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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Need advice. Car claim. It wasn't me. Now police involved. I need some advice please.

52 replies

Spagbolfortea23 · 18/01/2023 19:25

Sorry I know this isn't a AIBU but posting for traffic.

To cut a story short. This has been ongoing for a few weeks now.

Someone put a claim against my insurance saying I hit their car. I didn't. Not only was I not in that town, I wasn't even in the country in which this happened. I live in another country within the UK. I bought my car in March last year. It has never left the country i live in since then. (Neither have i)

I have disputed the claim and all I keep hearing from the under writers is the third party hasn't got back to us yet in relation to my dispute. I have spoke directly with my insurance who have said they have emailed the under writers to say they believe the claim against me to be a case of mistaken identity.

Today I received a letter from the police from the area in which this apparent incident happened. The letter states that I may of committed an offence, the offence being dangerous driving and that I have 28 days to provide information on who was driving the car. Again, me and my car were not involved in this at all.

I haven't been able to speak with this police force as the department is only open 2 hours a day and I'm getting no where with my insurance. Can anyone give me any advice on how I can handle this.. where to go from here? What's the best thing to do first ?

This is taking up so much of my time and is already costing me money in terms of my insurance. I had to renew my insurance very recently with this claim against me. I have lost 2 years of my no claims bonus and my insurance has went up by £20 a month. Its becoming quite stressful defending myself against this.

OP posts:
NoSquirrels · 18/01/2023 19:27

Just give the police (in writing) your version of events - that you were not in the country, neither was your car, so this is a false claim or mistaken identity. Try not to stress.

ClemDanFango · 18/01/2023 19:27

What a nightmare. I wonder if your plates have been cloned? Can you physically go to the station and ask to speak to someone?

LadyOfTheFliessssss · 18/01/2023 19:31

Respond to the notice because you must do that. Explain the situation with reference to you being out of the country. You must respond to those notices.

You'll have clear evidence of travel, I presume? Flights, purchases made there? Include a copy of boarding passes e.g. when you write to the police.

I suspect what's happened is someone's hit the same model to yours and it was manufactured on the same line as yours and has a similar reg, or it's plate cloning, or they've taken the person's reg down incorrectly.

I know it's stressful, but try not to fret. It's not uncommon for vehicles to get mixed up. It'll come out in the wash.

MichelleScarn · 18/01/2023 19:33

@LadyOfTheFliessssss think op means more she lives in Wales, incident happened in Scotland for example?

Original poster
Spagbolfortea23 · 18/01/2023 19:34

I am beginning to wonder this myself. I can only assume that police have checked cctv (this is meant to of happened in a car park) I'm not sure whether to phone and speak with police in my country and try to get them to liase with the police in other country or just phone the police who have sent me the letter. Preferably I would rather do everything in writing. I have been sent a form to fill out naming the driver which is to be sent back within 28 days or be prosecuted. (So the letter says)

OP posts:
HungryandIknowit · 18/01/2023 19:35

In your position I would write a letter explaining where you were etc. and providing details of who can corroborate this, including contact details for these people. I would then email it and post it tracked postage. I would also follow up with a phone call to ensure they had received it. I would do this with the police as a priority but also the insurers. If you can get something from the police supporting your version of events which you can give to the insurers even better. Good luck.

Original poster
Spagbolfortea23 · 18/01/2023 19:36

MichelleScarn · 18/01/2023 19:33

@LadyOfTheFliessssss think op means more she lives in Wales, incident happened in Scotland for example?

Yes this is right. I live in a different country to where this happened.

OP posts:
HungryandIknowit · 18/01/2023 19:36

I would also complete the form and send it back with the letter.

Smartiepants79 · 18/01/2023 19:36

Ca you provide evidence/proof of where you where at the alleged time? Work? School?
You need to respond to the police.

AnneElliott · 18/01/2023 19:37

Speak to the police who have sent you the letter. But I'd recommend replying in writing stating it could not have been you so it's either mistaken identity or someone has cloned your plates.

Original poster
Spagbolfortea23 · 18/01/2023 19:40

Smartiepants79 · 18/01/2023 19:36

Ca you provide evidence/proof of where you where at the alleged time? Work? School?
You need to respond to the police.

I had been working in the morning. I have bank transactions from that day showing where I shopped and I had took my dd out somewhere where me and my car would be on cctv at the time this is meant to of happened.

People are saying to fill out the form but the form is asking me to name the driver of the vehicle who was involved in a collision where they suspect dangerous driving. I feel like if I fill that form out I'm admitting as such it was me driving the car that was involved.. but my car wasn't involved and neither was I. I feel stressed with this.

OP posts:
saraclara · 18/01/2023 19:40

Smartiepants79 · 18/01/2023 19:36

Ca you provide evidence/proof of where you where at the alleged time? Work? School?
You need to respond to the police.

