Car Insurance Scams - Staged Car Accidents

[WelshMam2009]

I'm with Zurich also and have dealt with DAS in the past.

 

They will get there eventually, you just be patient as Kurvaface suggested.

[mattaius]

Thanks I'll keep this updated with how it goes

[mattaius]

I've just spoken with DAS Group, they called me to go over the claim details. So I explained what happened and now I'm just too confused I don't know where to start!!

 

My back bumper is slightly damaged and isn't worth the £800 excess I'd have to pay. She said they wouldn't be able to take it to a solicitors for some reason, they would have to deal with it in-house and that would mean I would only get less than £1000 PI compensation. I told her I'm not interested in claiming PI compensation, I'm not even bothered about the damage to my car, I'm only frustrated that some guy has crashed into me on purpose and there's no justice if he gets away with it.

 

She said that because I was reversing, it will probably be split 50/50 liability.

 

She said they could just deal with the car repair costs and it wouldn't go actually through my insurance so I won't get marked as having a claim.

 

I'm just too confused to deal with this, I don't understand what their job actually is, other than to act as my legal representation and it won't cost me anything because it's a part of my policy. But if I don't put a proper claim in for damages and compensation and just either get my car fixed myself or just leave it, the third party could still put a claim in against me??

 

She said even though you have an independent witness, it doesn't necessarily mean that liability will land on the third party - which I understand, but why the hell would it not if some woman off her own back came up to the police and told her what really happened??!

 

I don't know what to do now I don't know what will happen if I don't put a claim in and I don't know what will happen if I do put a claim in. I don't know how it all works in the insurance world and I tried to tell this to the girl on the phone but she kept on talking gobbledegook that I didn't understand.

 

HELPP!

 

Matt!

[WelshMam2009]

I've just spoken with DAS Group, they called me to go over the claim details. So I explained what happened and now I'm just too confused I don't know where to start!!

 

My back bumper is slightly damaged and isn't worth the £800 excess I'd have to pay. She said they wouldn't be able to take it to a solicitors for some reason, they would have to deal with it in-house and that would mean I would only get less than £1000 PI compensation. I told her I'm not interested in claiming PI compensation, I'm not even bothered about the damage to my car, I'm only frustrated that some guy has crashed into me on purpose and there's no justice if he gets away with it.

 

She said that because I was reversing, it will probably be split 50/50 liability.

 

She said they could just deal with the car repair costs and it wouldn't go actually through my insurance so I won't get marked as having a claim.

 

I'm just too confused to deal with this, I don't understand what their job actually is, other than to act as my legal representation and it won't cost me anything because it's a part of my policy. But if I don't put a proper claim in for damages and compensation and just either get my car fixed myself or just leave it, the third party could still put a claim in against me??

 

She said even though you have an independent witness, it doesn't necessarily mean that liability will land on the third party - which I understand, but why the hell would it not if some woman off her own back came up to the police and told her what really happened??!

 

I don't know what to do now I don't know what will happen if I don't put a claim in and I don't know what will happen if I do put a claim in. I don't know how it all works in the insurance world and I tried to tell this to the girl on the phone but she kept on talking gobbledegook that I didn't understand.

 

HELPP!

 

Matt!

 

I would ask them to put your options in writing so that you can read through it properly and make a decision. DAS are essentially there to try and recover your losses but they're saying that this is a 50/50 claim so you're unlikely to recover anything from the third party.

 

What I think will happen, if you're not going for PI, is that DAS will arrange the repair and you will pay for the work as it is less than your excess. However, I believe that you are will still be covered by your insurance in case of any claims.

 

I reported a bump circa 4 years ago, just to be on the safe side, where there was no/minimal damage to either car just incase the other party submitted a PI claim.

[mattaius]

Thankyou. So as I have already alerted my insurance company to the 'accident', would you advise me to just leave it, and if I decide to get the repair done myself, that's what I decide..?

 

To be honest, I can't be bothered with the stress and hassle over something which hasn't done very much damage at all, the only reason one part of me wants to pursue it, is because of the criminal who crashed into me.

