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AIBU?

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Original poster

I'm in trouble

324 replies

drintrouble · 13/01/2023 11:15

Changed name as don't want to be found out.
I'm in trouble. Can anyone give me some encouragement/advice how to go about it.
Last winter I have passed my driving test. And 2 weeks later crashed my car into somebody else- totally my fault. Came out, gave the other driver, a woman, my details, all the info. She did not give me anything of hers, except, her husband's telephone number. I took a video and few pictures of her car. The only damage that I could see was broken plastic on the taillight. Rang her husband same evening, we spoke about the damage, but, strangely, he kept repeating that he was driving at the time of the accident! There were no other people in the car, just the woman driver. In the phone conversation the man said that the damage was not bad, he could buy light on ebay and, if I gave him the money, we could do it privately. I wasn't sure about it, but agreed. He rang me next morning and demanded £4,000. I was absolutely certain that that was over the top and asked if he could take his car to my mechanic. He refused. Then I said I prefer to go through my insurance.
When I checked my insurance documents, I found out it ran out literally 2 days before the accident. Totally my fault, but because if lockdowns and instructor shortages and tests not being available for months, I have bought insurance just for a month before my test, and completely forgot about it.
I have panicked, rang the man, told him that I am refusing to pay £4k and asked him to come with realistic price. Never told him that I did not have insurance.
Nothing happened for a year and yesterday my husband, who is registered on this car, have received a letter from an insurance company asking him to answer questions about the accident, mentioning the female driver- me.
I know I am in trouble BIG TIME, but how would you act? Tell the truth, but insist that the other car was driven by the female- letter doesn't say who the other driver was. I know that something dodgy is going on (from my side as well!), but what to do now? I have a female driver after the accident on a video, when she was talking to her husband. She couldn't leave the site of the accident fast enough.
Please, don't kick me for what I did, but I have thought £4k is excessive and have panicked about the insurance.
What would you do?

OP posts:
Hellsmovie · 13/01/2023 14:57

Mirabai · 13/01/2023 14:17

I have had an insurance as a second/learner driver on that car.

Learner and second driver insurance is not the same.

You can be a named driver as a learner

MarthasMum30 · 13/01/2023 14:57

Ok - do not ignore the letter. If the insurance company settle the claim, you may end up liable.

Clear indemnity issue here in that the policy had lapsed but as previously mentioned, it’s possible you could have Third Party Only Insurance cover via a spouses policy so check this. Were you definitely not covered? Some policies auto renew.

The Motor Insurance Bureau is set up to deal with two things:
insured drivers & untraced drivers

it’s probable that if you truly had no cover at the time of the incident, the matter will be referred to the MIB.

call your insurers, provide all the details you have. It will require a referral to their claims validation team. Supply your video. There is a reason that the third party is lying about the driver. Insurers can do CUE checks, check financial health/motive for fraud and look at whether these people have acted fraudulently before.

their vehicle data will also be checked to see how many accidents it’s been in and whether the claimants are claim friendly.

i would contact their insurers outright and demand their claim be referred to their validation team.

youll be assessed as to how competent a witness you’ll make; you’ll be asked about whether you looked inside their vehicle, what material was the interior, did you exchange details in their passengers seat etc. did you lose sight of the vehicle when pulling over etc

don’t be surprised to learn of hire/injury/storage claims.
Be honest and you’re not in any criminal trouble. It’s a civil matter.

Mirabai · 13/01/2023 14:58

Hellsmovie · 13/01/2023 14:57

You can be a named driver as a learner

Show quote history

Yes but you’re either a learner or a qualified driver.

ifonly4 · 13/01/2023 14:59

I think honestly is the best thing regarding the insurance company. If they feel they've got no obligation to pay, they'll probably refer the other insurance company directly to you, at which time it should become clear who they state was driving. If other party are telling lies, their insurance company won't be happy if accounts don't add up. They've left it so long and they won't be able to prove her DH was at the seen of accident. If it goes any further, she was on the telephone to someone at scene of accident, and I'm sure it could be traced who that person was - no way she'd phone DH if he was in car!!

GreenFingersWouldBeHandy · 13/01/2023 15:02

You can't buy insurance for a month. So you're talking BS basically.

