Yesterday I got into an accident on the motorway. I was going over a slight hill, and visibility wasn’t great. Traffic had been smooth, so I was doing about 65mph. When I reached the top of the hill, I suddenly saw a line of cars stopped about 30 meters ahead. I slammed on the brakes, they locked up, so I pumped them to slow down to around 10mph but still ended up hitting the back of a 2004 Vauxhall estate.
The driver didn’t have her hazards on. She called the police, they handled everything. We exchanged info, and there was a close call with the police suspecting drink-driving, but I tested under the limit.
I haven’t talked to my insurance yet, though I’m pretty sure they’ll call it a write-off. The car still runs, and it looks like mostly cosmetic damage. The other driver isn’t picking up my calls, so I’m not sure if she’s reached out to her insurance. I offered to pay for the damage myself. For reference, my car is a 2008 Renault Clio.
So what’s my best move here? Should I wait a week to hear from her or insurance before I try fixing it up myself? Or is there a certain time limit I need to tell my insurance? I really need the car, so should I go ahead and get it fixed?
Yan said:
Where are you located? Doesn’t sound like the U.S., so advice might vary a bit. Just a heads up.
I’m in the UK.
Got it. You might want to try searching for advice on insurance issues specific to the UK here in the forum.
Honestly, my advice would be to fix the car yourself if you can, and just share your insurance info with her so she can call if she decides to make a claim.
@Yan
Yeah, that’s pretty much my plan. Damage to her car was minor, so I’m hoping she won’t claim. Haven’t heard anything from her yet. Thanks for the help!
Bevan said: @Yan
Yeah, that’s pretty much my plan. Damage to her car was minor, so I’m hoping she won’t claim. Haven’t heard anything from her yet. Thanks for the help!
If your insurance declares it totaled just for cosmetic stuff, then maybe collision coverage wasn’t worth it. You might be paying a lot for something that isn’t helping much… but that’s if insurance works similarly here and there.
@Yan
If you handle it on your own, just know there’s a chance she could still file a claim with your insurance later. Make sure to keep records of everything if you go that route.
Or, you could just report it to your insurance and let them sort it out—that’s what they’re there for, after all.