 

But because I have already alerted my insurance company about the incident, and I decide not to claim through the insurance, how does this affect me if third party decides to claim through insurance?

 

Matt.

[WelshMam2009]

Thankyou. So as I have already alerted my insurance company to the 'accident', would you advise me to just leave it, and if I decide to get the repair done myself, that's what I decide..?

 

To be honest, I can't be bothered with the stress and hassle over something which hasn't done very much damage at all, the only reason one part of me wants to pursue it, is because of the criminal who crashed into me.

 

But because I have already alerted my insurance company about the incident, and I decide not to claim through the insurance, how does this affect me if third party decides to claim through insurance?

 

Matt.

 

It's entirely up to you Matt. All DAS will do is refer it to an approved repairer and you will probably get a courtesy car.

 

If the third party successfully claims, then you will probably still have to cough up your excess. However, if it's 50/50 then they're unlikely to be successful.

[Mossycat]

they're saying that this is a 50/50 claim so you're unlikely to recover anything from the third party.

 

 

That's totally wrong

 

If it's settled on a 50/50 basis the OP will recover 50% of whatever he is claiming, hence why it's called 50/50 (ie each side recovers £50 of their total claim from the other)

 

Mossy

[mattaius]

That's totally wrong

 

If it's settled on a 50/50 basis the OP will recover 50% of whatever he is claiming, hence why it's called 50/50 (ie each side recovers £50 of their total claim from the other)

 

Mossy

 

 

What would you advise someone in my situation Mossycat?

[Mossycat]

What would you advise someone in my situation Mossycat?

 

If it were me I would persue a claim for the damage, either for the actual cost of repairs or for cash in lieu of repairs.

 

The damage does not exceed your excess so your insurers will not make a payment towards your damage, but they will still deal with a claim from the other people if they decide to make one.

 

The big advantage to you making a claim is that if you are successful and the other insurers pay out 100% it then stops the other people form claiming off you at some future date (ie if the other insurers pay out in full then they accept that their insured was totally liable, therefore they would have no chance of making any kind of claim against you), you have an independent witness who I assume confirms you were stationary at the moment of impact, if that is the case then there is no argument that the other people are 100% liable and their insurers couldn't hope to defend any claim you make.

 

If you have suffered personal injuries you are free to consult or appoint any solicitor you want, just about all of them will do it without it costing you anything.

 

At the end of the day nobody can tell you what is best for you to do, that's a decision you will have to make, I said at the start of this post 'if it were me I'd do this', I've got a lot of claims experience so writing letters and hassling other insurers isn't something out of the ordinary for me.

 

Hope this helps

 

Mossy

[WelshMam2009]

That's totally wrong

 

If it's settled on a 50/50 basis the OP will recover 50% of whatever he is claiming, hence why it's called 50/50 (ie each side recovers £50 of their total claim from the other)

 

Mossy

 

I was referring to this specific claim where there appears to be negligible damage on both sides. Hence, any claim by the OP is likely be off-set by the counter claim.

[mattaius]

So today this DAS Group called again today, spoke to a girl called Vicky, she sounded like she was purely there to try and get me to put an injury claim in... Anyway, the conversation went like this:

 

Me: ''So what's your name again sorry?''

 

Vicky: ''It's Vicky''

 

Me: ''Oh right Vicky ehhh, and whereabouts are you from then?''

 

Vicky: ''I'm from South Wales''

 

Me: ''Ohhhh South Wales ahh righhht and how old are you then Vicky?''

 

Vicky: ''I'm 23''

 

Me: ''Ohhh 23 ehhh, and can I ask you Vicky, have you ever been smashed in the rear?''

 

Vicky: ''Not for a while''

______________________________________

 

Fear not dear Vicky, I shall soon sort that out.

[Jan4a]

It does seem accepted nowadays that everyone puts a whiplash claim in whether they're hurt or not. I actually told a claims company that there was nothing wrong with me once when I had been a passenger in an accident. Their reply was that it might be noticeable for a few months so I should claim just in case. They do seem to encourage fraud!

[mattaius]

They would encourage you if there was something in it for them! Bit of commission maybe! Targets to hit!