Someone Drove Into My Car

Forums › Transport (cars, bikes and boats) › Someone Drove Into My Car - No Insurance!

1 | 2 | 3 | 4

30853 posts

Uber Geek

Retired Mod

Trusted

Biddle Corp

Lifetime subscriber

#1484957 4-Feb-2016 07:55

Providing you provide details of the other party you'll be covered. Most (but certainly not all) insurance companies and policies these days have a no fault excess policy so if you're not at fault you won't have to pay anything.

I had the rear door of my car backed into at the supermarket a few years ago and the person who did it left no details however another witness gave their details and the rego of the truck. I rang AA insurance with these and had them call me back a few hours later approving everything and waiving any excess, I was quite impressed how quickly they processed things.

Handsomedan

7294 posts

Uber Geek

ID Verified

Trusted

Subscriber

#1484966 4-Feb-2016 08:21

We watched a woman back into another car quite solidly at the Auckland zoo a couple of years ago...just as she was going to drive off, I stood in front of her and made a big show of taking photos of her car, rego and herself, so that we could assist the affected party.

It was only then did she get out of the car and ask if we had any paper so she could leave her details.

We also wrote our details down so the driver could get in touch if they needed our pics/assistance, but never heard back.

Moral of the story - people aren't always going to give you their details, make sure you're insured. Call them as soon as there's a claim to be made. that's what you pay for.

Handsome Dan Has Spoken.
Handsome Dan needs to stop adding three dots to every sentence...

Handsome Dan does not currently have a side hustle as the mascot for Yale

*Gladly accepting donations...

Ratez

72 posts

Master Geek

#1484974 4-Feb-2016 08:30

I'm just waiting for insurance to call back as I only spoke with the emergency team who was unable to provide a claim number yet.

Made sure he gave me the correct number, waited for it to ring. Feels bad when I would fuss over small scratches and now a dent in the back. His car is already battered up and from 2 decades ago, would think they would drive safer when they have no third party.

Handsomedan

7294 posts

Uber Geek

ID Verified

Trusted

Subscriber

#1484979 4-Feb-2016 08:46

Ratez: I'm just waiting for insurance to call back as I only spoke with the emergency team who was unable to provide a claim number yet.

Made sure he gave me the correct number, waited for it to ring. Feels bad when I would fuss over small scratches and now a dent in the back. His car is already battered up and from 2 decades ago, would think they would drive safer when they have no third party.

My experience is that those with insurance tend to drive more safely.

Handsome Dan Has Spoken.
Handsome Dan needs to stop adding three dots to every sentence...

Handsome Dan does not currently have a side hustle as the mascot for Yale

*Gladly accepting donations...

surfisup1000

5288 posts

Uber Geek

#1485070 4-Feb-2016 10:50

Jase2985:

Ratez:

I hope he doesn't deny causing the accident. Don't even know how he would slip when his car had been stationary behind me for at least a minute.

My wife is off to the disputes tribunal at the beginning of March, as about 18 months ago someone ran into the back of her and they were uninsured. She gave all the deatils to the insurance company, they talked to him initially and then waived the excess for her and we were able to have the car fixed.

Now he hasnt been answering calls from the insurance company they are chasing him for the total cost of the repair, and the rental from our policy, about 7k all up.

sucks to be him, but for the cost of 3rd party insurance and a couple hundred excess for an accident he could have saved a lot.

im interested to see if he turns up to the hearing or not.

He is quite unlikely to win this , rear ending is usually the fault of the trailing car--- do you know on what basis he is disputing?

Geektastic

17943 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#1485470 4-Feb-2016 22:26

Ratez:

Hi all,

Someone drove into my car while the traffic was in a standstill. It was a very loud hit and at first look there is a minor damage on my bumper but never know about inside - plus my reversing sensor looks damaged.

He doesn't have insurance at all and I've taken down his license, car rego, and picture of his car. Didn't think to take a picture of his car right after accident though as we were on a busy road.

What are my options? He doesn't look like he can afford much...

I just bought my car 2 weeks ago, so its really pissing me off.

EDIT: I have full insurance cover. Going to give them a call.

You have to carry his risk because NZ does not require him to do so. Tough luck...

lxsw20

3552 posts

Uber Geek

Subscriber

#1485525 5-Feb-2016 07:45

I'd rather that than pay insurances prices like the UK has.

Quic Broadband

Move to New Zealand's best fibre broadband service (affiliate link). Free setup code: R587125ERQ6VE. Note that to use Quic Broadband you must be comfortable with configuring your own router.

6FIEND

774 posts

Ultimate Geek
Inactive user

#1485573 5-Feb-2016 08:40

lxsw20:

I'd rather that than pay insurances prices like the UK has.

Indeed!

