Insurance question

[Chris J]

Basically, My mum had a crash in the clio yesterday. She was exiting by the second exit on a roundabout in the outside lane. A car came from the inside lane (apparently trying to exit by the first), and rammed the rear quarter.
The woman drove round the corner before my mum could take an photos as she didnt feel it was "safe" to be by the roundabout. The only witness was my younger brother in the drivers seat of the clio.

After giving my mum all her details etc, the woman changes her story and says she is going to contest it. Claiming that my mum swerved inwards and caused the crash.
Are there any things my mum can do to try and ensure she keeps her no claims? She has 6 years NCB

Is there any way to prove what happened etc? If she loses her no claims, it kinda f*cks up insurance for me and my brother, as we are going to be named drivers on her insurance.

Thanks

 

[Vish]

Maybe put up a sign for witnesses to call you?

I'd tell the police about the accident, but not about the woman changing her story. The police are suppse to be informed about accidents anyway.

If nothing else helps, the insurance company will prob send a damage investigator or someone to see if the other woman's claim is possible. When I had my big accident, I was lucky to have the police come, although it was quite a big accident. I told them my story and they said the woman who caused the crash was in the wrong. They didn't take a statement from here there and then because she was in shock or pretending. Her mother was giving some stories to the police though. Claim took months to settle because the woman driving made up 2 different stories none of which made any logical sense due to the areas of damage to the cars and the positions the cars were in after the crash. I spent a lot of time laughing down the phone telling my insurance company how s**t her stories were. In the end, only the police report stating me not at fault finalised the claim in my favour.

So if it becomes a battle, it'll depend on if her stories make sense with damage IMO. Take some photos quick of your damage on an film-based camera, digital's not normally allowed for proof, and if you have the woman's address, go there and take pics of her car too and send them to your insurance company. It might help if her claims make no sense.

 

[UnderSteerDan]

I hate so say it mate, but i had an almost identical incident last year. The woman in question lied and they made a split decision as i couldnt provide any names of witnesses.
Luckily my NCB was protected but my Williams one was written off. The car was genuinely immaculate and i had paid £3500 for it only 13(!!) days earlier. The insurance compaines final valuation of the vehicle was only £1500, so i recieved £900 after the excess was paid.
I later recieved a letter from someone who had paid £2300 for the car in the insurance companies salvage auction.

All in all, just stick to the story and tell the truth about what happened. Hopefully the lying party has a rendez vous with an uninsured Albanian lorry driver sometime soon!

 

[DamoWales]

Did she crash into you, and then drive off?

Surely if your mum "hit her" she would of stopped?!

 

[Scaggeh]

Unfortunately accidents on roundabouts almost always result in a 50/50 settlement. Not much she can do but contest it and take it through the usual legal channels..

 

[Chris J]

Did she crash into you, and then drive off?

Surely if your mum "hit her" she would of stopped?!

She crashed into the clio, both stopped, then when my mum went to get the camera to take pictures she shouted something about somewhere safer and drove around the corner.

 

[E11OOT]

without cctv or more witnesses, it will probably be resolved as a 50 50 case.

 

[Jaff]

same thing happened to me the problem was i was exiting the female taxi drive charged ont he roundabout and intot he sid eof my car.

she then told her insurers a completley different story to the actuall crash then got another driver from there firm to make up yet a different story in a witness statement.

i informed the police but i was told they werent interested unless someone was hurt.

over 18months later its still not settled, my insurers were confident that i was not at fault, but her insurers and then lawyers, refused to answer any corrispondnace form my side. then my lawyers have said just give up and go 50-50, wtf? just because they refuse to co-operate?

as said sadly on this kind of case unless you have definite proof, by an impartial witness ( as your brothers statement will be ingnored)(as will the passengers of the other car) or CCTV, which the police/council can charge upto £100 for a copy of the tape. you will be stuffed with a 50-50.

who is your mum insured with, somoef them allow you to have upto 3 claims before they take away ncb, or some will take only some off.

also i hope you arent suggesting you will be fronting your insurance?? because thats just not worth the risk. if this happened and you were driving, and you were found to be the main driver then you would be complelty stuffed.

 

[Chris J]

No, she will still be the main driver, but me and my brother still need to be insured on the car for when we use it, it will just be a lot more expensive if she has no NCB.

Thanks for the replies everyone, hopefully it will all work out