Ok I was reversing into a parking space when a black cab drove into the back of my car. This was witmessed by my husband who was waiting across the street. Neither of us was going more than a couple of miles an hour and the only damage I had on my car was a small dent that was pushed out and a new tail light.
We swapped details and his insurance people wrote to me and I replied that we were not at fault and totally refuted his claim.
I heard nothing for EIGHT months and assumed the taxi driver had come to his senses. A loss adjuster working for the taxi driver phoned me this week and has admitted that the file got mislaid and now the case is being revived.
We didn't call our insurance company at the time as the damage was so minimal it wasn't worth losing the no-claims, I have now been told I've broken the law - is that right? I'm also concerned that in the past 8 months (doubtless) the taxi driver has had the vehicle mended and we have lost our chance to vet the repair estimate to make sure we're not paying for every dent he's got.
Any advice??????
|
Who has told you that you have broken the law ? And how ?
If you are unable to "vet" the repairs, then how is he justifying the cost of repairs ? Has he offered to show you the parts which were replaced ? Has he produced photographic evidence ?
How much is he claiming ?
Always report an incident to your insurer, albeit that you can make it for information only if you do nto wish to claim.
The accident sounds as if it was your fault. On what basis did you maintain that it was his ? Why are you changing that position now ?
Sounds to me like the "loss adjuster" is trying it on. What does he mean "wokring for the taxi driver" ? That makes no sense. A loss adjuster is exactly what it sounds like, and they work for insurers not taxi drivers.
A few more details would help...........
|
|
|
Advice? well yes.
My first word of advice is re write the description of the accident.
Somehow "I was reversing, a cab hit me up the back, and its not my fault" really does not stack up.
You havent broken any law per say, but you have breached the terms of your insurance policy by not informing them of the incident. 8 months on there is a fairly good chance they wont pay up for anything claimed against you. You may be on your own.
|
not got any quicker then ?
|
Thanks for the advice, I was already reversing with all lights working when the taxi hit me and as there were parked cars either side I assumed he should have stopped to allow me to complete the manoevre, does that fact that I was going backwards make it my my fault?
I've looked tham up on the net and it would appear that the company that have contacted me are ambulance chasers...as we were going about 5 mph I can't imagine what they think they can claim but I'm getting really worried.
I think I'm going to write again to tell them to take a hike after all I've nothing to lose by holding out as long as possible!
KH
|
I've no idea about all this insurance malarky but just to make it clearer;
You were reversing into a space (parallel parking if you will) when you and a taxi collided? At what point did you see the taxi?
--
Adam
|
|
|
"Thanks for the advice, I was already reversing with all lights working when the taxi hit me and as there were parked cars either side I assumed he should have stopped to allow me to complete the manoevre"
When reversing you are assumed to look where you are going.
From your description you were not (whether that's true I don't know but it's what and how you have said it).
If true it's all your fault.
madf
|
Yes I was looking where I was going and I saw the taxi. I'm confused by the comment that it's my fault so perhaps you could let me know what I should have done, should I have pulled forward and driven away so that the taxi could continue forwards?
I'm a simple sort who tends to use commonsense (which is doubtless my downfall!) and if the situation was reversed I would have stopped allowing me to park and then continued on my way. It would appear that in continuing to reverse I may have committed an offence so I suppose I deserve to have to pay :)
I was more interested to see if you guys thought it was OK for the company to re-contact me after 8 months.
KH
|
>>I was more interested to see if you guys thought it was OK for the company to re-contact me after 8 months.
Yes.
>>I'm a simple sort who tends to use commonsense...
A bit unconvincing given that you've reversed along a road into a taxi. I would have expected you to have been aware that it was a)there and b) moving.
That to one side, how much money are they looking for ? I would guess that no file has been lost, its just that the taxi driver has recently seen a television advert promising millions for nothing. Had you advised your insurer then you would now have no issues - do remember that next time.
So - how much money are they looking for and in what connection ?
I suspect your idea of writing to them and telling them to go away since it was all their guy's fault is probably the best approach.
I'd also advise your insurance company of this now. They're not going to like it, but you better find out where they stand before you're having to deal with an injury claim on your own.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You know what? some other bloke called Mark used to say that. Now there was a right wally.
|
Yeah - thank God he went. This FM2R bloke sounds like a gent though.
--
Adam
|
If you are reversing, almost without exception if you hit anything its your fault, even more so if you are reversing against the traffic direction.
|
I didn't know that.
So you see a space between two cars and you reverse parallel park into it. When you start the procedure there are no cars coming towards you from behinda and all your rear lights are working and a car drives into you, it's your fault??!!
What about the car behihd always being at fault?
--
Espada III - well if you have a family and need a Lamborghini, what else do you drive?
|
|
Not when you are reversing.
|
Oh!
--
Espada III - well if you have a family and need a Lamborghini, what else do you drive?
|
Double Oh!
You have no idea how tempting it is to put 7 here.
--
Adam
|
|
|
|
"If you are reversing, almost without exception if you hit anything its your fault, even more so if you are reversing against the traffic direction. "
Says who? Don't agree with that at all - people tend to be going slowly and paying more attention when reversing. The taxi on the over hand what was he thinking he was up to? I suspect if kh paused during the manouver when the taxi wasn't for stopping, she could do little more :-)
|
grnicol, I'd agree with you if KH had stopped whilst completing a reversing manoeuveur when she saw the taxi coming and thus the taxi hit her. In fact I think this might be my line if I was her !
P
|
P,
Exactly :-)
And even if they were both in motion, I would think the insurers would treat it 50/50 with no other evidence or witnesses to corroborate either's view.
|
|
|
|
|
|
>>Now there was a right wally.
Never met the guy myself, although I did hear many admiring reports. I was told about some other bloke though, something about big blue computers, ugly unreliable cars, and speeding on the M40.
|
Not big blue cars and unreliable computers then ;-)
|
|
Careful there are several of us about.... :-p
|
|
|
|
You havent broken any law per say
||cringes||
per se please RF! ;-)
Repeat after me fifty times: www.wsu.edu/~brians/errors/perse.html ;-)
|
|
|
|
