Car Insurance accidents will cost you even if not your fault
Car Insurance – No Fault No Blame Accidents Can Cost You Dearly
At some time during your driving life you are statistically likely to be involved in an accident, whether you are to blame for the incident or not. It doesn’t matter how good a driver you consider yourself to be you may still fall victim to others misjudgments and driving errors.
Typical examples of these types of accidents which are assumed no fault to the driver on the end of it are; rear end shunts, being hit at a traffic crossing by a car that’s jumped the lights, stationary vehicles being hit by passing drivers, hit and run scenarios, uninsured drivers failing to report a car accident or if you are really unlucky you may fall victim to one of the many organised criminal gangs that stage accidents to defraud car insurance companies.
If you are involved in an accident whether it is you fault or not, it is a condition of your car insurance policy that you do not admit liability of any kind, at the scene of the accident. This can be particularly frustrating if you are the victim, because even though the other driver may be obviously at fault, they are not allowed to admit it.
When making a claim to your car insurance company ensure that you detail all events at the incident of the accident including a sketch or photographs of the scene and the damage. If the police attended be sure to include the incident number. It will be the responsibility of the car insurance company to communicate with the other parties insurers and lawyers if necessary. Whilst this process is continuing you will be deemed to have had an accident and a claim against the policy. The details of the accident will be passed to the Car Insurance Claims Database which is updated daily and all car accidents are submitted to it by car insurers. The problems that arise are that even if an accident is obviously not your fault, if the other side contests this, the case may drag on for a year or two and unless your policy provides otherwise, you will have to foot the bill of any extraneous costs run up during this time, such as the provision of an alternative hire car.
If there is any doubt over fault, then the Insurance companies may decide that the case is a ‘knock for knock’ which means that each party covers their own costs and expenses. Both policies will be deemed to be a fault and no claims bonuses adjusted. If the parties are disagreed about what happened the case will proceed to court and it will be up to you, your insurance company and any expert witnesses they may employ such as motor engineers and claims assessors, to prove or establish who was at fault. . The circumstances of a car accident may show both drivers were partially at fault. In a court of law, fault is allocated to each driver based on prescribed accident scenarios. It will be up to a District Judge to determine fault according to the rules of negligence law and the Highway Code.
If your car insurance policy falls due for renewal during this period of determination of fault then it could cost you dear. Your policy record will be flagged as having had a claim and consequently, unless you can convince your Car Insurance Company otherwise, you will be charged additional premium, unless you have bought protected no claims bonus.
This can be as much as a sixty percent increase in the previous year’s premium if you had a good driving history with no claims in the previous three to five years, depending upon which car insurance company you are covered with. You will also be responsible for the cost of any uninsured losses, which are not covered by your car insurance policy.
Car Insurance accidents will cost you even if not your fault
Car Insurance – No Fault No Blame Accidents Can Cost You Dearly
At some time during your driving life you are statistically likely to be involved in an accident, whether you are to blame for the incident or not. It doesn’t matter how good a driver you consider yourself to be you may still fall victim to others misjudgments and driving errors.
Typical examples of these types of accidents which are assumed no fault to the driver on the end of it are; rear end shunts, being hit at a traffic crossing by a car that’s jumped the lights, stationary vehicles being hit by passing drivers, hit and run scenarios, uninsured drivers failing to report a car accident or if you are really unlucky you may fall victim to one of the many organised criminal gangs that stage accidents to defraud car insurance companies.
If you are involved in an accident whether it is you fault or not, it is a condition of your car insurance policy that you do not admit liability of any kind, at the scene of the accident. This can be particularly frustrating if you are the victim, because even though the other driver may be obviously at fault, they are not allowed to admit it.
When making a claim to your car insurance company ensure that you detail all events at the incident of the accident including a sketch or photographs of the scene and the damage. If the police attended be sure to include the incident number. It will be the responsibility of the car insurance company to communicate with the other parties insurers and lawyers if necessary. Whilst this process is continuing you will be deemed to have had an accident and a claim against the policy. The details of the accident will be passed to the Car Insurance Claims Database which is updated daily and all car accidents are submitted to it by car insurers. The problems that arise are that even if an accident is obviously not your fault, if the other side contests this, the case may drag on for a year or two and unless your policy provides otherwise, you will have to foot the bill of any extraneous costs run up during this time, such as the provision of an alternative hire car.
If there is any doubt over fault, then the Insurance companies may decide that the case is a ‘knock for knock’ which means that each party covers their own costs and expenses. Both policies will be deemed to be a fault and no claims bonuses adjusted. If the parties are disagreed about what happened the case will proceed to court and it will be up to you, your insurance company and any expert witnesses they may employ such as motor engineers and claims assessors, to prove or establish who was at fault. . The circumstances of a car accident may show both drivers were partially at fault. In a court of law, fault is allocated to each driver based on prescribed accident scenarios. It will be up to a District Judge to determine fault according to the rules of negligence law and the Highway Code.
If your car insurance policy falls due for renewal during this period of determination of fault then it could cost you dear. Your policy record will be flagged as having had a claim and consequently, unless you can convince your Car Insurance Company otherwise, you will be charged additional premium, unless you have bought protected no claims bonus.
This can be as much as a sixty percent increase in the previous year’s premium if you had a good driving history with no claims in the previous three to five years, depending upon which car insurance company you are covered with. You will also be responsible for the cost of any uninsured losses, which are not covered by your car insurance policy.