Is this car insurance situation usual?

[Bozza]

Last weekend someone hit my Mum's car, didn't stop and drove off.

The car, being quite old, was written off and we've since bought a new car for her.

Today, out of the blue, my Mum got a call from LV Insurance (and it is them) saying they were representing the person that hit her and that that person wanted to pay my Mum for damages caused.

The only way I believe they could have got in touch with my Mum if tracing her via the registration number of her car - she lost her front number plate in the collision - I'm wondering if the person involved returned to the scene and found it possibly.

I don't see how this could be a con trick of any kind - as I say I know it is LV Insurance that has contacted her, but it all sounds very unusual to me.

Has anyone experienced or heard of anything like this before?

 

[spence]

Sounds like someone else who shouldn't have been driving the car went home and got the owner to admit it.

 

[tinycowboy]

This is not particularly relevant to your point, but when someone hit my wife's car, the counterparty was insured by LV and they were incredibly quick and helpful. Unbelievably so.

 

[ditchy]

Sounds like someone else who shouldn't have been driving the car went home and got the owner to admit it.

or was driving under the influence !!

 

[grubbyhands]

Sounds like someone else who shouldn't have been driving the car went home and got the owner to admit it.

I must say that's pretty much the thought that crossed my mind. Suspicious.

 

[Bozza]

Sounds like someone else who shouldn't have been driving the car went home and got the owner to admit it.

I'm not sure why they've done anything - we didn't have any details about them or their car. They drove off and that was that, presumed never to be heard from again.

 

[mune ni kamome]

This is perfectly normal. I had a similar situation when someone ran into the back of me. Got a call out of the blue from LV (the other persons insurer) offering to take care of the damage themselves. I reported this to my insurers who said "fine, go ahead if you want to but from this moment your claim with us will no longer be our responsibility. " anyway LV paid for the repairs and all was well.

 

[Garage_Doors]

I'm not sure why they've done anything - we didn't have any details about them or their car. They drove off and that was that, presumed never to be heard from again.

I'd guess it was either a guilty conscience, pressure from family to do the right thing after driving off or as said above were concerned about the police getting involved for whatever reason but felt they should at least accept responsibility for the damage cause they caused.
Think they should be applauded.

 

[spence]

I'd guess it was either a guilty conscience, pressure from family to do the right thing after driving off or as said above were concerned about the police getting involved for whatever reason but felt they should at least accept responsibility for the damage cause they caused.
Think they should be applauded.

Why should they be applauded when they drove off after an accident? What would have happened if the other party were seriously injured?

 

[Bozza]

I'd guess it was either a guilty conscience, pressure from family to do the right thing after driving off or as said above were concerned about the police getting involved for whatever reason but felt they should at least accept responsibility for the damage cause they caused.
Think they should be applauded.

Ah - I guess they didn't know their registration number hadn't been clocked - either by my Mum or by a witness. They could have laid low and got away with it but were risking a knock on the door - or so they believed.

 

[Algernon]

You sure it's not just one of these speculative "We're calling about your recent accident" calls?

http://www.pistonheads.com/GASSING/topic.asp?h=0&f=10&t=1178107&nmt=Company+calls+to+tell+me+I+was+in+an+accident..very+worrying

 

[Igzilla]

Ah - I guess they didn't know their registration number hadn't been clocked - either by my Mum or by a witness. They could have laid low and got away with it but were risking a knock on the door - or so they believed.

Maybe they were feeling guilty? Occam's razor?

 

[Vegas Seagull]

I'd guess it was either a guilty conscience, pressure from family to do the right thing after driving off or as said above were concerned about the police getting involved for whatever reason but felt they should at least accept responsibility for the damage cause they caused.
Think they should be applauded.

Is it possible that their own car needs expensive repair work and in order to payout LV have said they need crash evidence and will payout out on the 'hit' car also as a consequence? Either a lose,lose or a win,win situation?

 

[paul-brighton]

Bozza get your mum to check with her insurer that LV have confirmed liability. Without this any No claims discount she has could be affected as currently her insurer is likely to be treating it as an At Fault Claim (as the person initially drove off). This all assumes she (your mum) claimed off her own insurer. Situation not at all unusual though.

 

[HAILSHAM SEAGULL]

I would advise your mother to contact the police.
The other driver failed to stop or report the accident, which is a criminal offence.
Now that LV have contacted your mother, then the other driver could be in serious trouble, so the other driver is trying to pay for her damage, probably because the other
driver may have been over the drink drive limit, or maybe he has protected no claims, and he has to smooth your mother over to collaborate his version .

 

[Bozza]

Bozza get your mum to check with her insurer that LV have confirmed liability. Without this any No claims discount she has could be affected as currently her insurer is likely to be treating it as an At Fault Claim (as the person initially drove off). This all assumes she (your mum) claimed off her own insurer. Situation not at all unusual though.

She was third party only due to it being quite an old car. She did contact them at the time - is it worth doing so again?

I would advise your mother to contact the police.
The other driver failed to stop or report the accident, which is a criminal offence.
Now that LV have contacted your mother, then the other driver could be in serious trouble, so the other driver is trying to pay for her damage, probably because the other
driver may have been over the drink drive limit, or maybe he has protected no claims, and he has to smooth your mother over to collaborate his version .

She did at the time after I suggested it. They weren't interested due to there being nobody hurt and no means of tracing the other driver.

 

[StonehamPark]

Last weekend someone hit my Mum's car, didn't stop and drove off.

The car, being quite old, was written off and we've since bought a new car for her.

Today, out of the blue, my Mum got a call from LV Insurance (and it is them) saying they were representing the person that hit her and that that person wanted to pay my Mum for damages caused.

The only way I believe they could have got in touch with my Mum if tracing her via the registration number of her car - she lost her front number plate in the collision - I'm wondering if the person involved returned to the scene and found it possibly.

I don't see how this could be a con trick of any kind - as I say I know it is LV Insurance that has contacted her, but it all sounds very unusual to me.

Has anyone experienced or heard of anything like this before?

Darren,
I'm a motor fraud investigator with plenty of relevant knowledge.
Just a quick heads up; there is no way that LV can obtain your mothers personal/contact information via a vehicle reg check. All they can identify is your Mothers policy number and insurer.

LV would identify who insure your mother and liaise with her insurer, not your Mother directly.

There's a lot of cold-calls and data phishing going on at the moment and it does concern me that a major Insurer has gotten hold of your Mothers personal details.

Is by chance, your Mother an LV Motor Insurance customer?
If not, there's certainly something untoward going on.
Feel free to pm me the number which 'LV' called from.

 

[studio150]

My concern would be that LV are suggesting that their Policyholder is looking to pay for the damage, rather than LV. In the normal course of events you would expect the Insurance Company to handle the claim and then if then they would seek recovery from their Policyholder if there were issues on coverage, or alternatively the Policyholder didn't want to lose any no claim entitlement.

I would suggest that you ask LV to put everything in writing, for consideration and not accept any offer or provide further details over the phone. You can then forward the letter to your Insurers for their thoughts on the issue. As per reply 17 (above) something doesn't feel right about this situation.

 

[Bry Nylon]

Next step: Innocent victim will be asked for personal / banking details so that money can be paid into account?

Sounds all wrong to me.

 

[Bodian]

Darren,
Just a quick heads up; there is no way that LV can obtain your mothers personal/contact information via a vehicle reg check. All they can identify is your Mothers policy number and insurer.

You can actually get the owners name and address from DVLA if you have the registration number and a valid reason (which an insurance company would have). Then, if they're on bt.com (or similar), you can get their phone number. I've contacted a few people who park and block footpaths this way.