opinions please...

[PeterM]

After a view on if I'm being out of order...situation is ;

Sat on sofa last night and door bell goes . Guy stood with daughter saying ' my daughter just drove into your AUDI' ( quite how she ended up on the wrong side of the road to hit it I have no clue )

So details swapped - he says he will pay for it to avoid her loosing NCB etc as she's 17 .

I run around this morning getting quotes - between 1200 and 1900 . I tell him and he goes nuts saying I have ' ruined her life' as he wont pay that much , he knows it wont cost that much etc etc.

So I say OK - lets let insurers sort it out. - he calls me an arse , unreasonable , I've ruined his daughters life etc .

I've given him the chance to just pay for it , he didn't want to ....

What else could I have done ?

[Chris Caton]

go to the police station, report the accident, get a number of the police n then ring your insurance, quick!

[Crusher]

DEFINATELY go straight to Police, get a crime number and phone your insurance.
You have been more than reasonable and given them every opportunity.
Nobodies life has been ruined, it's only bent metal.
You are the victim here, for whatever reason they hit you. And they should therefore pay to have it sorted. You always end up out of pocket even if only for the running around and inconvenience!!

[PeterM]

Thanks guys - its all so bizarre really....

Its her fault , I try and do the nice thing, but the 'dad' doesn't seem to want to admit has daughter ballsed up by driving into a parked car on the opposite side of the road she was supposed to be on.

He thinks both quotes I 've got ( one at mates rates at 1200) are 'maxed so I can take advantage of the situation'.

Oh well - calls made - a new TT being arranged (and paid for by her insurers who instantly admitted liability) while the original is fixed.

I'm even allowing her insurers to arrange this stuff - but i'm using my own repairer !

I tried but I had to chuckle about the ruining her life line ....

I think I'll make them (literally) pay for everything now !

[mick]

Police won't want to know but won't harm to let them know



Hard to believe but there is £1800 of damage there

[C2 RIBS]

Peter he was given an easy option, he obviously either has no insurance for her to drive or the insurance on a 17 year old will now spirral very high as first year of driving.

We saw a similar with a friend who tried for her son, the other party said no go through Ins due to costs and then the insurance went from 1000 to 7000 for her son( Polo).

Speak one more time to father with a tape running and give him the option of pay for damage or its goes on insurance.

[matt h]

yep yep, one more chance, record the info, go to police and get crime ref and go by the book!!

[Bern Hanreck]

Peter has obviously tried to do the right thing .

The police will have no interest whatsoever ! Why should they ? The other party notified Peter and it appears that their insurance party has already admitted liability and is allowing Peter to get his vehicle repaired .

I don't think you can covertly record any old conversation and then try and use it as admissible evidence .I stand to be corrected on this ?

[HughN]

[Un-informed legal advice] When, in the past, I have had issues in this sort of situation I have suggested that I could file small claim for the cost of restoring the vehicle to the exact condition it was before the accident. It would be an open/shut case.

If they don't pay up the bailiffs can go in and they also have a black mark for credit, etc.,; experience suggests their insurers would very quickly start paying attention [/Un-informed legal advice]

I once informed an insurer that I was taking this route to claim back the costs of a complete re-shell. They upped their offer quickly and substantially.

[Ian M]

Well done Pete, sounds like you have given them every chance.

[willk]

Wow - flashback time!

Many years ago I was about to leave my house one morning when there was an God-awful bang outside. I go out and my car is now a full car's length up the street. There is a car wedged in the back of it. This was in a quiet road in an "estate". As chance had it, I knew the girl and she admitted liability (she'd have too ). I got a quote (total right-off) and next thing I knew her family were calling me saying I was robbing her and they'd take MY car to "a man they knew" who would sort it. I declined this excellent offer and next thing they suggested that I was illegally parked (facing the wrong way). The insurance company paid up and just for the shits and giggles, I hit them for car rental too. I was always struck by how very much people want to take advantage of any situation. I have lost track of the number of "hit & runs" my CCTV has recorded at work. One burd reversed her Landcruiser onto the bonnet of a Celica, got out, inspected the carnage and drove off. Her excuse later - "I didn't notice any bump!". Cop says he has footage - new tune "That car parked behind me when I was inside - it wasn't my fault!"