You were not insured when you had the accident.

You did not report to the police?

Yes, you really are in the shit. Prepare to lose your licence.

GreenFingersWouldBeHandy · 13/01/2023 15:03

Are you even insured now? If not, get off the road!

gamerchick · 13/01/2023 15:03

namechange4774 · 13/01/2023 11:34

Agree with this. If they do decide to carry on with the fraudulent claim which I would keep firm about (with evidence of photos/videos).
From looking at the RAC advice it's states a minimum fine of £300 and 6 points for driving without insurance. Not the best but hopefully given your circumstances of being 2 days out and if you got it as soon as possible afterwards it hopefully wouldn't be anymore than that.

Show quote history

It's a suspension of licence in the first 2 years of passing test. Then having to take a other test

liveforsummer · 13/01/2023 15:04

There is a reason that the third party is lying about the driver.

But there was no driver - the car was parked and vacant at the time of the accident

Petersonuk2 · 13/01/2023 15:05

Nothing will happen regarding your licence.

You think the insurance company will dob you in? Will they phone 999 and you'll have officers at the door?

No. Police can't even be arsed to attend shoplifting these days

liveforsummer · 13/01/2023 15:05

You can't buy insurance for a month. So you're talking BS basically.

Of course you can

MarthasMum30 · 13/01/2023 15:05

I’m addition to my advice above, if you ignore and do not engage with your insurers / the Motor Insurance Bureau, the claim could be settled / exaggerated etc and you may be pursued for a recovery - so you need to intercept at an early juncture as the third party sound’s opportunistic at best.

MarthasMum30 · 13/01/2023 15:07

MarthasMum30 · 13/01/2023 14:57

Ok - do not ignore the letter. If the insurance company settle the claim, you may end up liable.

Clear indemnity issue here in that the policy had lapsed but as previously mentioned, it’s possible you could have Third Party Only Insurance cover via a spouses policy so check this. Were you definitely not covered? Some policies auto renew.

The Motor Insurance Bureau is set up to deal with two things:
insured drivers & untraced drivers

it’s probable that if you truly had no cover at the time of the incident, the matter will be referred to the MIB.

call your insurers, provide all the details you have. It will require a referral to their claims validation team. Supply your video. There is a reason that the third party is lying about the driver. Insurers can do CUE checks, check financial health/motive for fraud and look at whether these people have acted fraudulently before.

their vehicle data will also be checked to see how many accidents it’s been in and whether the claimants are claim friendly.

i would contact their insurers outright and demand their claim be referred to their validation team.

youll be assessed as to how competent a witness you’ll make; you’ll be asked about whether you looked inside their vehicle, what material was the interior, did you exchange details in their passengers seat etc. did you lose sight of the vehicle when pulling over etc

don’t be surprised to learn of hire/injury/storage claims.
Be honest and you’re not in any criminal trouble. It’s a civil matter.

* uninsured drivers & untraced drivers

iwannascream · 13/01/2023 15:10

What Insurance company is it? is it yours or the other car drivers ? Have you googled to make sure the Insurance Company is real, as I'm assuming if he wanted you to give him £4000 for a tail light and saying that the was the driver at the time it might be dodgy.

Butitsnotfunnyisititsserious · 13/01/2023 15:17

GreenFingersWouldBeHandy · 13/01/2023 15:02

You can't buy insurance for a month. So you're talking BS basically.

You were not insured when you had the accident.

You did not report to the police?

Yes, you really are in the shit. Prepare to lose your licence.

Well you're the one talking bullshit with the first point, you can buy temporary insurance and even rolling insurance.

pattihews · 13/01/2023 15:21

OP, this sounds like a scam. Someone I know had a similar issue — and they both had insurance. Minor accident that broke a wing mirror. Gave the owners of the damaged car their insurance details but were told by the driver involved that they'd prefer not to involve insurance and that they'd contact them to inform them of the cost of the damage to the wing mirror. Demand for thousands the next day followed, because they'd been stupid enough to give their address, by a visit from a man claiming to be the owner of the car to collect his cash.

Report the incident to your insurance company and pay your insurance and tell the person who's trying to blackmail you to deal with the insurance company. Say that any further attempt at blackmail and you'll inform the police.

