Motor 3rd-party claim outstanding against another insurance company at renewal

[HollowKnight]

Its not even just about the no claims bonus (My wife's was left untouched as the insurance company didn't have to pay anything). As mentioned, you have to declare it to other insurance companies and can impact your quote even though there was no fault and no cost to your insurance company so it limits your ability to leave move insurance companies in search of cheaper quotes....

This was my experience also, even though I was not at fault, once you disclose the fact there's a previous claim (not your fault) some online quote systems will not quote you and some will increase the quote.

 

[Leo]

Its not even just about the no claims bonus (My wife's was left untouched as the insurance company didn't have to pay anything). As mentioned, you have to declare it to other insurance companies and can impact your quote even though there was no fault and no cost to your insurance company so it limits your ability to leave move insurance companies in search of cheaper quotes....

Some companies ask about claims history, others are happy to take your current insurer's declaration that your no claims bonus is intact. Important to note as above, that no-claims protection options don't apply when switching providers.

 

[Leo]

its a nonsense, if they have suffered no loss how can you be a greater risk?

You were involved in an event that gave rise to a claim. It's likely that statistically, that means you are more likely to be involved in future such events. I don't have access to the data to assess, but that's the kind of logic that rules the quote engines.

 

[LS400]

Be very careful you dont get sucked in when you call your Motor Insurance Co, to notify them of an incident where you are not at fault..

The general rule of thumb is to suggest that you use the facility of your comp cover to have the vehicle repaired... You are now locked in with them at renewal, as in, you have made a claim on your policy, no one else will entertain you without a loading.

You can spend hours explaining this and that and the other to a different Insurance Co on renewal, 100% not at fault et.c.. You made a claim, end of.

Its a great facility when you have comp cover and your not at fault, but, it comes at a price.

 

[peteb]

It doesn't matter whose policy the claim is made against. Until such time as all parties confirm the matter is closed in full, it's regarded as an open case with potential liability for both parties.

In this particular case, Allianz might come back and offer to cover 80% of the claim, suggesting the OP could then need to claim the remainder via his own insurer.

I'm not going to keep labouring the point. but it does matter who's claim the policy is against. A potential underwriters concern is only about claims made against the policy holders policy. The other party hasnt claimed against Mathepac.
And it isn't regarded as "an open case". If you notify an insurance company of possible incidents that may give rise to a claim as per their terms and conditions, they can't penalise you just because there is 2 years under civil liability to bring a personal injury.
I'm sorry Leo, with all due respect you are wrong on that front. And also why would Allianz come back and offer to cover 80% of the claim? If they accept liability for damage to a parked car they are on for 100% of the damage.

 

[Blackrock1]

You were involved in an event that gave rise to a claim. It's likely that statistically, that means you are more likely to be involved in future such events. I don't have access to the data to assess, but that's the kind of logic that rules the quote engines.

so the fact that someone drove into the back of my wifes car through no fault of her own makes it more likely that someone else will do the same. thats not logic.

 

[Leo]

I'm sorry Leo, with all due respect you are wrong on that front.

Been there, done that, had the arguments with my own and the other party's insurers and lost.

A potential underwriters concern is only about claims made against the policy holders policy. The other party hasnt claimed against Mathepac.
And it isn't regarded as "an open case".

So in the case here, until such time as the other party's insurer settles and records the claim as closed, the OP retains the right to go back and claim against their own insurer. That is why they keep it on record as a potential liability until such time as all parties confirm it is closed.

 

[Leo]

so the fact that someone drove into the back of my wifes car through no fault of her own makes it more likely that someone else will do the same. thats not logic.

Insurance companies don't record that level of detail, just perform broad statistical analysis. That's why someone living on a street where other residents have had a few claims will pay more for their insurance than those living on a street with fewer claims.

 

[Sunny]

Insurance companies don't record that level of detail, just perform broad statistical analysis. That's why someone living on a street where other residents have had a few claims will pay more for their insurance than those living on a street with fewer claims.

But that's the issue. They shouldn't be recording a claim on my insurance. If someone drives into the back of my parked car and cause damage and the other person's insurance company pays for the damage, it should not be recorded as my claim. If they are going to do that, they need to be much clearer because I wouldn't make the initial claim. I would deal with the other insurance company myself. The only reason why my wife went through her own insurance company was that they told her, they would deal with the other insurance company and would be less hassle for her. They made it sound like it was just some administration. Not once did they mention that it would be recorded as a claim by her going forward. It didn't cost the insurance company one cent. It was all sorted within 2 weeks. And nearly all insurance companies will ask if you had a claim and not just about no claims bonus now. I certainly don't remember one that didn't.

 

[peteb]

But that's the issue. They shouldn't be recording a claim on my insurance. If someone drives into the back of my parked car and cause damage and the other person's insurance company pays for the damage, it should not be recorded as my claim. If they are going to do that, they need to be much clearer because I wouldn't make the initial claim. I would deal with the other insurance company myself. The only reason why my wife went through her own insurance company was that they told her, they would deal with the other insurance company and would be less hassle for her. They made it sound like it was just some administration. Not once did they mention that it would be recorded as a claim by her going forward. It didn't cost the insurance company one cent. It was all sorted within 2 weeks. And nearly all insurance companies will ask if you had a claim and not just about no claims bonus now. I certainly don't remember one that didn't.

they aren't. Leo is wrong. Completely. And I'm not speaking anecdotally, I'm speaking factually. As i sit here in my desk. In an insurance brokers.

