Exchanging insurance details

[er-minio]

I cannot see the "advice" section anymore, so posting here.
Sparkplug, apologies in advance if I'm in the wrong section.


Just got off the phone with a very good friend of mine, he was a bit "shaken" if we can use that term.

He was going back home, filtering at a traffic light he forgot he had one pannier on and lightly scuffed a car when they started moving. Signaled and stopped to exchange details.

What happened is that the (middle aged) woman driving came out of the car and started with a stream of abuse to him, despite him immediately apologising and admitting fault. Apparently it went on so long and it was so loud that some people that were around (residential area) approached him asking if he needed any help.

He immediately gave his details to the woman, plate, insurance. He tried to give his phone number and email but they didn't want it.
As soon as he asked their details they (husband was in the car) said there were in a rush, insulted him some more and left.


In the stream of screaming and insults he didn't write down the plate of the vehicle, didn't take any photo of the damage (paint only scratch apparently, nothing else).

He is obviously ok in paying for the damage he made, if there is a possibility of doing it in cash so not to claim he'd like to explore the option.
He is just "worried" of what happens next and started being a bit paranoid of what they could potentially say to their insurance when they call and wants to protect himself.

I reassured him a bit. People that shout and play hardass normally don't follow up. Hopefully they will just claim for the scratch. Still he has no way to contact them to offer to pay for the repair invoice (jn case he wants to offer that).
Will pass him the detail of the lawyer I used a couple of times in the past (that I got from Greg here), but we were wondering if it makes sense for him to write an email NOW to the insurance listing all that happened or if it's better to wait Monday morning (asking for advice first).
Shall he just call the insurer now to notify them of the accident? Follow up with more details later?

I admit I'm a bit flaky around the insurance detail exchange procedure. Weren't they supposed to provide their details? Was it an offense for them to just drive away?

thanks

 

[tanneman]

Let that be a lesson. Similar happened to me, unpleasant interaction, and the other party must have resprayed the whole car as the bill was over £2k for a very light scratch on the rear bumper. Now, If I filter and there is an oopsie, I won't stop to exchange details.

 

[stever1]

Well the first thing is he did the right thing by stopping to exchange details. If the other driver didn’t give him her own details I bet shes not insured. It’s also strange that the male in the car didn’t get out.
if it was me, I would still make a report to the Police as the other driver broke the law ( I think ).
I would also go back to the scene to see if I could get any witness names.

 

[er-minio]

I bet shes not insured

That's what I told him as well.
The aggressive first approach too fits the profile.

 

[Gavla04GS]

Thankfully your friend (& others) weren’t hurt. my tip is get him to write everything down now, while it’s fresh in his
memory
Do it chronologically, who spoke to who etc. Has he got any details of the bystanders at all? I also think it’s worth calling his insurers to say an incident has occurred, forewarned is fore-armed.

 

[Kenny]

Doesn't matter if she is insured or not, she can still claim

 

[stever1]

Doesn't matter if she is insured or not, she can still claim

Really, then what happens when it’s found out that she’s not got insurance ?
do you think she will claim when it may cause her more problems.

 

[Udders]

That’s where a bike dash cam would be of benefit.

 

[dicktheleg]

First thing I have done, in the distant past, is to take a few photos, situation, both vehicles, damage sustained etc.

Too late know but might help others in the same situation.

 

[er-minio]

First thing I have done, in the distant past, is to take a few photos, situation, both vehicles, damage sustained etc.

I do the same.
He was seriously shocked by the very aggressive reaction.

The funny story where I learnt to immediately capture the plate and photos comes from a few years back when I was living in Rome.
Again I was filtering through static traffic and this car with nuns aboard started moving ahead and pushed me and I sort of fell to one side holding the bike. The car kept pushing me until they heard me (and saw me since I was in front) shouting to stop.
They did and I picked up the bike, they turner around me and went on their way

I caught up, knocked at the driver window and signalled to roll down the window.
The amount of swearing and profanity that came after that was insane. Not even a manual labourer from Pisa or Livorno would have shouted so many profanities in the same amount of time...

I reported it to the Carabinieri immediately after (I lived near a station) as there was a lot of fraud at the time with "fake nuns" scamming older people. But I didn't write down the plate.

I still remember the Carabinieri chief facepalming himself and then telling me: "er-minio, you lay bike on the ground, you shout at them if you will, you can fake any personal injury, you can fight, you do whatever, I don't care... but FIRST: always write down the fucking plate number"

 

[er-minio]

BTW, my friend filed a police report and has a case number.

 

[rovert57]

i wouldn’t be surprised if he doesn’t hear anything ,as has been said they might not have been insured and to pursue any claim might drop them right in it .keep details of the incident .although if he does tell his insurance his premium will go up even if no claim has been made . But I think he would be obliged to inform his insurance to cover himself .
I have noticed that the women tend to get more worked up in these cases than the men .

 

[Tinytim]

BTW, my friend filed a police report and has a case number.

Surely your friend is obliged to and should contact his own insurers giving them all details he has like time, location, anything about the vehicle and occupants he can remember plus documenting the fact that they refused to give their details and fekked off PDQ. Shirley?

 

[er-minio]

He spoke with the insurers as well.

Yes, I suspect his premium will go up even if no claim or no fault (it is 100% his fault in this case though - he’s not disputing it).

I’ve been through similar “not at fault” increases, but we go OT

 

[Kenny]

Really, then what happens when it’s found out that she’s not got insurance ?
do you think she will claim when it may cause her more problems.

Just telling you the law

 

[dean0n0]

As the angry, aggressive woman pulled away she scraped his pannier.....

 

[fonderiadigitale]

I'm the person involved. First accident in .. forever.
I usually have a cam on me, my usual luck is that today was the day I needed it the most and I didn't have it.
The two young men @er-minio mentioned, were just random people passing by, I'll pass by tomorrow to check if any shop owners is willing to help.
Thanks for all the hints so far, appreciated.

 

[rovert57]

Maybe he should have punched the bint and claimed he was in fear for his life

 

[ChazzyB]

Agressive woman: Crikey, who'd have thought? Me for one.

Many years ago, I was on a ride-out from an AJS and Matchless owners rally. I got dropped off in the country side by the ride leader to mark a junction. Very shortly, a woman, probably in her late sixties, came out of the house (the only one) at the junction and proceeded to berate me; really in my face; she was absolutely purple. Her husband appeared and stayed well back, looking very sheepish. This went on for perhaps 10 minutes as others on the ride went by. I got very, very close to punching her. Thankfully, I managed to resist the temptation.

 

[Paul Young]

When the time comes, he could always dispute their version of events and explain how they drifted and hit him… then wouldn't supply their details.