It turned out in my friend's case that the driver had no licence and no insurance.

Tiggal · 13/01/2023 15:21

You need to be really honest. My friends DH did similar, insurance had ran out and he crashed his car. He was sent to prison for 4 weeks.

Ursuala · 13/01/2023 15:25

drintrouble · 13/01/2023 14:04

Car I was driving is my DH car. He is the owner and has an insurance. We only have this one car. I have had an insurance as a second/learner driver on that car. The insurance ran out 2 days before the accident. I did not know about it at the time. I gave the female driver (wrote on the piece of paper, as she did not want to put it in her phone, which I found strange) my name, surname, tel nr, said who I was insured with. She did not tell me her name or her phone number. I wasn't sure if I should insist on that, but I took her husband's phone number (again, she didn't tel me his name). Somehow I was a little bit shaken after the accident and assumed everything will be sorted by our insurance.
Luckily, I took a little video of the damage and her talking to her husband on the phone.
We sorted our car without an insurance claim ourselves- it was a little dent to the front/side. She wasn't in a car when I crashed into her- she came out of the shop afterwards.
Accident happened 15 February 2022. I have passed my driving test 2 weeks prior that. Needed insurance on our car to practice before my driving test, but didn't want to pay for a year, as I was not sure I will pass and it was almost impossible to book driving test straight after lockdowns- who tried in Spring/summer 2022, those people know how bad backlog at the DVLA was.
Not sure why are you accusing me of lying.

Show quote history

Your DH would have received at least two reminders to renew.

OP please do report back (you won’t)

i suspect you are in fairly serious trouble

strumpert · 13/01/2023 15:28

Learner insurance usually lapses as soon as you pass your test

BridieConvert · 13/01/2023 15:30

WhenDovesFly · 13/01/2023 12:49

If you're caught driving without insurance as a new driver then you'll land 6 penalty points which is enough for them to revoke your licence and you'll have to take your test again, so be prepared for that coming back on you if this goes further.

If you took out an insurance policy without mentioning the accident, then it'll invalidate your insurance.

What I'm confused by is you saying your husband received a letter. This indicates the insurance policy is his and you're maybe a named driver on his policy? If you're the main driver, and he's taken out a policy in his name with you as a named driver in order to get cheaper premiums, then the insurance provider won't be too happy about that either.

All that aside, it does sound as though the other people are trying to hide something. Maybe she's unlicenced, uninsured, already has lots of points, is banned... who knows?

If you're the main driver, and he's taken out a policy in his name with you as a named driver in order to get cheaper premiums, then the insurance provider won't be too happy about that either.**

Not necessarily, if he is the registered keeper of the car he has to be the policy holder but she absolutely can be the main driver. There is no issue with that. If he was down and the main driver and she was down as a secondary named driver yet is proved to be the main driver, that's the issue.

EarringsandLipstick · 13/01/2023 15:32

CellophaneIsTheName · 13/01/2023 14:48

What type of insurance does your husband have? On mine a third party can drive my vehicle. You may be covered.

For goodness sake! An insured third party can drive another's car - not someone with no insurance! Some posters understanding of insurance is very poor

Ursuala · 13/01/2023 15:32

The OP needed to tell the car insurer when her license changed from provisional to driver.

She really has cocked up

EarringsandLipstick · 13/01/2023 15:33

GreenFingersWouldBeHandy · 13/01/2023 15:02

You can't buy insurance for a month. So you're talking BS basically.

You were not insured when you had the accident.

You did not report to the police?

Yes, you really are in the shit. Prepare to lose your licence.

Of course you can!

You can add someone to your policy for any time you wish. A day if you need to!

EarringsandLipstick · 13/01/2023 15:34

Your DH would have received at least two reminders to renew.

No, he wouldn't. Not for insurance for a named individual taken out for a defined period.

strumpert · 13/01/2023 15:37

The op would have received notification that her insurance was no longer valid as soon as she passed her test

Ursuala · 13/01/2023 15:38

EarringsandLipstick · 13/01/2023 15:34

Your DH would have received at least two reminders to renew.

No, he wouldn't. Not for insurance for a named individual taken out for a defined period.

Yes he would.

I received one saying do I want to extend. And then another on the day with statement that temporary cover ceased