 

[Leo]

They shouldn't be recording a claim on my insurance. If someone drives into the back of my parked car and cause damage and the other person's insurance company pays for the damage, it should not be recorded as my claim.

So you claim against the other party's insurance. For whatever reason, months later, they decline to pay out, or only accept partial liability. At that point, you are still entitled to claim against your own comprehensive policy, that is the potential claim they record.

 

[Blackrock1]

they aren't. Leo is wrong. Completely. And I'm not speaking anecdotally, I'm speaking factually. As i sit here in my desk. In an insurance brokers.

in that exact set of circumstances someone recorded a claim on our insurance as the company we moved to queried it after i had said we had no claims.

 

[Sunny]

So you claim against the other party's insurance. For whatever reason, months later, they decline to pay out, or only accept partial liability. At that point, you are still entitled to claim against your own comprehensive policy, that is the potential claim they record.

Yes Potential Claim which they will close out once the other insurance company has paid and there is no record of it. That's perfectly fine. I am talking about when I have allowed my insurance company to deal with the claim on my behalf and the other insurance company has paid the claim to my insurance company. My insurance company still records that as a claim by me. Even though I could just have easily have dealt with the other insurance company myself and got the money directly from them. I am saying that they don't make this clear when advising customers. My wife wasn't told there was an impact. They made it sound like they were doing her a favour by removing the hassle of her ringing the other insurance company.

 

[Leo]

Leo is wrong. Completely. And I'm not speaking anecdotally, I'm speaking factually.

So someone hits my car, I notify my insurance company as I am contractually obliged to do, and off I go to chase their insurer. You're saying that when my renewal comes up in the meantime, my insurer won't have that open case recorded on my file? They'll provide a confirmation of no claims that I can use to shop around with? All the while I will still be entitled to back and claim for the repairs under my own policy if for whatever reason I'm not satisfied with how the other party's insurers deal with it.

 

[peteb]

So someone hits my car, I notify my insurance company as I am contractually obliged to do, and off I go to chase their insurer. You're saying that when my renewal comes up in the meantime, my insurer won't have that open case recorded on my file? They'll provide a confirmation of no claims that I can use to shop around with? All the while I will still be entitled to back and claim for the repairs under my own policy if for whatever reason I'm not satisfied with how the other party's insurers deal with it.

Yes. 100%!

 

[Leo]

Yes. 100%!

So an insurer will issue a written statement that there are no outstanding claims when they know there is an active claim that they still have potential liability for? That's not how it worked with two on the two occasions I had such issues with different insurers, for the more recent one I still have the no claims discount cert that contained a reference to the claim with a status of open.

So if I have a claim, I should tell my insurers I'm going to claim off the other party, wait until they send me a confirmation of no claims then change insurer to one who just seeks the confirmation, then go back and claim from the original insurer?

 

[LS400]

And also why would Allianz come back and offer to cover 80% of the claim? If they accept liability for damage to a parked car they are on for 100% of the damage.

If the claim was investigated, and there were mitigating circumstances, ie ,the driver-less car was badly positioned on the road contributing to the accident.

Also, and although Im no broker, I have always been of the impression that when you report an accident to your insurance company, even stating "as far as you are concerned" you are not at fault, a claim number in generated, ie, open claim. That claim number will never go away...

 

[peteb]

It isn't an active claim. You've notified them.

If the claim was investigated, and there were mitigating circumstances, ie ,the driver-less car was badly positioned on the road contributing to the accident.

Also, and although Im no broker, I have always been of the impression that when you report an accident to your insurance company, even stating "as far as you are concerned" you are not at fault, a claim number in generated, ie, open claim. That claim number will never go away...

You dont get contributory negligence on property damage claims. That's not to say you can't - I'm not getting stuck into interpreration ot the civil liability act - you just dont. It's a case of you hit the parked car and its your fault. Just because the other car was parked badly it doesnt give someone a right to hit it. They still need to pay due care and attention.

A claim number is generated. That doesnt mean its an open claim. It means the matter has been recorded as a notification. An "open" claim requires a reserve. Insurers dont like reserves. The claim number will go away as well once the time has passed for their obligation to hold onto information.

 

[peteb]

So an insurer will issue a written statement that there are no outstanding claims when they know there is an active claim that they still have potential liability for? That's not how it worked with two on the two occasions I had such issues with different insurers, for the more recent one I still have the no claims discount cert that contained a reference to the claim with a status of open.

So if I have a claim, I should tell my insurers I'm going to claim off the other party, wait until they send me a confirmation of no claims then change insurer to one who just seeks the confirmation, then go back and claim from the original insurer?

Sure. But you've a continuing obligation to disclose material facts. So you will still have to tell your current insurer. And your no claims bonus will be affected as will your price from next renewal. You're attempting to mix apples with oranges here to try suit a thought you have in your head, or a misunderstood understading!

 

[Leo]

You're attempting to mix apples with oranges here to try suit a thought you have in your head, or a misunderstood understading!

You said above that in the event I made a claim against another party's insurance with no claim being made against my own policy, that when my renewal came around, that my no claims bonus declaration would be clear. How then is it the RSA declaration I have in front of me then shows a potential open claim with corresponding affect on my NCB level?