Rear-ended at traffic lights - what are my options?

[bencat]

OP well done for going the right route and contacting your Insurance Company . As has been said if they found out about the repairs they could have easily refused cover in the future.

With regard to the Manchester scam that was three individuals in the same car and as you say causing the accident then all three claiming neck , and shock injuries as third parties. They had done this twice before the Insurance Company twigged and the next claim was refused and reported to the police .

 

[Sue Pertwee-Tyr]

OP well done for going the right route and contacting your Insurance Company . As has been said if they found out about the repairs they could have easily refused cover in the future.

With regard to the Manchester scam that was three individuals in the same car and as you say causing the accident then all three claiming neck , and shock injuries as third parties. They had done this twice before the Insurance Company twigged and the next claim was refused and reported to the police .

There was one roundabout on the A34 Southbound, which became notorious for this. The perps got jail time, as I recall. Relatively recent, last 5 years, so unless Nic is younger than I thought, this is a different set of perps, albeit a similar scam.

 

[Bob McC]

The A34 scam was done over 90 times before the scumbag got jail time.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/manchester/8318338.stm

 

[Nic Robinson]

There was one roundabout on the A34 Southbound, which became notorious for this. The perps got jail time, as I recall. Relatively recent, last 5 years, so unless Nic is younger than I thought, this is a different set of perps, albeit a similar scam.

I'm not younger, alas. This was in the 1980s!

 

[doctorf]

When I was a young driver there were reports in the Manchester area of a scam where a motorist would pull away at a roundabout then slam on their brakes causing (in likelihood) the person behind to hit them. The only time I ever rear-ended someone was in a circumstance similar to this...and I've always wondered... Can't remember how it went down but probably related to whiplash compensation and the like. Anyone remember this?

A well known scam.
I saw a few patients who had been rear-ended over the years.

 

[Tony Lockhart]

I saw a few patients who had been rear-ended over the years.

I bet

 

[Thorn]

It’s a rare car, I can see why you’d not want it written off. I’m presuming it’s ordinary insurance, not any sort of agreed value policy. But either way, as others have said, inform your insurers. Any increase to premium in a no fault claim should be modest. But also, let them know you are quite prepared to give evidence in court if needs be. If they think you’ll stand behind your claim, they’re probably more likely to pursue the other side’s insurer than go ‘knock for knock’.

If the car can be described as a collector's item you can argue that he or his insurers should pay for it to be repaired even if the cost of repairs is above its market value. Quote the case of O'Grady v Westminster Scaffolding. You'll find it by a quick Google search.

 

[Sue Pertwee-Tyr]

If the car can be described as a collector's item you can argue that he or his insurers should pay for it to be repaired even if the cost of repairs is above its market value. Quote the case of O'Grady v Westminster Scaffolding. You'll find it by a quick Google search.

Does that apply if the car hasn’t acquired classic status yet? My Audi A2 isn’t all that common, and might be a classic at some point, but not yet, alas. Mind you, IIRC there was only ever a handful of RHD Citroen C6s in the country, so rarity won’t be difficult to establish!

 

[Thorn]

Does that apply if the car hasn’t acquired classic status yet? My Audi A2 isn’t all that common, and might be a classic at some point, but not yet, alas. Mind you, IIRC there was only ever a handful of RHD Citroen C6s in the country, so rarity won’t be difficult to establish!

It would be worth trying. As I recall the O'Grady case involved some sort of MG. Probably not an MG Metro, though.

 

[linnfomaniac83]

Expensive? I pay £270 for fully comp on a 145mph Merc. Seems ludicrously cheap to me.

£260 on a modified Golf GTI… never had a fault claim though, and no claim at all for 10 years.

 

[gintonic]

about £600 per year, with Aviva. protected no claims, but got a fault claim going through at the moment. Shame, not had a fault claim for 18 years...nevermind I know I'm still a driving god

 

[Willie Eckerslyke]

Does that apply if the car hasn’t acquired classic status yet? My Audi A2 isn’t all that common, and might be a classic at some point, but not yet, alas. Mind you, IIRC there was only ever a handful of RHD Citroen C6s in the country, so rarity won’t be difficult to establish!

I agree with you about the A2, way ahead of its time...

My specialist garage currently has another C6 in his workshop with £2k damage - hit by a delivery van when parked. The insurers are trying to write it off, and a major row is in progress. I saw this three days before I was hit, so it accounted for some of my initial keenness to let the guilty party avoid a claim by paying my garage directly.

My car got off much more lightly than the Merc which hit me, which the assailant commented on at the time. I didn't bother to explain, but behind the bumper is a load of angle-iron called a towbar, not visible as there is no hook or electrics. Without that, the boot floor would be somewhat wrinkled, and the car a definite write-off.

 

[Sue Pertwee-Tyr]

I agree with you about the A2, way ahead of its time...

My specialist garage currently has another C6 in his workshop with £2k damage - hit by a delivery van when parked. The insurers are trying to write it off, and a major row is in progress. I saw this three days before I was hit, so it accounted for some of my initial keenness to let the guilty party avoid a claim by paying my garage directly.

My car got off much more lightly than the Merc which hit me, which the assailant commented on at the time. I didn't bother to explain, but behind the bumper is a load of angle-iron called a towbar, not visible as there is no hook or electrics. Without that, the boot floor would be somewhat wrinkled, and the car a definite write-off.

Maybe that O’Grady case mentioned upthread might be of help to the other C6 owner?

Curiously there’s a C6 a few streets away from me, with a very relevant personalised plate. Always fancied one, but never scratched the itch.

 

[boon]

He hit you, he’s at fault, technically he is driving without due care and attention, an offence under the road traffic act. It should not cost you a penny. Get your garage to check under your vehicle.
When some muppet rear ended me last year he bent a cross brace behind the rear bumper/door step to my transit custom van, the bumper looked fine apart from a few scratches. We had full recovery of all costs. The whiplash thing, his insurance company should pay for a consultation from an independent source to assess injury and treatment required, again these costs are payable by his insurance, including your expenses, car parking fees, treatment fees, £00.42 per mile and any compensation. I was lucky as I see a chiropractor every 6-8 weeks so I could give a detailed report of my spine/neck condition before and after the collision. Good luck.

 

[kensalriser]

Does that apply if the car hasn’t acquired classic status yet? My Audi A2 isn’t all that common, and might be a classic at some point, but not yet, alas. Mind you, IIRC there was only ever a handful of RHD Citroen C6s in the country, so rarity won’t be difficult to establish!

I don't think there's any legal definition of classic.

 

[RJohan]

I got wiplash from being rear ended many years ago. The ache and related problems made the who's paying bloody irrelevant! It took about five years to get out of it, completely recovered, but how will it go next time?

Go see a doctor!