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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Crashed into me and is now saying it was my fault!

36 replies

CarCrashBus · 16/12/2021 19:52

Name change for this because it’s completely obvious who I am if you know me 😁

In March a school bus drove into my car. It was a narrow street and she came flying round a corner. I stopped, backed up and pulled out of the way. She then hit the back side of my car and drove off. It was my first experience of a (very small!) crash and I had a panic attack while in the car with my two young children. She stopped down the road to pick up some school children so I went over and explained she had hit me. She started screaming that she hadn’t, and she knew who was following her and they’d agree with her.
I contacted the police, because she had effectively driven off, and then called my insurance company when I got home. They said the position of the damage meant it was clearly her fault, and they didn’t need to see my dash cam footage. I was quite relieved because the footage makes it obvious that she hit me, but doesn’t show it directly because she’s behind me when it hits. Anyway, my insurance were amazing, sent a curtesy car, collected mine from the house and sent money to replace the car seats. I thought it was all done and sorted

Then today, I’ve had a call from the insurance company saying she’s disputing liability, and I’m shitting myself! Why does it take 9 months for this? And how can she dispute it when the insurance company said it was clearly her fault. I’m terrified it’s going to cost a fortune and my insurance company might say it was my fault some how?

So, if you managed to get through all that! Has anyone been through this before? Is it likely that the insurance company will throw me under the proverbial bus and make me pay half? Anyone got any reassurance for me? Most importantly, do I need a diagram 😬

OP posts:
ErrolTheDragon · 16/12/2021 19:56

They're probably just letting you know what's happening. It doesn't sound like she's got a leg to stand on, and it's unlikely the insurance company will now roll over.

She's probably disputing liability because she's hit someone else and put her job in jeopardy or suchlike.Hmm

Just stay calm, restate the truth firmly if necessary.

Ohsofedupwiththis · 16/12/2021 19:57

I wouldn't worry too much. Your insurance company agreed with you and your dashcam will probably show the movement from the impact even if not the actual bus hitting you.

My DH had someone hit him on a roundabout before. Person said it was DHs fault to his insurance, but it wasn't and DH was already on the roundabout.

He tried to claim DH was coming from a different slip road onto roundabout. It was the morning commute and DH said he would not be going that way from home to work. Insurance agreed, nothing else happened and other driver was at fault.

shouldistop · 16/12/2021 19:58

Do you still have the dash cam footage?

Tohaveandtohold · 16/12/2021 20:07

This happened to DH at a round about. A van hit him and claimed he was not liable. Because it’s a round about, the insurance company said it wasn’t a clear cut case but based on the position of where he hit the car they agreed the other party was to blame.
The van driver refused liability, DH had to pay his excess and his insurance company repaired the car, etc, it took over a year and it was at the point where the insurance company was going to take the other party to court before they accepted liability

SnekkinOnDown · 16/12/2021 20:12

This is very weird. My husband is a school bus driver for a private hire bus company ( not directly employed by the school). His employers have a fleet insurance policy and is he has an accident he has to pay £25 excess and that's it. They don't really care about blame etc . Accidents aren't uncommon, my OH has had 1 serious accident and 3 very minor scrapes in 7 years. Never had any problem at all although he did take time off after the serious accident.

Is the bus driver employed by the school directly?

Original poster
CarCrashBus · 16/12/2021 20:12

Ok thanks. I feel a bit better now! I thought it was all sorted and it popping up now so close to Christmas has scared me!

She might be worried, but her job isn’t at risk, her husband owns the company apparently (got to love small village gossip, she’s the only female bus driver around here!)

Yes, I’ve still got the footage and I’m sure I gave the police crime number to the insurance company, because I can’t find it anywhere anymore. It was so long ago I don't think I kept the number, but i saved the footage on my phone luckily!

OP posts:
sonjadog · 16/12/2021 20:18

It happened to me. Don't worry about it, the insurance company will sort it out. I had to write a couple of reports for them outlining what had happened and that was it.

shouldistop · 16/12/2021 20:23

She doesn't have a leg to stand on. Tell your insurance company to go back to hers and say that you have dash cam footage

SpiderinaWingMirror · 16/12/2021 20:35

Well it's not going to cost you anything?

ChangeChingyChange · 16/12/2021 20:38

She sounds batshit and shouldn't be driving kids around at all. Complain to the school and provide them with the dash cam footage too. What a bitch she is being!

FizzyTango · 16/12/2021 20:38

I had an incident where someone crashed into me. They drove off and didn’t report it. I did. Was totally their fault, they actually deliberately drove into my car, it was insane. Several months later when the insurance companies finally spoke to each other they disputed it and the insurance said I had to settle 50:50 ☹️.

