Is my mum being ripped off?

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My mum had an accident that was her fault the other week. All is going through the insurance. However, the value of their car is worth less than the outstanding finance. The couple involved have a shortfall of ££££ due to outstanding finance.

When I have had a new car I've had bridging insurance to cover this shortfall. However this couple didn't have this and so the insurance will only pay out the value and not cover the outstanding money.

The couple rang my mum who is mid 70s and told her that without the money they will be unable to afford a new car and so they want her to pay for the shortfall.

She is aware it is her fault and was made to feel guilty. I don't want my elderly mother being taken for thousands of pounds if these ppl are just chancing their luck but I do understand she feels it is her fault and wants to put things right but is this right? Should she be paying this or is it their fault for not having the correct cover on their insurance and therefore its tough? I've never claimed on insurance or had an accident so no idea how it all works.

Outrageous! The insurance company pay their (And your mums) legal obligation. Block their number.

Another vote that your DM shouldn't pay them. Their fault for not taking gap insurance.

Your mum was fully insured. These people should not be contacting her. The insurance companies should be sorting it out. Tell them not to contact your mother again. Their loans and financial arrangements are absolutely nothing to do with your mum.

I use to work for a major car insurance company. Do not under any circumstances allow your mum to give them any money privately. Ensures she does not answer their calls. This is going through the insurance and its the other parties fault for not ensuring they had gap insurance. Tell the insurance company the other party are contacting her privately requesting money. They'll deal with it via the other insurance company. I'm sorry your mum is feeling guilty but the third party are really trying it on.

You’re poor mum. They should not be contacting her at all. Please tell your mum to not Engage with them. She needs to direct them to call the insurance company.

She should absolutely NOT pay, it's up to them to negotiate with their insurer.

Of course she shouldn’t pay. I would have thought they’d be within their rights to pursue it via their insurance legal services though if their insurer isn’t picking up, but I guess they may not have taken that cover out either if they didn’t take out gap insurance...!
But yes, they’ve incurred a loss but it absolutely shouldn’t be your mum who deals with it.

Aquamarine1029 The car is a total loss my mum's is being repaired.

I've always covered any gap in insurance with extra when necessary.

Thank you for your advice. I've spoken to her and told her what you've all said and she is going to speak to her insurance. She isn't happy with going to the police (not wanting any bother etc) but I said if they continue to contact her then I will report it to them.

Thank you again for your advice.

When you buy a car on finance this is explained very clearly (if for no other reason than the garage is keen to earn commission on the gap insurance).
It’s a real shame but it is the responsibility of anyone who buys a car on finance to make sure they can repay it if the car is written off. This isn’t your dm’s responsibility.

This is a separate issue entirely, but is it possible your mum is no longer safe to drive? You may need to speak to her about it, ask about her vision, etc.

Contact her insurers to let them know what the other couple have tried then block them immediately, don't wait for them to be in touch again. If it were me I would also being advising your mother not to answer any witheld numbers.

Hell to the no... your mother absolutely should not recompense them for their poor financial decision. When they took out the finance deal this will have been made clear. They took the risk, they lost the gamble.

What if they'd been hit by an uninsured driver? Or it was a hit and run? Or deemed to be a no fault accident? In all those situations the lack of gap insurance would have bitten them on the bum.

I can appreciate you thinking that Aquamarine1029 with her age but she is fine. She had pulled in to give way on a narrow street and the other person coming towards her pulled in too and flashed so she set off and didn't check her mirrors and someone had started to come through behind her so it was a error on her behalf.

It was the first thing I joked to her about when it happened but she is very active and healthy and has her wits about her so I don't have concerns but I can understand you saying so with her being in her 70s.

Well it’s rubbish if you have an accident that’s not your fault - we did & our car was worth far more to us than it’s market value as we’d had it since new, knew it was looked after etc & hadn’t been planning to replace any time soon.

However, it’s just bad luck. Your mum’s insurance are dealing with it, that’s who the couple need their money from. It’s not for your mum to pay out more - that’s why she has insurance.

Absolutely not , if the car is worth 5k say but the repairs are similar or more insurance may write off and pay the value of the car .
If this person owns 7k in finance you don't pay the difference, the finance is their issue so what how they bought it .
It's shit for them but they are so totally unreasonable to contact your mum as everything is dealt with by insurance what they decide to pay out is up to them .
Your mums fault or not that's what insurance is for she'll be hit by the premiums next year anyway .
They are absolutely cf to contact your mum id tell them to do one and you don't even know it's true they may just be trying to get more money for a more expensive car .

If I was in your DMum position I'd be contacting my insurance company and tellling them tht this couple had contacted me directly and tried to obtain the shortfall.

Then they can contact the couples Insurance Company to tell them to "cease and desist" either by letter or email.
They are bloody shameless chancers and yes , it is bordering on harassment .

Absolutely no.
Gap insurance is there for that reason. If they didn’t take it out that’s their fault not your mums.

I know it is her fault for pulling out without checking but what sort of shitty driver pulls ahead of someone when they've pulled aside to give way and then been flashed through. They sound like idiots.

Is your mum confident enough to tell them, ever time they call, that this is being handled by the insurance companies and they'll get what they get but she isnt doing anything outwith the insurance?

It is irrelevant whether they could have insured this loss or not. That’s not how it works.

But the insurance company should be sorting it out, not them directly. They shouldn’t be contacting her.

what sort of shitty driver pulls ahead of someone when they've pulled aside to give way and then been flashed through.

Ones that don't realise she had just pulled in to give way? It's not always obvious.

Yes that wouldn't surprise me as a bit of a deposit for a nicer car. The cease and desist is helpful to know about.

I did think that WhereverIGoddamnLike. They took a chance by pulling ahead and it didn't pay off. They are now taking a chance.

I'm not sure if she is confident enough to say. She is very much a people pleaser kind of person and I am worried that she will find it difficult not to engage with them. I've shared all the advice that people have said on here and I've let a few family members know about my concerns too.

As others have said, your mum should not take any calls from them/speak to them. I can remember my mother (also then in her 70s) being bullied on the 'phone by a builder, with whom we had a dispute through a solicitor. She was quite frightened and so was very relieved when I told her there was no need to discuss it with him - he should have been dealing with the matter via her solicitor.

Not your mum's issue. Gap insurance exists for a reason. Its expensive, but cheaper than the alternative! They chose not to purchase and take the risk therefore its their issue.

They sound like an obnoxious bunch. I think it is usually pretty obvious when someone pulls in to let another car pass and they were cheeky to push on ahead. While technically it is your mother's fault, morally, it certainly isn't and I would not feel any sympathy towards them.

It's their fault for not having coverage.