I don't grasp the logic behind the calls for compulsory 3rd party insurance. If you are insured, then you're covered irrespective of whether the other party has insurance. (Even if the other party does a runner without being identified in any way)

All that compulsory insurance does is remove the requirement for insurance companies to offer policies that are accepted to be of reasonable value by the majority of the population.

And then you end up paying 2000 pounds sterling each year to insure your 700quid daily driver because you have no choice.

roobarb

653 posts

Ultimate Geek

Trusted

#1485658 5-Feb-2016 09:34

6FIEND:

I don't grasp the logic behind the calls for compulsory 3rd party insurance. If you are insured, then you're covered irrespective of whether the other party has insurance. (Even if the other party does a runner without being identified in any way)

No, that is not the case. If you have third-party-fire-and-theft and somebody else does a hit and run on your vehicle, the insurance will not pay out. It only covers damage you do to somebody else, it does not cover damage to your car.

jonathan18

7413 posts

Uber Geek

ID Verified

Trusted

#1485669 5-Feb-2016 09:49

roobarb:

6FIEND:

I don't grasp the logic behind the calls for compulsory 3rd party insurance. If you are insured, then you're covered irrespective of whether the other party has insurance. (Even if the other party does a runner without being identified in any way)

No, that is not the case. If you have third-party-fire-and-theft and somebody else does a hit and run on your vehicle, the insurance will not pay out. It only covers damage you do to somebody else, it does not cover damage to your car.

I don't think that's what they meant - I'm assuming they mean if someone has a full insurance policy on their own car, whether the person who caused the accident has third party insurance or not they'll still be covered for damage to their own car through their own policy. But fair enough point as it could be misinterpreted...

shk292

2857 posts

Uber Geek

Lifetime subscriber

#1485683 5-Feb-2016 10:06

Although I share the apprehension about high insurance costs as seen in UK, the biggest benefit of compulsory insurance is in limiting the vehicles that inexperienced drivers can afford to drive.

Compulsory insurance would at a stroke remove the problem of "boy racers" and other "hoons" in souped-up, modified high performance cars making dicks of themselves and causing nuisance to others. It also stops a new driver being able to buy something like a 15 year old Evo, RX8 or WRX turbo, and the sorts of accident that follow. It would probably also remove some of the death-traps you see on NZ roads

It is a reduction in liberty though so I'll sit on the fence re whether it would be a good thing

Ratez

72 posts

Master Geek

#1485686 5-Feb-2016 10:10

Third party insurance should be compulsory even if you don't care about your own car. I am sure it isn't hard to regulate it

Geektastic

17943 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#1485717 5-Feb-2016 10:24

lxsw20:

I'd rather that than pay insurances prices like the UK has.

That would not be the case here since the insurance would not need to cover you for multi-million dollar medical claims.

Geektastic

17943 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#1485721 5-Feb-2016 10:28

shk292:

Although I share the apprehension about high insurance costs as seen in UK, the biggest benefit of compulsory insurance is in limiting the vehicles that inexperienced drivers can afford to drive.

Compulsory insurance would at a stroke remove the problem of "boy racers" and other "hoons" in souped-up, modified high performance cars making dicks of themselves and causing nuisance to others. It also stops a new driver being able to buy something like a 15 year old Evo, RX8 or WRX turbo, and the sorts of accident that follow. It would probably also remove some of the death-traps you see on NZ roads

It is a reduction in liberty though so I'll sit on the fence re whether it would be a good thing

I don't see it as any more of a reduction in liberty as having to have a WOF, rego, drivers licence etc.

The reason it costs a lot in most places that are not New Zealand is that in those places, if you cause someone to be confined to a wheelchair for the rest of their lives as a result of a car accident you caused, they will sue you (and by extension, your insurance company rather than you personally) for many millions of pounds to cover their care and rehabilitation costs for the rest of their lives etc.

In NZ the ACC picks up that bill (although I see from a friend of ours paralysed in a riding accident, they do not pick it up all that comprehensively!) so it would never need to be a part of any insurer's risk profile. As you say, age, car power and so on would be a part of that profile and the resulting reduction in harm would be beneficial.

Of course, you'd need more of a penalty for not having it than the habitual slap with a wet bus ticket that passes for enforcement round here....

Geektastic

17943 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#1485724 5-Feb-2016 10:32

Ratez: Third party insurance should be compulsory even if you don't care about your own car. I am sure it isn't hard to regulate it

Not hard at all.

1) Require a certificate of insurance to be produced when you buy a registration

2) Computerise the database to show which cars are insured and which are not

3) Introduce Number Plate Recognition into police vehicles and roadside cameras

4) Introduce 12 month prison terms for not having it....

1 | 2 | 3 | 4