Although in your case you have dashcam footage so that will probably help. I didn’t!

NynaeveSedai · 16/12/2021 20:40

The insurance will still pay it regardless. Don't panic.

KrisAkabusi · 16/12/2021 20:40

Why would you have to pay half? À worst it's your insurance company that would pay. That's what it's for!

Original poster
CarCrashBus · 16/12/2021 20:56

I know I wouldn’t have to actually pay, but if it does go 50:50 then I’ll have to pay the excesses and lose my no claims bonus won’t I? And I’d expect my insurance bills to skyrocket as I’d have to declare it when the annual change came up?

OP posts:
housemaus · 16/12/2021 21:03

@CarCrashBus

I know I wouldn’t have to actually pay, but if it does go 50:50 then I’ll have to pay the excesses and lose my no claims bonus won’t I? And I’d expect my insurance bills to skyrocket as I’d have to declare it when the annual change came up?
Yep, this is true - that's the expensive bit!

BUT, it won't happen. Sounds like she was bang to rights in the first place, plus you have dashcam footage. She's just chancing it, she won't get anywhere.

SpiderinaWingMirror · 16/12/2021 21:04

Unless you are young and or have driving convictions, the impact of a worse case scenario losing your NCB can be over come by shopping around.
Honestly, the discount for ncb is minimal and not guaranteed. My 9 years ncb was only worth 15%, discount, or 45 quid. I stopped paying to protect it!

OnTheBoardwalk · 16/12/2021 21:11

Don’t worry your insurance firm sound on the ball

I had a fault claim , my insurance went up a bit but not a massive amount

Let them know you have footage and I reckon they’ll back down. My mum had bump absolutely not her fault. The other driver and their insurance were making loads of noise. I sent them Google map image showing the were completely wrong about the road layout. They soon backed down

OnTheBoardwalk · 16/12/2021 21:14

After my fault claim I found it easier to stay with my current insurer for a couple of years rather than dealing with all the claim history needed for new insurance company.

To be honest Churchill were great handling the claim so I didn’t want to leave

Original poster
CarCrashBus · 16/12/2021 21:15

Ok thanks everyone. It sounds like I’m just worrying about nothing :)

OP posts:
Noodledoodledoo · 16/12/2021 21:22

I had this, I had two witnesses, plus a raft of pictures, and damage that I wouldn't be able to do but he tried to contest it.

He was a nightmare from the off, was a courtesy car he was driving, refused to give me his name, I just went snap happy and unintentionally got a picture of him when taking pictures of the location etc - sent it all to the insurance company and let them deal with it.

This was 5 years ago and I am still with the same insurance company as always the cheapest and no increase to my premium!

GrannyWeatherwaxsHatpin · 16/12/2021 21:27

Honestly, don't worry. It's probably not even her that's disputing it, it'll be the other insurance company (the bus company's). They try it on to see if it works, just in case they can get away with it.

Same thing happened to me; a vehicle went into the back of me when I was stationary so there was no way it was my fault and I had witnesses to prove it. The other insurer still tried to dispute liability for the damage to my car even though they'd accepted liability for my injuries!

Panda8383 · 16/12/2021 21:27

This happened to me, guy crashed into me and basically accepted it was his fault at the scene..then after insurance was involved he tried to say it was me that hit him, if I remember at that point I had to draw a diagram and give an explanation…after this his insurers were saying we should go 50/50, I stuck to my guns and said no and then I went to the police station to speak to the officer that was there( the police were only a few cars behind me) they didn’t see it but from where the damage was it obvious they hit me,eventually they accepted liability. Hope you get it sorted x

MrsArchchancellorRidcully · 17/12/2021 09:54

Let the insurance company deal with it. Try not to worry though I'm afraid even a no fault claim will put your premiums up unless you have protected your no claims bonus.
Do you have evidence eg email that the insurers accepted it was her fault? That would be useful to rely on.

But really, try not to fret.

Original poster
CarCrashBus · 17/12/2021 12:01

@MrsArchchancellorRidcully no I’ve got no proof, it was all by phone conversations and she was quite aggressive when I stopped her, so I don’t have anything at all from her. Hopefully insurance will sort it though and it won’t come back on mine

OP posts:
Zilla1 · 17/12/2021 12:35

Try not to stress, OP. If you have the footage then wait until the end. If you end up out of pocket, send the company a letter. If they refuse then tell them you'll start the legal process and post the crash footage on the relevant local facebook group with a statement that you are out of pocket and what the bus company have done along the process concerning their statement of events and ask for suggestions so this looks like a genuine request for help.

Good luck.