Greg115

Tonight while travelling North on the M90 a Southbound car had an accident. I saw it heading for the central reservation and realised that bits would start flying any second. I managed to get into the inside lane but I was still hit by a lot of debris. Result - my windscreen is smashed, I have lost my fog light protectors and my number plate is broken. The bodywork of my car is marked in several places as well. As the accident was in the opposite carriageway and I had my family in the car, I departed the scene after about 15 minutes when the police arrived.The police may view the car tomorrow.

The question is I am insured through Insurance Express with The GAN Insurance Company. They have not sent me a policy yet, although I took the insurance out in May. Anyone know who I should phone for a new windscreen and what my excess on this is?

Its nearly three hours later and I am still shaking!
Thanks
Greg

johnfelstead

greg, i cant help you on specifics.

If you contact one of the big screen agents like autowindscreen they have a list of all insurance companies that have an arrangement for glass replacement.

If your company is on there listing and you have a cover note, providing you are fully comp you will get the screen replaced FOC.

Some of the smaller companies doent have these arangements, in that case you will have to pay the repair cost yourself then reclaim.

Fully comp usually does not carry an excess on screen cover and does not affect your no claims, they usually limit the total claim value however to something like £200.

This is all best guesses from my own experience and not specific to your own insurance.

I would give a screen company a call and ask advice from them. Hope this helps in some way.

cheers
john

Greg115

Thanks I see that Silver Shield list GAN, so I will give them a call tomorrow.

Looking around my car ,it is peppered from bonnet down drivers side to the rear. I am afraid I didnt exchange driver and insurance details as I didnt fancy running across the motorway to speak to someone who had just piled into the central reservation at about 70MPH and may have been killed. I also didnt like having the car on the hard shoulder with my family in it waiting for someone to pile into them.
I decided best policy was to go home and report to police from there.
Anyone got any advice what I should do next?

I feel myself that I should just put in a new windscreen and touch up the marks, buy new numberplate and driving light covers and thank my lucky stars that I managed to miss most of the debris. Obviously any claim I have would be on currently an unknown persons insurance, and anyway the marks could only be fixed by respraying the appropriate panels, and it is probably not worth that, as none of the marks are big, although I am going to check again in daylight.

It just goes to show it doesnt matter how safely you drive, you can still be involved in an accident.

Thanks for your advice John
Greg

Greg115

Thanks for the help lads. I found the code on my certificate which means I have a £50 windscreen excess. New windscreen being put in tomorrow. All chips are down to the primer, but all small so I will touch them up today.
Ill kick *** with Insurance Express tomorrow.
Thanks again you have all been a great pillar of comfort.
Greg

millband

Maybe you should chat to the Police - you know the location and time of the incident, hopefully that'll be enough for them to find the records and they can tell you the details of the unfortunate person who was involved, so your insurers can contact their insurers.

It shouldn't cost you anything except time then?

Sounds like your quick reactions saved you from a pretty serious event there - I hope I think that fast if it ever happens to me.

Good luck,

Steve

Dave T-S

Greg
Firstly, sorry about the accident and glad you and your family are ok.

On a slight tangent, if you have not had your policy yet (presume you have a cert or an endless succession of cover notes?)then I would start kicking your insurers big time.

I can tell you Gan are ok, but never heard of Insurance Express (surely an infringement of the Trades Description Act!!!) and would start giving them a hard time.

DocJock

Greg

Glad you are OK

Dave

Trades Description Act .........ROFLMAO

DJ

logiclee

Greg,

If you decide to claim the Police should have all the details you require.

A few years back a friend of mine had a blow out on his caravan while on the M5. His Sierra 4X4 hit the central reservation and the wheel,suspension strut, half shaft, brake assembley was thrown onto the other carraige way. A total of around 25 cars were involved including a number of injuries. The M5 was closed in both directions. The police took everyones details and passed them on to my Friend at a later date.

I'm glad you escaped with a few scrapes, could have been a lot worse. I suspect a lot of drivers would have panicked in your situation.

Lee

Greg115

A very helpful policeman now given me all details and taken mine in turn. We are still waiting for insurance details and HORT1 has been issued against other driver.The thing is if I put in a claim against the other driver (who it turned out was ok by the way and she was 75 years old) will this affect my insurance at renewal time when they ask, have you had any accidents or claims in the last 3 years?? How does this impact on my other car which is separately insured with someone else?
Isnt life complicated all of a sudden.
Greg

simes

In my experience yes.

I had a no fault accident last year, and when I came to insuring the scoob some companies didn't want to know or gave silly quotes even tho the accident was not my fault and I retained my full protected NCB.

Cheers

Simon

merlin

Glad to hear that you walked away from a potentially serious accident. It shouldn't effect your insurance. I had my old Golf written off earlier this year. The accident was caused by the other party who accepted this. Although I claimed off my insurance, my insurance company then claimed the money back from the other parties insurance company.

When I bought my scooby & was ringing round for insurance, I did ask if the quotes were increased because of the accident. I was told that this was not the case as it was a no fault accident.

chiark

This insurance lark makes me mad! With protected no claims bonus - for which you pay quite a bit extra - and a no fault accident, but claiming for damage will put your premium up.

This is atrocious and how the hell do insurers get away with it? Any other industry would be accused of sharp practise, surely?

HunterB

Greg,

Glad to hear you and your family are OK. I know how scary that can be.

I echo merlin's comments. You don't claim against the other driver, however. You can only claim against your own insurance. Your statement to your insurance company should lay the blame on the other party and, if you have a police report to back up what you say (or independent witnesses to state that you were the innocent party), then your insurance company will claim off the other party's insurance company. When the other party's insurance company accepts liability (even without prejudice), your No Claims Discount should be restored without further penalty. Note that it's a No CLAIMS Discount, not a No Fault Discount so, if you claim, you may lose it. However, as I've said above (and from your report of the incident), your insurance company should not penalise you in any way.

Best of luck,
Brian

Greg115

Cheers Simon. You are bang on. I spoke to my insurance company today and that sums it up. New screen now put in car and new numberplate and covers on order. I have touched up all the marks and I guess only I know where they are. If my car had been more badly damaged I wouldnt hesitate to claim, but being on the borderline I will foot the bill myself, otherwise I will suffer at renewal time. This was made quite clear to me! and I have protected NCB. I would rather be able to afford my insurance at renewal time!! (If I dont claim I am free to move to the cheaper quote)
Meanwhile the guy that fitted the windscreen has broken a clip on the roof gutter which is now sticking up, so he will have to come back.
I will see if my broker is interested in pursuing my uninsured losses for me tomorrow and if so will recoup excess on windscreen etc without my insurance company being involved.

Greg