The long of the short.....

I was travelling along in my car - a van pulls out from a parked space on the opposite side of the road - to my right aiming to travel in the same direction as me. He cuts across into my drivers side pushing me into two parked cars on my left.

We stop and he just wants to exchange policy details, I told him I want to call police. Anyway police turn up and turns out he's been drinking and is over the limit. They arrest him and let me on my way giving me his policy details etc. (It's a company van)

So where do I stand the fact he's been drinking? I mean technically his insurance is void if he's been drinking but will it still pay out for me and the 2 parked cars? The police said it was his fault and he has admitted fault to the accident, to me and the police.

Cheers

 

Possibly they'll pay out for you as the third party involved but won't cover him and his vehicle - I'm guessing though. Surely your insurers will tell you. Have you spoken to them yet?

 

His insurance will still pay out mate, but for the third-party damage only ie; to YOUR vehicle, and the other cars that you went into.

The fact that he was drunk does not negate their responsibility to pay-out.

 

You should have no worries, his insurers are obliged to pay third parties regardless of his condition. Its drink driver man that wont get a penny.

 

The accident just happened about an hour ago. I havent phoned the insurance. I will do in the morning.

I guessed they would pay out for me and the other cars but not him. I just needed reassurance that's all. Hopefully this claim won't take too long. I am still waiting on a payout from another accident I was in on the 1st of March !

 

The car is a 1990 mr2 turbo. The damage to the car is scratches up both sides. It looks like it needs possibly 2 new wings, the doors repaired and both sides of the car painted.

Do you think they will write the car off ? If so will I get the choice to buy the car back from them ? If so do you know how much I will get it for ?

:-(

 

No wonder he didn't want the police called, you did the right thing, specially as parked cars were involved, they had to be informed some how of the incident, not nice just coming back to a note on the windscreen.

 

Dont worry about the insurance as his will pay out - if they want to write it off, then ask about buying it back at their scrap value.

Good thing is the other driver will probably lose his job, get banned from driving and cop for at least a very heavy fine, if not a couple of months inside.

Serve him right for driving while drunk - to pull straight into another car without noticing it means he was probably more than just a little bit over the limit !

 

The police do not need to be called out to an accident unless cars are blocking the road, people are injured or in your case you suspected the driver to be drunk.
Too many people think you need to call the police on every accident which is NOT the case.

 

Who's insurance pays for the parked cars ? I always thought that if someone went in the back of you and you were pushed into the car in front it will be your insurance that covers the person that you went into the back of.

Hopefully I'm wrong though.

 

I think it depends. My other half was sat in traffic on the M6 when he was hit from behind, by a woman who'd been pushed into him because she'd been hit by a pillock in a transit van. My other half and her claimed off the man driving the transit van as he'd caused the pile up

 

helps with insurance claim though as in some cases people retract the truth and blame other driver and if no official story around hard to find who is at fault-police do have some uses i suppose
martin

 

Yes and no. In the case you suggest, I believe the process is that your insurance initially pays out on the car you went into the back of, and then passes on the cost of that claim (and administering it) to the guy who hit you. Ultimately it makes no difference as although your insurers pay, the claim isn't against you, so no loss of NCB etc.

 

sorry to hear about your prang, least it wasn't in the scooby

 

yeah that one was in March !

Anyway the plot thickens.....the police called earlier to say they have some bad news. The guy who hit me is actually a disqualified driver. Well DVLA says he is, but he doesnt think he is cause they posted him a licence!! Why do we have these ***** on the road ??!?

Guess I will have to call the insurance tomorrow and tell them....great :-(

 

Should he turn out to not be insured youll still receive compensation. We all contribute to the fund that will cover you in this instance.

Simon

 

That's the MIB (motor insurers bureau? IIRC).
Remember that; because with the muppet not being insured you are in a difficult position.
Technically, as has been said, the two cars that your car went into will claim off your insurance and then your insurance co will persue the muppet's insurance co for settlement.
With him being uninsured, you/your insurance co will need to contact the MIB otherwise you take the liability on your policy and it becomes a claim against you.
The other option would be to persue a private action in the courts against him for damages but we all know that you will probably be wasting your time there.
Do you have legal assistance on your policy?
If so, give them a call asap and get them involved.
Otherwise, keep tabs on your insurance co and insist that you/they make a claim via the MIB.

Hope it all sorts out ok for ya.

 

That's the fellow.