Your matey is taking the piss - avoid him and claim away.

[C2 RIBS]

Put money on it the police wont be interested. Its not an injury and all parties have made contact and followed rules. Insurance claim#

As for taping others, up to you I always cover my xxxx and will argue with others after but have it for a record, same with some HR companies I have dealt with, better to have tape than nothing( perhaps thats another post)

[PeterM]

Cheers guys, I have pinched myself to see if I really am being an arse.

No need for police, as said I tried to be nice, but as the guy is a tit., I'm making them pay!

He lives in my road..but I don't even care he has to drive past me to get to his house!

I think you can record calls without telling them...(we do at work!!)

[chris.moody]

You tried to be fair and the chap is now being unreasonable. Just go through the insurers, he had his chance.

Your quote didn't sound that bad, it can only have been a very small dent. We have just had my wife's car repaired after a pheasant hit the bonnet and that was well over £1500 for a dinner plate sized dent.

Chris

--
Tigga - Avon SR4 Rescue with 40hp Yamaha 2 stroke

[ShinyShoe]

Originally Posted by PeterM

Guy stood with daughter saying ' my daughter just drove into your AUDI'

Originally Posted by mick

Attachment 86782

No wonder he's annoyed... that AUDI seems to have changed shape a bit ;-)

Originally Posted by PeterM

I think you can record calls without telling them...(we do at work!!)

Oftel - faqs
You'll notice a lot of companies have a recording that says calls may be recorded for training and quality etc... ...there is a reason they tell you that.

[uncle al]

tell the police and your insurance company,The boss (the wife) and I went to the cinema Tuesday, and when we came out some kind person didnt like the shape of my car as the have smashed it all down the n/s, over two grand to fix it. Being the nice kind soul that he/she was , he didnt leave any details, the police now are investigating the smash.I just remembered my daughters car was T boned on a junction, the other driver tried to blame my daughter, the woman said "she was driving to fast" I politly pointed out that my daughter dont drive side ways along the roads.

[Silverfox]

I've had this exact thing happen, and long story short, the reason he wanted not to go through insurers as his wife (in this instance) wasn't insured to drive the car! Police weren't interested even though they happened to be on scene when the incident happened, but didn't actually see her driving. My insures coughed up, and are now perusing the owner of the vehicle.

[onlyonestone]

Where's the whiplash claim from getting up to answer the door quickly!? The guy sounds a tit.

[PeterM]

Cheers all - no need for Police or call recording or any of that.

More shocked at how he seemed to want to turn his daughter being a tit into me being expected to swallow some of the cost as she was ' upset' and he had to take a day off work to get her car fixed and how he seemed to think as he was honest enough to knock on my door I should cut him some slack as she 'could have driven off' .......

I guess it s case of how dare I point out his 'princess' was without any doubt at fault and there is always a consequence to actions where you do something wrong - but no ..I was told I'd ruined her life at uni etc etc as I wouldn't accept the car could be fixed for less than £1200. ( actually I was shocked at how much those Audi headlights cost! ) .

Oh well his daughter will now have a HUGE claim on record, loose her NCB, not go to UNI, not get a job, probably have to sell her organs for research to be able to buy food etc etc - all down to me wanting the car fixed !

I really must have a word myself ......I'll just have to live with it

[Hightower]

Sounds like you did the right thing in the end Pete.

One more thing worth remembering is that if you do verbally agree an out of insurance settlement and the money isn't forthcoming for the repair, it's quite possible for weeks to have passed since the accident. Insurance usually states (somewhere in the small print) that all accidents claimed or otherwise should be reported to the insurance company without delay.

You wouldn't want your insurance company wriggling out on a technicality would you?