Four car shunt

[RichardA]

My Jazz was rear ended last Sunday. I was stationary in a queue of traffic, heard a screeching of brakes behind and glanced in my mirror to see the car two cars behind get hit from behind, shunting it into the car behind me and subsequently into my car.

The dent in the bumper popped out instantly, but it appears the nearside chassis rail ripped a hole in the rear bumper - that's about an inch from the inside of the rear bumper - and the chassis rail has about half an inch of scuffing but appears to be straight. No kinks in the boot floor/rear, unlike the car that got hit first. I have no idea what damage is behind the rear bumper though.

[Garyman]

Sorry to hear about this Richard.

Isn't this at least the third accident your Jazz been in?

[RichardA]

Fourth if you count the one that pulled out of a side road and into the side of my blue Jazz back in '05!

[RichardA]

A claims handler is dealing with it and not directly my insurer. They say I won't have to pay my excess unless liability is disputed and it looks like they will contact the first driver's insurer and not claim off the one behind me. This is a new approach to what I'm used to, is there anything I should be aware of ?
 

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[olduser1]

Talk to your own insurance today.

[RichardA]

Had some quotes between £757 & £1173 for new bumper & rear panel behind.

 

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[chrisc]

You are obliged to notify your insurers of any possible loss, so they can protect their and your interests.  Best not to get involved with owners, let the ins co sort it out

In May a van towing a trailer with a small boat on top came around a corner where I was at a stop street, the boat flew off and hit my Jazz.  Repairs were £3500.

Now the driver has selective memory (quite common) and says I was on the wrong side of the road.  I suppose any excuse is better than no excuse.

[RichardA]

It was my insurer who referred it to their claims handler who will deal directly with the third party insurer as it is non fault.

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[RichardA]

The claims handler got in touch to inform me that because the third party is foreign, it could take a while to sort it out due to the language barrier. So they recommended that I claim off my insurance policy and then send them the receipt so they can claim back my excess.

I contacted my insurer and they put me in touch with their recommended repairer some 30 miles away. I informed my insurer that I wished to use a repairer closer to me but was told there would be an additional excess of £250 should I take this route!

Google suggests that it is common with insurers these days to clobber you with an additional excess should you choose where you wish to have your car repaired.

[madasafish]

Tell your insurer your additional costs for a further away repairer... itemise them - will exceed £250..

[monkeydave]

they should collect your car and take it to the repairers and leave a car for you to use for 14 days on most comprehensive insurance, they def should collect it even if you dont get a car to use, it is only third party insurance makes you take you car and faf about

sorry to hear about your car, it sucks when your car is damaged i been there in the past a few times

[RichardA]

They're coming to my work to collect the car and drop off a courtesy car.

[RichardA]

Been gone a week with just under another two weeks to go due to a parts backlog as the rear bumper comes pre-painted from Honda.

Loan car? Skoda Fabia 1.2 with the 60bhp 3 cylinder engine!

[RichardA]

The Jazz will be back on Wednesday, almost a month after they collected it.

[monkeydave]

thats a really long wait hope it is ok and we want pics