · 16/05/2025 17:29

I work in an insurer. 9 months is nothing unfortunately.
tesco have probably passed your claim to a solicitor to recover the outlay they incurred for your car.
The solicitor will chase the other insurer periodically but won’t have an update for you until they respond. They will eventually threaten them with court. This is clear cut non fault so just sit tight.

fyi you won’t get your extra premium back that’s bullshit

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