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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Car Write Off - Have to give up work?

187 replies

Wild123 · 26/11/2019 15:03

So some dick went into the back of my car nearly 3 months ago and has written off my car which is on finance.

It took me a couple of months of research to buy a car that was going to be reliable, economical, at a low risk of faults, cost effective and with low mileage (12070 at time of purchase).

I am no longer in a position to buy or re-finance another car and my daughters school is 2.4 miles from my house in the opposite direction of where I work. I currently do the school run in the morning and take my lunch break to collect her in the afternoons. I can't use public transport to get to school and back to work on time and i for sure can't afford the additional childcare to put in morning and after school club.

AIBU to feel like this is not fair? What the hell do I do now? I can't give up my full time job..

OP posts:
IWorkAtTheCheesecakeFactory · 26/11/2019 19:00

Ha! I ran into the back of a car years ago. Going about 10mph as slowing for traffic lights (she decided to brake suddenly and turn into a Side road to avoid the lights) The woman had a toddler unbelted in the passenger seat, no child seat! There was no damage to her car. (Or mine) Accident happened mid December. By late January she’d been paid £6k for whiplash Hmm and apparently the child has until she is 18 to put in a claim against me. I wasn’t even informed she had been awarded anything. No years involved.

LyingWitchInTheWardrobe2726 · 26/11/2019 19:02

Great for you, IWork, they can take years which is what I said. OP needs a viable solution right now.

IWorkAtTheCheesecakeFactory · 26/11/2019 19:03

Not really great for me Grin

LyingWitchInTheWardrobe2726 · 26/11/2019 19:05

I'm also surprised that your insurance company disclosed any details of the claim - or that a low impact collision resulting in no vehicle damage to either party would result in £6k worth of injury, or that whiplash was diagnosed in that remarkable speed what with all the medical assessments needed over that six weeks that included Christmas and New Year... but, every day's a school day on here... maybe they were all on amphetamines?

IWorkAtTheCheesecakeFactory · 26/11/2019 19:08

Confused are you saying I’m lying?

CrohnicallyEarly · 26/11/2019 19:14

I was just going to suggest getting an electric folding bike through bike to work scheme. You can get a decent enough one for less than £600, you can also claim for safety equipment and I think bike locks. Then the repayments are taken from your salary pre tax, it would cost far less than £110 a month. 10 miles is easily within battery range, and even at the slowest speed the bike motor will run at, will only take about a hour. If it’s flat and you’re pedalling you will cut that down.

IWorkAtTheCheesecakeFactory · 26/11/2019 19:23

I'm also surprised that your insurance company disclosed any details of the claim

It was my policy that paid out. I’m entitled to the details of the payment and what it was for.

or that a low impact collision resulting in no vehicle damage to either party would result in £6k worth of injury

I don’t think it did at all.

or that whiplash was diagnosed in that remarkable speed what with all the medical assessments needed over that six weeks that included Christmas and New Year.

Whiplash can be diagnosed by a GP. She probably went straight in the next day!

It’s the only accident I’ve ever had so I have no idea if it was dealt with super speedily or not. But those are the facts. Believe it, don’t believe it. But that’s what happened.

Schuyler · 26/11/2019 19:24

How would you live if you gave up work?

WwfLeopard · 26/11/2019 19:27

Are you sure on the gap insurance? I though it was the value you paid for the car? Not just to cover outstanding finance?

I would say try and hold on until the Xmas brake? Does your office have 2 weeks off?

Give the curtesy car back then. Claim back your excess. Stop paying the mthly cost for the wrote off car.

Scale back on anything extra for Xmas and if family get you gifts ask for money. Sell anything u don’t want. If possible use any holiday at work straight after the holidays, walk to school. Hopefully you’ll have x2 car payments, Insurance payment, £3/400 will get you banger.

I wouldn’t cancel your insurance if you are planning on another car, much easier to update a paid up policy rather than start a new policy with an accident claim pending.

Original poster
Wild123 · 26/11/2019 19:33

I was injured and have a claim going through as have an inflammed sacroiliac joint and whiplash both being treated with physio but claim will take ages and nothing will be sorted before treatment is complete and then god know how long after that.

