Hi Everyone, long time no post, hope you are all well.
Towards the end of December last year, i received a letter from my insurers, informing me a claim had been intimated agaist me for an incident alleged to have occurred on 31st October, at 12.01am.
Now unless I was driving in my sleep, I have certainly not had any accidents in my car. After a couple of calls to the insurers, it turned out somebody is claiming I smashed into the back of them, pushing them into a post, causing significant damage. Since this is something I think i would remember occuring, I obviously denied any involvement, and as such my insurers have requested proof that I was at the scene.
My questions are
1) What will they require to validate the claim
2) How do I prove it was not me (will they come and check my car for damage/signs of repair?)
3) If they only require the claimant to provide details of my car, these are readily available on the Internet as they obviously have my registration no, what else will they ask for?
my concern is a significant rise in my premium for somebody claiming I was involved in an accident I know nothing about!
Thanks in advance.
Edited by Pugugly on 17/03/2008 at 18:08
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You should be fine as you can prove you were elsewhere or at worst that your car is undamaged and has not been repaired if they come to check.
Unfortunately this is the other side of the situation my son found himself in 14 months ago when the young lad who backed into him refused to give us his insurance details (once his mother got involved) and our insurance company had to go chasing. We did get everything back but it took nearly a year.
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If you saw the recent TV programme where they followed some insurance claim investigators, there was a piece where a lot of accidents involved claims of being hit then hitting a tree or post. Suppose they can claim for maximum damage to vehicle and person (what's the betting the car was full with occupants at the time of the accident!)
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You don't have to prove anything: they have to prove it was you. Even at the civil standard of proof, it sounds as though they'll have difficulty. Keep your insurers informed, as you are doing.
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Yeah, i bet all 5 occupants have whiplash, and prably will be unable to work for the next 6 months.
The insurers pointed out it could well be an honest mistake one wrong digit being noted down. Being a worrier however, I tend to think the worst!
I presume the owness is on the claiant to prove it was me, rather then me to prove it wasn't?
I wouldnt mind if I had actaully been involved, but my car was tucked away in the garage on the date of the incident, as I was driving the car covered in Tiger stripes I won the previous week!! Not sure how I go about proving that though........
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when the young lad who backed into him refused to give us his insurance details
Isn't that an offence? Was he prosecuted for it, or have I got my facts wrong?
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>> when the young lad who backed into him refused to give us his >> insurance details
Isn't that an offence? Was he prosecuted for it or have I got my facts wrong?
When we reported it to the police they told us to leave it to the insurance companies, I think the lad would have given us the details his overprotective mother was the problem
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my insurers have requested proof that I was at the scene.
I should wait and see what happens then - if I've read this right:-
Your insurers told you someone was claiming against you;
You told your insurers you know nothing about the incident;
Your insurers are requesting information from the claimant that you were there.
Do you need to actually do anything at all at the moment?
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If you sleep with your mobile phone switched on the phone's service provider's records can be used to prove where you were at a particular time if the police get involved.
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If you sleep with your mobile phone switched on the phone's service provider's records can be used to prove where you were at a particular time if the police get involved.
Actually, all that the service provider's records will prove is where the mobile phone was not where the owner was, although it would obviously strengthen the evidence as to the whereabouts of the innocent party.
Edited by Dynamic Dave on 17/03/2008 at 21:21
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Has the insurance company told you where this accident may have taken place? Horrible thought but maybe someone could have "cloned" your car
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I would tend to get the AA to do a vehicle inspection for you - they can document the fact, as experts, that your vehicle has never been involved in a collision. I would also report the matter to the police (as a fraud) so that you get a crime number allocated. Pass both back to your insurers and sit back.
You cuold also get some signed statements from neighbours / frinds who might know for certain hat your car is undamaged and you were at home at the time - or even to prove your CAR was at home.
Edited by grumpyscot on 18/03/2008 at 06:48
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Having managed a bodyshop for 6 months there is a set procedure for this type of claim it's just insurance companies look these days to just want to actually claim of each other rather than defend claims.
What you should agree with your Insurers is the following they appoint an independent engineer at a body shop to remove the rear panels - your cars parts are either stamped or micro dotted as such with a date - ussually a clock face stamp with year and month of build this should match other panels and the build date of the car.
If it doesn't basically you and company hasn't a leg to stand on and you personally foot the bill for the inspection and they pay out the claim and probably cancel your insurance.
However as you say you were in bed at the time you have nothing to worry about you might help solve a crime !!
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Thanks for all your replies so far.
I presume i should wait until the Insurance company come back to me with the evidence they have requested from the claimant, before I register it as a fraud with the Police? It might all turn out to be a storm in a teacup, and somebody has written down the wrong reg no? Or should I go to the Police anyway?
I spoke to my Insurers again yesterday, and apprently they have received correspondence from the other Insurer, but proably wont get around to reviewing it for a couple of weeks. This has been going on since before christmas, and despite having done nothing wrong it is still playing on my mind.
With regards to the engineers report, I know for a fact that no body work has been done to the car whilst it has been in my ownership, and there is/has been no damage to the car from a front impact, so that seems to be a good route should the claimant still claim it was me.
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Exactly the same thing happened to me, Nick. I posted on here as well (forum search?) and got a lot of useful advice - as usual. It turned out that other BR'ers were in the same situation and my insurers told me this kind of thing is common. It is usually caused by someone incorrectly recording the reg. details at the scene of an accident, and yours happen to match. Your insurers will contact the other party and request more information. When the colour/ make/ model given in their account fails to match yours, you are in the clear.
In my case the other party refused to provide any more details and told us they intended to issue proceedings against me. Two and a bit years later and they have still not done so.
The only other hassle I had was getting my NCB re-instated.
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