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Original poster

Dp's just written off 3 cars whilst driving mine - who's insurance does he claim on?

31 replies

inameeting · 21/12/2005 21:27

Thank god everyone was ok - he ran into the back of a car which then shunted into the one in front of that - all 3 written off! Thing is, it was my car .

I'm insured fully comp with him as a named driver and he's insured fully comp for his car which says he's insured to drive other vehicles. I've been looking through the documents, but don't know whose insurance company will have to deal with this. Don't suppose anyone can tell me?

Thank you!

OP posts:
hermykne · 21/12/2005 21:29

yours, if its his fault its your insurance company they ll come knocking to, sorry, bad luck

Pixiefish · 21/12/2005 21:29

his insurance only provides him with 3rd party cover if he's driving another insured vehicle. you'll have to claim on yours i'm afraid

katzglitterytree · 21/12/2005 21:29

i'd have thought it would be the one for that car as aposed to the person iyswim, so essentailly yours

hermykne · 21/12/2005 21:30

well reading it again, maybe his work but then you have to claim off him for your car ???

katzglitterytree · 21/12/2005 21:30

he should only be liable for the damage to the car in front though not the other 2, i'm sure tahts the way it works,

katzglitterytree · 21/12/2005 21:32

sorry thought 4 cars were involved dh's and 3 others

Original poster
inameeting · 21/12/2005 21:34

No - just(!) the 3 including mine.

I suppose my insurance premiums will rocket then if we have to claim through mine?

OP posts:
Hulababy · 21/12/2005 21:35

When I had my car shunted in similar way - I was at front, and was hit by a car who'd been hit by another car behind her. Both me and the driver of car that hit me claimed off the insurabnce of the cr right at the back - the one that first created an impact. Does that make sense?

Original poster
inameeting · 21/12/2005 21:37

Yes that makes sense Hula - as the 2 cars were stationary at the time, it would be a bit unfair for the middle one to have to claim I think

OP posts:
Janh · 21/12/2005 21:38

As already said, his insurance will cover him for 3rd party claims but not for the damage to your own car - so yes, you will have to claim off your own - and yes, unless you have protected no-claims, your premium will rocket next year

LIZS · 21/12/2005 21:39

If yours is damaged too the claim would be on your policy or you'll have to pay up yourselves fro your damage. Presumably the total claim will be above your excess. Do you have no-claims protection for your premiums ?

katzglitterytree · 21/12/2005 21:41

i thought and i hasten to add i'm an engineer not a laywer that if someone goes into the back you then they are to blame therefore in a queue of traffic the one that went into the back has to pay out, so your dh would have to pay for the car he hit but they would have to pay for the car they hit, and the one in front doesn't pay at all, i know someoen who had this happen to and they in the middle completely blameless lost their no claims. i guess it depends on the circumstance, the person i know was told they were to blame because they didn't have their handbrake on when stopped, if they had then when hit they wouldn't have gone into the car in front

Morgan · 21/12/2005 21:42

As long as the other vehicles were stationary at the time of impact then your dh will be held responsible for the damage to all the cars and the claim will go through on your insurance as the car involved. Your no claims bonus will be affected unless it is protected (which is always worth doing) no use to you now though i realise that advice - sorry!

starandsnowshaker · 21/12/2005 21:45

i was speaking to a police man about this and he had been in an accident where a car hit him and he hit the car in front. he had to get his insurance to pay for the 1 he hit as "he must have been 2 close"

also if a car rolls back and hits you you are liable as again you must have been 2 close

katzglitterytree · 21/12/2005 21:48

star thats what i was told too, does seem unfair though doesn't it!

Janh · 21/12/2005 21:50

DH once did one of those defensive driving courses with an ex-copper and was told he should leave a car's length between him and the car in front at traffic lights - and brake of course - but whoever does that???

Original poster
inameeting · 21/12/2005 21:52

Oh dear - differing opinions as to whether he should claim 3rd party costs on his insurance leaving me to claim from my insurance for the cost of my car, or have him claim everything on mine.

And no, I didn't have a no claims protection thingy on mine. FECK.

Blimey - I hope the poor guy in the middle doesn't lose his no claims I hardly ever use my handbrake at lights, and certainly don't leave a car's length infront.

OP posts:
Original poster
inameeting · 21/12/2005 21:53

Screwed aren't I

OP posts:
LIZS · 21/12/2005 21:57

I thought you automatically take a no-claims hit, even if ultimately it wasn't your fault, as you have to claim through your own insurance company who then claim against the other. Don't think you could do two claims for the same incident, and you'll still use your no claims, so not much point.

LIZS · 21/12/2005 21:57

lose not use

Kathlean · 21/12/2005 21:59

Hi there

My DP was hit behind and shunted into the car in front about 18 months ago. The b!"£$rd who hit us gave false details and had false plate so we have been unable to get anything on him at all. Fortunately because the car in front claimed against us we had proof that we were telling the truth.

DP lost 2 years NC and his excess. When his insurance was up for renewal we shopped around. We got a policy with my company and saved a packet as one of us already had insurance with them (over £250).

We actually ended up paying a similar amount to the previous years insurence despite losing the NC.

Original poster
inameeting · 21/12/2005 22:11

I just didn't want to alert dp's insurance company (or mine come to that) if we didn't have to as he pays for both anyway. I suppose then that both companies will have to be alerted? At least that way they can sort it out between themselves who pays what.

Good for your dp Kathlean - unfortunately, I'm with a female only insurers, so don't think they'd be able to insure dp

OP posts:
flea · 21/12/2005 22:20

this has just happened to me - I was driving my husbands car and rear ended somebody else. I also have my own fully comp insurance. Insurance company have broken it down as follows : damage to husnbands car covered by his policy. Damage to the other drivers car covered by my policy!
Luckily no damage to husbands car. This is in Ireland but I presume same rules probably apply

Original poster
inameeting · 21/12/2005 22:24

Just read my last post - didn't mean it to sound as though I didn't want to contact our insurers at all - just thought I might not have to contact just one of them so we could at least keep one no claims

Flea - poor you! Hope you and the others were ok.

OP posts:
titchy · 22/12/2005 12:26

I expect when you complete the claim forms whichever insurer you use will ask if there is any other insurance and they will split the cost between them. As far as the other cars go the insurers of the car who actually did the bumping will pay out initially, but then claim their costs back from your dh's insurer.

HTH!