If it is ever the front car's fault.

[DownToTheSeaAgain]

Someone drove into the back of me today as I was stopping at a crossroads.

Swapped numbers etc etc submitted insurance claim and all that is progressing. It's not a lot of damage but some.

Anyway I was wondering if there were ever a case when it could be construed as my fault for stopping rather than the other person for not stopping. The light was on amber, switching to red. If I'd driven across then I'd have been driving on red.

Driving along in the same lane behind one another, I can't see how it could be anyone except the driver behind fault, maintain a safe distance. I suppose if both the brake lights were out in the car infront maybe?

@Herecomesthesun70, thank you - I thought the same, and vociferously said this with my insurer. It was so clearly a scam. Their view was that it was my fault as the driver behind, and were not willing to defend my stance. They refused to inspect my vehicle (I took photos of mine an hour after the collision), and just believed what the other driver claimed for.
I’m sure in professional scammers, they either cause damage later, or have a mechanic in on the scam, willing to confirm or fix the “damage”… who knows?

@SudokuWillNotSaveYou good idea. I’ve never bothered as I have an old banger, but realise now could still save me from claim for damaging someone else’s expensive car.

@30kgtogo Yes, I think people don’t realize what a huge deal it can be until it happens to them or someone they know (or hear about personally)? But someone getting in a minor bumper scrape, and then the other party making some claim that can ruin your insurance without hurting your car at all, is happening more and more, and it’s hard to refute without some kind of proof. So many people forget to take pictures or think they won’t possibly need to.

And yes, even a few years ago, it might not have been worth it for a banger but now they have them for under £20. And it’s for your protection too; someone could hit you and then claim it was your fault.

They even have backup camera kits you can install on older cars that are so cheap now (compared to what they charge you as an “extra” installed on a new car). Drives me bonkers seeing used cars, same number plate, where the only difference is that it was an “ultra” package that came with a backup camera so the price goes up by £100s when you can get one of those off Amazon and install it yourself. Ugh. Don’t get me started.

[quote 30kgtogo]@Herecomesthesun70, thank you - I thought the same, and vociferously said this with my insurer. It was so clearly a scam. Their view was that it was my fault as the driver behind, and were not willing to defend my stance. They refused to inspect my vehicle (I took photos of mine an hour after the collision), and just believed what the other driver claimed for.
I’m sure in professional scammers, they either cause damage later, or have a mechanic in on the scam, willing to confirm or fix the “damage”… who knows?

@SudokuWillNotSaveYou good idea. I’ve never bothered as I have an old banger, but realise now could still save me from claim for damaging someone else’s expensive car.[/quote]
Your insurer would be able to tell if the damage was consistent. My thoughts are that they settled it economically for a couple of hundred because taking it to court would have cost thousands.

Still doesn't explain 20 years off your bonus however.
Maximum bonus is generally 5 years so you would have gone down to 3 after the accident

@Herecomesthesun70, thank you for that info - I will check my records tomorrow and query the no claims 👍

My grandmother had an accident at a time in her life when she really shouldn't have still been driving. She pulled out of a side road in front of a lorry. The gap was too small and he went into the back of her. Although it technically didn't count as her fault, she was sent on a driver awareness course.

@Getmoveon14

My grandmother had an accident at a time in her life when she really shouldn't have still been driving. She pulled out of a side road in front of a lorry. The gap was too small and he went into the back of her. Although it technically didn't count as her fault, she was sent on a driver awareness course.

That is technically her fault. If she pulled out of a side road in front of a lorry who would have had no chance of braking it's definitely her fault.