The accident happened about 1/4 mile from the airport on way to our holiday. Needless to say that wasnt as relaxing and stressfree as planned because of this either. He originally tried to blame me for the accident and my insurance company literally told me that best case would be 50/50 despite all my evidance and that he didnt take no info or pictures at the scene. Told the insurance company to hand the claim to their 3rd party solicitors who would investigate.. he soon admitted it was his fault.. its been sooo stressful.

OP posts:
Lilimoon · 26/11/2019 19:35

Are you in a union OP? They may be able to help with a grant.

cccameron · 26/11/2019 19:36

That blame/claim thing can take YEARS to settle and OP would be expected to attend hospital and physio appointments

Not true. Low value whiplash claims are paid out more or less immediately, on GP report only. It's not worth it to an insurer to get medical reports from independent consultants on low value claims.

WwfLeopard · 26/11/2019 19:37

I wouldn’t bank on injury compensation, could be years away. You could ask your solicitor for an interim payment Though and buy a cheap car with that

cccameron · 26/11/2019 19:38

Ah OK. If you are undergoing treatment and the injury has caused ongoing symptoms then it will take longer to assess as value of the claim is likely to be over 3k

nancy75 · 26/11/2019 19:38

Not read properly so sorry if this has already been mentioned, is there a before & after school childminder in the area? They are usually less expensive than after school club. Childminders are ofstead registered so you may be able to get some tax credits towards it/ use childcare vouchers

Original poster
Wild123 · 26/11/2019 19:38

@WwfLeopard i have already brought xmas presents (used money in topcashnback account ive been saving for all year) but have no family who give to me as we all have children and just buy for them. Only have siblings no parents.

My Gap insurance would just pay the difference between the insurance settlement the the finance settlement (only had the car since Feb) but in this instance there is no difference.

OP posts:
Queenie8 · 26/11/2019 19:41

@Wild123 can you please clarify, the other driver has finally admitted responsibility, and your car has been written off. The car was bought by finance and you have GAP insurance?

If I've got the above correct, then the other drivers insurance will pay out for the value of the car, plus GAP insurance will pay out for the value of your car.

You need to claim from both the other drivers insurance and GAP insurance.

Once your finance is paid off, you will then have a cash sum of the value of your car to purchase a new car.

You need to claim your GAP insurance in addition.

Vulpine · 26/11/2019 19:41

Get an old bike that no-one will want to nick and lock it up outside or hang it from ceiling in your hallway. You will soon get fit.

WwfLeopard · 26/11/2019 19:43

Ring your solicitor tomorrow, tell them you need an interim payment to buy a car and mitigate your losses, explain you will lose ur job... cost of taxis etc

WwfLeopard · 26/11/2019 19:43

Some awful conflicting advice on here

Original poster
Wild123 · 26/11/2019 19:55

@Queenie8 yes that is right.

I will triple check my GAP insurance.

Thank you everyone.

OP posts:
cccameron · 26/11/2019 19:56

Surely you will need to claim on the gap insurance as well? That's what it's for, so your don't lose out in the event of a write off.

DontCallMeShitley · 26/11/2019 19:57

Try Freecycle or Freegle for a bike.

Isn't there a credit card that specialises in poor credit? I am sure I have seen one advertised.

altiara · 26/11/2019 19:59

Can you not push back and say you don’t want the money, you want the car fixed? My DH did this when his month old car had a tree fall on it! As he’d used the scrapped scheme, he wasn’t going to get enough money from the insurance to buy an identical new car. The insurance company were going to scrap it as the cost to fix was more than the car was worth but he said no as he just needed his car.

QforCucumber · 26/11/2019 20:10

@LyingWitchInTheWardrobe tbf, when I rolled into the back of someone - in bloody neutral, the woman had the audacity to somehow claim for 3 days lost earnings, a hire car and injuries which, according to the detailed report from my insurer at the time, cost them £10,500! I had that letter 5 weeks after the accident and when I called to dispute they informed me theyd already settled the claim. Needless to say they have never had my custom since.