Ford Focus - Insurance claim - named driver

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Thu 3 Mar 2011 18:23
Ford Focus - Insurance claim - named driver - JD69

The other day my wife drove into someones car and damaged their door panel (I wasnt with her).

It was in my car which has me as the main driver and her as a named driver. I have fully comp, about £500 excess and protected NCB, I have never claimed.

She has her own car which is fully comp.

She phoned up her insurance company and asked if she can claim as she is fully comp she would be covered 3rd party to repair the other persons car.

They asked if she was on my insurance and as she is a named driver they said she had to claim via my insurance.

The damage to my car is minimal, a small crack and bit of missing paint on the bumper so not bothered about fixing that too much.

So is it corrcet that I have to give this person my insurance details even though I wasnt driving it? The excess on my car is alot higher than on her insuanrce.

The persons car is a lease car and he insisted he tell the insurance that my wife reversed into it. He had some quoets and wants £1500 to fix the dent in his door. (It is an Audi).

If I have to go via my insuarnce should I might as well get a new bumper even though it dosent realy need one and will that effect my insuarnce later or HPI if I sell it in the future?

Any suggestions.

thanks,

JD.

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Thu 3 Mar 2011 20:09
Ford Focus - Insurance claim - named driver - bonzo dog

Hi JD, sorry about your wife's accident & the damage to both cars, but what a great question! This gets the brain cells working overtime!

If your wife wasn't a named driver on your car but driving with your permission, she would be able to claim on her insurance as (as you say) this gives her 3rd party cover in another vehicle.

So my view (for what it's worth) is that she should be able to claim on her insurance for the damage to the Audi.

It may be her insurance looking to offload it onto yours because they see another policy in place. Of course it may be that this is usual insurance practice for the insurance on the car to pay where two such policies exist.

But I'll stick to my view that your wife could insist on her insurance coughing up. It would be interesting to see what Lucy's thoughts are.

Keep us posted & good luck

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Thu 3 Mar 2011 20:44
Ford Focus - Insurance claim - named driver - LucyBC
The insurance on the vehicle involved in the accident kicks in first. The "Drive Other Cars" cover will only apply if the person driving does not have cover on the vehicle and relies on their DOC benefit as a "last resort".
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Thu 3 Mar 2011 20:53
Ford Focus - Insurance claim - named driver - bonzo dog

Hi Lucy, is this (as I suggested) simply standard practice or is it legal?

It's just that my understanding is that the driver is the guilty party NOT the vehicle. So the 3rd party is claiming for his loss against the OP's wife who then claims on the insurance policy to recover her costs.

Isn't it up to her which she claims against or should both insurance companies pay half each (contribution?)

Or am I talking twaddle????

Edited by bonzo dog on 03/03/2011 at 20:54

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Fri 4 Mar 2011 08:21
Ford Focus - Insurance claim - named driver - LucyBC
According to my insurance team if the car has a valid policy in place for her to drive it then that would be the first point of claim. The Drive other Cars (DoC) benefit only applies if there is *no cover on the car being driven by the DoC driver* so would not apply in this case.
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Fri 4 Mar 2011 11:57
Ford Focus - Insurance claim - named driver - martint123

AFAIK you don't pay the excess anyway on a third party claim - just on damage to the insured vehicle ???

Yes, your premium will probably go up even though your NCD may well stay the same.

HPI has no bearing unless your vehicle is written off.

Edited by martint123 on 04/03/2011 at 11:58

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Fri 4 Mar 2011 17:12
Ford Focus - Insurance claim - named driver - Peter D

"If your wife wasn't a named driver on your car but driving with your permission, she would be able to claim on her insurance as (as you say) this gives her 3rd party cover in another vehicle."

This is not the case when a H and W live in the same property, in this situation DOV does not work, common insurance T & C's. The claim is against your policy not hers although she will have to report the accident to her provider as it is a materal fact.

Regards Peter

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