I had this happen. Fortunately when the incident happened I was at work, and my car was parked in the car park there, exactly opposite my boss's office window, where I always parked! She wrote to confirm that I was at work that day and my car was parked there, and I never heard any more about it.

giveadogabeer · 18/01/2023 19:42

Just phone them during the 2
hour window they are open? You’re making this so much more stressful than it needs to be

LadyOfTheFliessssss · 18/01/2023 19:42

Spagbolfortea23 · 18/01/2023 19:36

Yes this is right. I live in a different country to where this happened.

Show quote history

Anything you have then that you can include that shows where you were at the time of the offence.

I doubt the police would have checked the CCTV at this stage. But again, that's another area that errors could occur - even ANPR cameras don't always get the reg well enough. For example, if there's a bolt on the plate, it can make one character look like another.

The most important thing is that you respond to the notice. But please don't worry that you'll have your insurance affected or you'll be prosecuted. I can't see that happening.

Shinyandnew1 · 18/01/2023 19:46

as the department is only open 2 hours a day

This sounds like your number 1 priority. When can you phone them?

AppleandSpice · 18/01/2023 19:47

You'll have clear evidence of travel, I presume? Flights, purchases made there? Include a copy of boarding passes e.g. when you write to the police

The op wasn’t in the country because she was travelling, she doesn’t live in the same country as the alleged offence. Eg, it happened in wales but she lives in Scotland.

Op it sounds like you numberplate has been cloned, this happened to dh when he had his car listed on Autotrader. He supposedly committed an offence in Greenwich when we live over 100 miles away. We responded to the police letter in writing explaining we currently had the car up for sale online, we’d never been to Greenwich and the car had been at home at the time of the offence, with pictures of his car (as showed clear differences to the car on the police notice) along with a couple of witness statements to verify the car had in fact been on the drive at the time stated on the notice (neighbours). This was enough to stop any further action.

Dont fill out the form, just include a letter outlining any evidence you may have that you were not in the country at the time of the offence.

AppleandSpice · 18/01/2023 19:50

Also state the fact you have had an false insurance claim against your car and you believe your number plates have been cloned.

NoSquirrels · 18/01/2023 19:51

Spagbolfortea23 · 18/01/2023 19:40

I had been working in the morning. I have bank transactions from that day showing where I shopped and I had took my dd out somewhere where me and my car would be on cctv at the time this is meant to of happened.

People are saying to fill out the form but the form is asking me to name the driver of the vehicle who was involved in a collision where they suspect dangerous driving. I feel like if I fill that form out I'm admitting as such it was me driving the car that was involved.. but my car wasn't involved and neither was I. I feel stressed with this.

Show quote history

You can’t name the driver so you leave that blank.

Attach a letter (or write in the part that’s blank ‘for additional information’) that you were not involved in this incident because you were living elsewhere etc.

Even if you phone them you’ll have to fill in the form. It’s just admin.

Preferably I would rather do everything in writing. I have been sent a form to fill out naming the driver which is to be sent back within 28 days or be prosecuted.

Do it all in writing. That’s fine.

Original poster
Spagbolfortea23 · 18/01/2023 19:51

Shinyandnew1 · 18/01/2023 19:46

as the department is only open 2 hours a day

This sounds like your number 1 priority. When can you phone them?

They open at 10am tomorrow. I will be calling them the minute they open.

OP posts:
Judijudi · 18/01/2023 19:51

Have you not got legal cover included with your car insurance? Get a lawyer to respond.

Tinselandtiaras · 18/01/2023 19:52

I echo previous advice to put it in writing. I got a DART crossing charge penalty notice whilst I was at a concert in Manchester. I’ve also never driven over the DART crossing nor do I live anywhere near it.
I just wrote to them stating where I was and offering to provide evidence. They wrote back and cancelled the charge.

GrannyAchingsShepherdsHut · 18/01/2023 19:53

I think the suggestion to fill out the form was to write on the form something like 'my vehicle XY12ABC was not involved in this incident and was in Wales at the specified time. Please see attached letter' so they can't say you didn't return the form.

Definitely speak to anywhere that would have got you on CCTV to see if you can get a copy, or at the very least to stop them recording over it.

Original poster
Spagbolfortea23 · 18/01/2023 19:57

Judijudi · 18/01/2023 19:51

Have you not got legal cover included with your car insurance? Get a lawyer to respond.

I do have legal cover. I wasn't sure if it would be for this kind of thing. This is handy to know. I do feel like I need someone to now liase and respond for me because I'm not getting far doing it on my own. I sent evidence to the under writers proving my location and disputing the claim, so the person went to the police.

OP posts:
AllThatFancyPaintsAsFair · 18/01/2023 19:57

Judijudi · 18/01/2023 19:51

Have you not got legal cover included with your car insurance? Get a lawyer to respond.

Or don't over complicate matters, send the form back with a covering letter explaining everything in clear concise bullet points

Sounds like possibly cloned number plates

LadyOfTheFliessssss · 18/01/2023 19:58

Spagbolfortea23 · 18/01/2023 19:51

They open at 10am tomorrow. I will be calling them the minute they open.

Show quote history

I'm almost certain they'll ask you to respond in writing with your evidence, but it might put your mind at rest to speak them and ask what they think is the best thing to include/what they want on the form in the circumstances.