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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To want to claim on friends insurance?

76 replies

mrssmith45 · 18/01/2022 12:31

So my ds - 17 was is a car accident where his friend was driving. They grew up together and I am friends with his parents. His dad has called today and asked if we wanted to claim in his insurance for his injuries. My first thought was no, but after speaking to a few people they seem to think we should. He was in hospital for 2 nights and has a broken rib and bruising. He has to have 2 weeks off college and work and also missed an important assessment. I just wanted to know peoples thoughts on this please. They have said it won't affect his friends insurance, my partner thinks it's a bad idea as it will ruin their friendship.

OP posts:
YesThisIsMe · 18/01/2022 12:33

Yes, that's what it's for. Friend should already have notified insurers of incident, so an additional claim for relatively minor injuries may not affect premium much more, but even so, them's the breaks.

Thehop · 18/01/2022 12:34

What loss of earnings/costs has he incurred?

traintraveller · 18/01/2022 12:34

I wouldn't, but surely its up to your son.

betwixtlives · 18/01/2022 12:38

Claim for what? Has your son missed earnings from a job? No sick pay?

DisforDarkChocolate · 18/01/2022 12:40

I would, two nights in hospital is no joke. Why should he not get something for the pain and suffering.

SofiaSoFar · 18/01/2022 12:41

All sounds a bit odd, OP.

They have said it won't affect his friends insurance

Having personal injury claims against you can make quite a difference to future policy loadings. It may not but it can and it's dependent on what a future insurer's position is, not necessarily the current one.

I'm not really sure why the friend's father would be asking if your son wants to make a claim? He shouldn't get involved either from the insurer's side or from your son's side - the friend's insurer will have specific T&Cs forbidding anyone to get involved in a potential 3rd party claim like this.

If your son has injuries he needs to approach the insurer himself or get a solicitor to do so, definitely not discuss with the 1st party's dad!

Original poster
mrssmith45 · 18/01/2022 12:41

2 weeks wages loss at the moment and not sure when he will be able to go back to work - he is doing an apprenticeship. His boss doesn't think he earns enough to get sick pay or if he does it will be very little. Like I said I was just asking peoples thoughts on this as I have never had any dealings with insurance claims of any sort before.

OP posts:
BrightYellowDaffodil · 18/01/2022 12:41

@Thehop

What loss of earnings/costs has he incurred?
It will, presumably, be a personal injury claim for compensation. You don't need to have incurred direct costs for that.
DepletingDopamine · 18/01/2022 12:41

Is your son going to need any physio or could he suffer from some kind of anxiety regarding travelling in cars or ptsd. Any claim could privately fund treatment rather than waiting for nhs treatment.

SamMil · 18/01/2022 12:42

If he hasn't suffered any financial loss, or long term injuries, then no.

HollaHolla · 18/01/2022 12:42

Has he had to pay for physio/taxis/etc.? That was what I could claim for, when another car ran into my side, and broke my ankle. There wasn't any option to claim because I missed out on things.
The hospital bills the insurance company (usually via the policy holder), so that is usually covered too... I remember being charged for x-rays, and I think for the plaster/staff time.

JaniceBattersby · 18/01/2022 12:43

There is absolutely no obligation for him to have lost any earnings to claim. It would be a perfectly legitimate personal injury claim.

All these slightly hysterical posters who pop up on all of these threads should probably have a little read of the Secret Barrister’s Fake Law book, specifically the chapter on personal injury claims.

Original poster
mrssmith45 · 18/01/2022 12:44

@SofiaSoFar he asked if we would be claiming and said we need to contact the insurance company if we want to.

OP posts:
betwixtlives · 18/01/2022 12:44

@DepletingDopamine

Is your son going to need any physio or could he suffer from some kind of anxiety regarding travelling in cars or ptsd. Any claim could privately fund treatment rather than waiting for nhs treatment.
🙄
Original poster
mrssmith45 · 18/01/2022 12:45

People are so mean and judgmental. I just wanted peoples thoughts on this that is all.

Thank you for all your replies

OP posts:
SNUG2022 · 18/01/2022 12:49

Definitely claim. He has been hugely personally, physically and financially affected by this accident.

QforCucumber · 18/01/2022 12:50

If he earns over £119 a week he will be entitled to SSP, on an apprenticeship at 37 hours at £4.30 he will be earning over the threshold.

I'd still claim though, at 16 I was in an accident where a friend was driving and it completely his fault, I had broken ribs, broken Sternum and collarbone from the seatbelt, his parents actually told me to claim as they were horrified at him

manseymoo1987 · 18/01/2022 12:50

Your son received injuries which resulted in a hospital stay. It's difficult to know if there will be long term implications. I would seriously consider a personal injury claim. I was in a car accident (not my fault) where I experienced whiplash, then about a week later my back seized and I struggled with back pain for years before being operated on.

waitingpatientlyforspring · 18/01/2022 12:51

Of course you claim, he was hospitalised. Insurance claims are not just about loss of earnings. It will be a while before it comes and in that time he might find he is is pain for longer or even suffers mental health issues.

Sirzy · 18/01/2022 12:52

He was injured through no fault of his own. He has lost income as a result of the accident.

I don’t see why people are saying it’s wrong to claim. You don’t get kept in hospital for no reason!

pigsDOfly · 18/01/2022 12:53

Even if there won't be any sort of claim for the hospital stay or physical injuries, obviously the insurance company will be able to advise in that respect, but surely it's not unreasonable to expect to make a claim for loss of earnings if he's not being paid sick pay.

Your son's friend needs to talk to his insurance company as it, surely he's already reported it to them and told his passenger was injured.

Perhaps this is why his father mentioned a claim to you. It's possible the driver's insurance co. might have already spoken to him (driver) about it.

L0bstersLass · 18/01/2022 12:56

[quote mrssmith45]@SofiaSoFar he asked if we would be claiming and said we need to contact the insurance company if we want to. [/quote]
Yes he should and yes you should contact the insurers.

Parky04 · 18/01/2022 12:57

@SNUG2022

Definitely claim. He has been hugely personally, physically and financially affected by this accident.
Correct and it won't affect his friends premium as they will probably have to pay for the damage to his car. I claimed from a friend's insurance when I was injured as a result of an accident, and I gave him £500 out of my settlement to cover the increase to his premium.
RB68 · 18/01/2022 12:58

you are entitled to claim he was injured through no fault of his own and suffered for it. I recall my Dad helping my Mums friend make a claim on our house insurance when she fell and broke and ankle at our house. She was self employed and had 2 kids on her own. There was a door lip before a couple of steps and she went down that. A0 she hurt herself b) she lost income and c) would have put her in dire straights. He did the right thing

madisonbridges · 18/01/2022 12:59

Won't there be an excess on the policy, so will the money actually come from the insurance or the father?

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