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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To be fed up with this driver and not know what to do?

40 replies

Crashedpost · 21/05/2014 18:27

Apologies for name change but in case those involved read it I don't want it linked to other posts.

A woman knocked on my door on Monday morning telling me that she had hit my fence post and knocked it over. She had knocked over the post breaking it off at ground level, smashed the close board fence, knocked over and killed a tree, a complete mess. The fence post had hit DH's car (sitting on the drive) and cracked the rear bumper. She gave me her name, number and I took the registration number and she said she would call me with details.

She turned up again an hour later with her husband and they admitted that the damage had been done to the car by the fence post and he said they were insured and would sort it.

Since then there have been a series of text exchanges where the husband has tried to say the fence could be patched together and that the damage to the car was the sort you can get in any supermarket car park so we should just paint over it, that he would send someone to look at the damage yesterday then today, no sign. We insisted it needed to go through insurance. DH and I got very fed up and have now said we want insurance details today. He has responded saying he has a better idea and is now not responding.

We rang our insurance company on Monday when it happened, but they opened and closed the case saying it wasn't anything to do with them as the other driver was entirely at fault so no help from them. This can't be right can it?

Obviously it isn't a police matter, but if he refuses to talk to his insurance company are we just stuck with paying to repair our fence and car? Is there anything we can do next.

OP posts:
MrsWedgeAntilles · 21/05/2014 18:30

Call 101?

ICanSeeTheSun · 21/05/2014 18:31

As you got the car registration the insurance company can do the chasing.

wheresthelight · 21/05/2014 18:32

I would call 101 and then your insurance company!

Littlef00t · 21/05/2014 18:33

I'd call the car insurance back and query, I'm sure when we had a driver go into the back of us we rang to get the car repaired and gave other party details and they were pursued for cost.

cutefluffybunnes · 21/05/2014 18:35

You have their names and phone numbers. If you also have their car registration number, even better. Give all these details to your insurance company and see how far they get.

Littlef00t · 21/05/2014 18:35

Also the other party insurance were obnoxious and threatening, trying to make us use their services etc. we asked all correspondence to be via our insurance as felt they were harassing us and worked well.

BrieAndChilli · 21/05/2014 18:38

did you take photos? if not i would do some now so they cant say they didnt do it/it wasnt as bad etc

Icimoi · 21/05/2014 18:38

Of course your insurance company could deal with this, presumably if you don't get anything back from the other driver you will be entitled to claim on your insurance policy (though I wouldn't if you can avoid it, it'll affect your no claims bonus).

Haven't got time to look this up, but I am wondering whether the refusal to give insurance details is a police matter - I thought there was some sort of obligation to give them. Also the fact that he won't give them makes me wonder whether they actually are insured.

itiswhatitiswhatitis · 21/05/2014 18:39

I agree with those saying phone 101 for advice. Am surprised your insurance company would open and close the case without contacting them first?

Redglitter · 21/05/2014 18:46

Phone 101 if there's damage to property police will get involved

KitKat1985 · 21/05/2014 18:50

I would contact 101 as well. They have admitted fault and are being deliberately evasive about paying. I would have thought refusal to give insurance details after an accident would be police contactable?

Crashedpost · 21/05/2014 18:50

Thanks, for the fast responses. I don't know why but I am really stressing about this. I think it's just rage that someone (clearly not short of money) can be such an arse. He just keeps saying he doesn't want to lose his no claims. Well tough.

The insurance company were useless, just said than you for the information and closed the case (while telling us it would affect our premiums). We are fully comp.

We got photos. The driver was dropping off her DC at the nursery opposite and she told the nursery what she had done so we have sort of witnesses too.

OP posts:
matildasquared · 21/05/2014 18:52

Absolutely phone the police and report this, then get on the phone to your insurance company with the police incident report number.

Sorry they turned out to be such jackasses.

Crashedpost · 21/05/2014 18:55

Ha, he has just rung DH to offer us £300 to sort this. Oh yes, we are so stupid as to think that will cover replacing the length of fence and a new bumper for the car. Still hasn't given us the insurance details.

OP posts:
cookiefiend · 21/05/2014 18:57

Refusing to give details after an accident is an offence- call 101 police will speak to her. From memory it carries six penalty points rather than the three you get for speeding. Don't feel bad- she is the idiot.

MintyCoolMojito · 21/05/2014 18:58

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

RaptorInaPorkPieHat · 21/05/2014 18:58

Bit of a curveball idea, but how about giving your house insurance people a ring? (as well as the police) seeing as it was damage to your property. (might be a crap idea though)

CAB is all else fails.

HannerHet · 21/05/2014 18:59

Agree you should call 101 ASAP

PoppadomPreach · 21/05/2014 19:01

Definitely take this down the formal route.

Text him and say if he doesn't submit insurance details within 30 mins then you're reporting them to police for criminal damage.

If he doesn't respond, report to police.

You have a series of text messages, including an offer of £300 which effectively shows their admission of guilt.

Don't be brow beaten, keep this formal - then have forgone the chance of settling outside of insurance by acting like a pair of sneaky weasels.

Nomama · 21/05/2014 19:04

Your insurance CANNOT close this claim without a payment to you. Something does not ring true there - have another go with the insurance company (car and home insurance as was said above).

It is indeed an offence not to give insurance details after an accident. It may also invalidate your insurance if you don't inform them of an incident, even if you make no claim for it. So tell them that his no claims bonus is none of your concern you don't wish to invalidate your own insurance and that you will take things further if he does not comply with the law.

Then report to the police and wait...

MiniSoksMakeHardWork · 21/05/2014 19:09

I didn't have the actual insurance details of the driver who drove into the back of me. I simply rang my insurer who took them, though the other driver had rung his insurance company as his car needed repairs too so it was just a case of them marrying the two calls up. Surely your insurer is capable of checking the other vehicle out and getting all the information to pursue the other driver. Isn't that what you pay them for? Particularly as it would be the other driver's fault. I'd keep on at your insurance company. They'd have to do something, same as if it were a hit and run.

MiniSoksMakeHardWork · 21/05/2014 19:10

The other driver did give me name, telephone number, car reg and address. Which I passed to my insurers, along with our independent witness.

BrianTheMole · 21/05/2014 19:12

Have you got the reg number op? If so, you can get his insurance details on line. Hang on, I'll find the site.

BrianTheMole · 21/05/2014 19:16

www.askmid.com/askmidenquiry.aspx

You have to pay £4 for it. I think its changed as I don't remember doing that. Still worth it though.

BrianTheMole · 21/05/2014 19:17

I'd log it with the police as well.