Paying excess

[DazzerVTR]

When do the Insurance companys want their excess?

I had a crash about nine months ago and I was paying monthly so I let the policy run it's corse as because I've crashed the whole policy becomes due in full plus I was still using the car so I thought best let it run.

The policy runs out at the end of next month.

Now the person who I crashed into has had her car repaired but there has been no word from my insurance about the crash which was my fault, the only contact I've had from them is two days after I told them (about nine months ago) when they sent me the standard claim form to fill in.

So; what I'm basically saying - if i didnt still see the girl I crashed into I'd be none the wiser she'd had her car repaired and that my insurance had paid out as they've not said nothing to me demanding their excess which in all adds upto £550, am I right in thinking they'll want that tommoow when I inform them I wont be renewing?

My renewal forms come through saying I've nill no claims so they acknoledge there has been some sort of claim but under my name it says Claims: 0

BTW just to sum up: My insurance is TPFT and I'm not expecting any money from my insurance I'm just wondering why they've not contacted me about the claim in nine months or asked for their excess - they can fucking ask all they like I dont have £550 to hand at the moment anyway lol.

[DevilDamo]

If you're at fault of an accident, then the third party claims against your insurance company for the damages. For the necessary repairs to be carried out, her insurance company would have her sent to one of their approved dealers. Before the work's carried out, the repair company would want the excess up front. Because things like accidents don't happen as quickly as we'd want them to, the third party would normally pay the excess and then claim that back as well as any other additional costs from your insurance company. You'd therefore receive an invoice/bill for her excess and additional charges (e.g. hired cars). You should therefore be contacted after everything is complete but if they haven't contacted you, then so be it. It's their fault. But... if they did charge you in the near future and you haven't got the money then there could be a few problems. I think it boils down to the fact... do you or do you not tell them that you're still yet to pay the excess.

If your insurance company do know about the accident then they might have it down on their records as Pending. Therefore, when the renewal's due, they may ask you what the situation is regarding the accident/outstanding claim. What my insurance company told me is that you're guilty until proven innocent so a pending claim is treated as an "at fault" claim unless there is evidence to suggest otherwise. Depending on when the incident happened, your insurance company may or may not agree to having you change companies if they haven't reclaimed all their money back.

[DazzerVTR]

Nah I aint telling them nowt lol I'm just phonin up tommorow to say I dont wish to renew as the car was quite badly damaged we decided to scrap it.

Which is the truth, it was a £350 car with two knackard doors and a bent rear axel I scrapped it ages ago but I carried on with the policy as if I wanted to cancel they are owed the policy in full due to my crash so they'd ask for it all then.

So mate you think they should have asked for the excess before they fixed her car? as they've said nothing and shes had her car repaired like two weeks after I killed it so say for argument sake shes had it back for 8 months.

[DazzerVTR]

Worst comes to the worst and they ask me to pay the excess I'll get a small loan out.

Its £150 voluentry (sp?)
£300 young driver
And £100 standard excess

[DevilDamo]

Well... it appears they have forgotten about it so you might have got away with it. But remember... if you haven't paid it (when you should have) then there's no reason to say they wont take it out at all.

[DazzerVTR]

Cheers mate, what I shall do is expect to pay it and if I dont it'll be a nice surprise lol.

CIS have to be the most complacent company I've delt with in my life.

I crash, phone them up to inform them the same day I get through to a right drip in the claims department who I then say to "Hi I'd like to notifiy you of an accident I've just had" he replies "eerrrr go on then" was thinking sorry for putting you out mate not like it's your job to sit on your ass all day and deal with these things.

After a lenghty conversation, well a few sighs and groans on his behalf he says is the car still being used I informed him it is and he said the policy will continue and i can carry on driving it as normal, as it's tpft theyve no need to see it etc..

Anyway claims form comes through couple of days later I fill it in and supply a work of art showing the carnage.

Send it off.

Few weeks later get a letter from her soliciters telling me shes got whiplash and the usual etc.. I forward it to my insurance company

Shes back on the road her cars repaired, I'm back with a new car under a new insurance company we crossed in exactly the same spot where I t-bonned her in my old car, her face was a picture.

Months go by and I hear nothing out of curiosity I phone up my insurance company get through to a bloke who informs me the claim has gone thru in her favour and is nearing completion (about 6 months ago)

I've heard no word from them since except for my renewal forms

[b0t13]

just move to a new company and cancel the direct debit, then u dont have to pay anything :P

[DazzerVTR]

Sorry if it's a stupid question but can I legally do that without any repercussions?

P.S: As I've had this accident do I now have a claim against my name I've told my insurance company ive had a crash jsut to be safe but like i said on my renewal forms theres no claims against me.

[DazzerVTR]

Just phoned up to cancel, they were fine about it they made me shit it for a few minitues when the bloke said I'm just going to have to check with my manager to see if you can cancel but he came back and said it was fine.

No word about the crash or excess, I've decided to save the excess money up if I have to pay it use it as a lesson; dont crash - if I dont have to pay it treat me new car.

[Dave_M]

You dont pay excess. In TPFT the excess is only if your car if stolen or set on fire. Then like your excess is 550 quid you would have to pay the first 550 quid of the repair bill.

Even with comp insurance. You would only pay excess i think on repairs to your car. The third party just get all the money from your insurance.

[DazzerVTR]

Sweet I didn't know that, so you don't put any money towards the other persons car?

[Dave_M]

Not that im aware of. Ive just wrote off my vtr. And it has been put down to my fault. Theres been no mention of excess.

Your excess is just for your own car as far as im aware of mate. Your insurance covers the third party completly.

[DazzerVTR]

Excellent, this time yesterday I was thinking I've got a £550 bill waiting for me now I don't lol, thanks for clearing that up mate rep added.

Sorry to hear about your VTR aswell mate, what you replacing it with?

[westy4a69]

when i wrote mi first saxo off i didnt hear much form my ins at all... they just came and took the car away and then wrote me a letta 2 weeks l8r saying it was an uneconimical repair... they quoted something like 2400 wen i had it priced myself at 900! but n e way they had mi documents and paid me out 2600 ( 300 more than i paid for the car and id sent them the reciept) and just subtracted mi 550 excess from that b4 they sent me the check!!!! in ure case they mite just bung the excess on top of ure monthly payments or something?

[Dave_M]

Excellent, this time yesterday I was thinking I've got a £550 bill waiting for me now I don't lol, thanks for clearing that up mate rep added.

Sorry to hear about your VTR aswell mate, what you replacing it with?

Got a mk1 vtr mate. Was my first car. WAs just about to sell it but told person i cant sell it because i had wrote my mk2 vtr off.(pictures are on the site) Only had it 4 days. So back to mk1. Prefer the looks of a mk1 but just the feel of the mk2 was better because of how new it was. Should be putting the engine in my mk1 anyway.