Car insurance query

[Dec66]

Mrs. 66 was involved in an accident on Friday, hit from the side by another car. The other driver has admitted full liability and his insurers have been in touch to ask if I'm happy for them to arrange for our car to be repaired, and for a replacement car to be provided while it's in for repair, at no cost to us.

I'm fine with that, and it's all in motion. Question is: should I be informing my insurance company, as a courtesy?

 

[stephec]

Yes, there may be something in your terms and conditions that invalidates your policy if you don't.

 

[welsh dragon]

Yes. Without a doubt. You never know when or if problems will arise. And not just as a curtesy.

 

[Drago]

There's no law that says you must, but contractually you may be obliged to do so in order that they can use it as an excuse to charge you more next year, even though you're not claiming.

Personally I wouldn't if it's clear cut ans the other insurers are definitely doing their thing (ECHR right to family and private life is higher law than contract law) but going by the terms of your contract with your insurers would probably want you to, but solely so they can financially benefit themselves from your misfortune - it's your call.

 

[Joffey]

Same happened to me - I didn't tell my insurance company and have not told any company since. Nothing bad happened to me yet.

I wouldn't bother - all they will do is increase your premiums.

 

[Pale Rider]

All claims are stored on a central database, so the wife's insurance company may get a ping at renewal time to say her car was involved in a claim.

You also need to look carefully at the wording of the renewal proposal.

It probably asks something like: "Have you been involved in a claim, whether your fault or not, in the last five years?"

In your position, I have heard of the no fault party adding a cash sum to the damage claim to cover them for future premium increases.

I've no idea of the success rate of that tactic, but it's worth asking the other insurer.

They are - as they will know - obliged to put you back in the position you were the moment before the accident.

 

[LocalLad]

Yes, there may be something in your terms and conditions that invalidates your policy if you don't.

This...you don't have to tell them, but they don't have to pay out if you do breach your contract

 

[Dec66]

[QUOTE 3928601, member: 9609"]Yes, they may need to increase your premiums for future years even if the accident was not even remotely your fault. and if you don't tell them your insurance may be null and void.[/QUOTE]
I get what you say about telling them, but why would there any "need" to increase my premium when it was 100% the other driver's fault? Our risk remains unchanged, surely?

I imagine they will increase the premium, because insurance companies are like that.

 

[Beebo]

I get what you say about telling them, but why would there any "need" to increase my premium when it was 100% the other driver's fault? Our risk remains unchanged, surely?

I imagine they will increase the premium, because insurance companies are like that.

In most cases they wont increase your premium, but if you were getting into lots of no fault accidents it would start to ring alarm bells for an insurer.