Bmw X5 e70 accident with polo - Help Needed

[tyronejames]

Good Evening

I am in a bit of a situation. My mum had a small incident with her E70 X5 on sunday at the nelson mandela marathon in Howick. Basically in short the guy tried to make a u-turn across a barrier line and his right rear clipped the front right of my mum.

Here's the messed up part. The driver was driving a friends car. He didn't know any of his details other than his cellphone number and didn't even have a cellphone on him or any form of identification not even his drivers license. It even smelled as if he had been out drinking the night before as this happened around 8:28am sunday morning. He did own up and say sorry but thats about it.

Nevertheless my mum snapped some pictures and reported the incident at the howick police station and opened up a case. We have managed to get the owners cell number however he is not answering our calls.

Below are some pictures of the cars.

Would really appreciate some help here as our current claim ratio is high with the insurance, we want to try and avoid going that route. Damage is the right front headlight has shattered but still in tact. The front right fender moulding as well as the fender is damaged. The rim and tire is damaged. The tire having a slow puncture now as well. The front right piece of the aero kit lip is broken off. lastly the front bumper is also damaged. It doesnt really buff out. Not a cheap repair so looking for help.

Thanks in advance and would appreciate any advice. Even if its getting more details about the owner.

 

[Aazaad]

Ouch sorry for your mishap dude. Have just been through the same kind of dilemma where I didn't want to claim through insurance as two months back had a claim that was sorted out. Wife scratched front bumper of X4 when pulling in garage and although doesn't look to bad. The spotlight fog light bracket broke but fog light itself is fine. Sent to auto Atlantic coach works and repair quote came to just under R20 000. That's is for repairing bumper and respray and replacing fog light.

All the best with you finding a solution.

 

[tman]

Sorry about your misfortune.

I am saddened when I read that people have insurance, but they dont want to use it due to a range of factors. If you have a legit reason, one shouldn't have to worry about "gonna lose my bonus" or "claims are too high" etc.

 

[BadBoy23]

dude unfortunately in a situation such as yours where you cant get a hold of the 3rd party, your best option is to claim from your insurance and they will deal with all the legal red tape involved with claiming back the money from the 3rd party. If you try to sort this out yourself, you might spend a fortune on legal costs, and still get no where.

the criminal element according to your version is that he broke traffic laws by making an illegal u- turn. Its your word against his.

the accident itself is a civil matter.

good luck bud, this is never an easy situation.

 

[r0ckf1re]

Sorry about your misfortune.

I am saddened when I read that people have insurance, but they dont want to use it due to a range of factors. If you have a legit reason, one shouldn't have to worry about "gonna lose my bonus" or "claims are too high" etc.

Fix it yourself its money lost. Claim, you may lose some money.
Don't need the extra stress of running around to get it sorted.

 

[Spiro]

sort with your insurance and report as a "ghost accident" but you can also report the other car as a hit and run and open up charges...


the driver will automatically become your mum's best friend and will for sure start returning phone calls

 

[ChefDJ]

Just claim from insurance. You pay for it. Use it.

 

[NitroNori]

Sorry dude, Unfortunate and sticky situation. Rather get a quote and fix it or report it and get the insurance to fix. Trying to hold the owner of the vehicle liable will be long and painful process. As he will claim he was not driving so the actual driver would need to be investigated. With the cost of a lawyer and legal process the fix will work out cheaper.

 

[Blueskys]

Use your insurance, best and only answer. No matter who was at fault or the circumstances always use your own insurance. Doing anything else just opens up a potentially nasty can of worms.

 

[tyronejames]

Thanks so much for the feed back today guys. Some more digging happened and with the help of some people i have managed to get an address and contact number of the owner. its just a matter of contacting him now.

If this happened three months ago i would have just claimed from insurance however two months ago they asked us to find another provider as our claim ratio was over 200% and gave us a months notice. Fortunately they have kept us on whilst we look for alternatives however the excess fee is extremely high now so thus the reason trying to avoid the insurance.

The vehicle was assessed today and was quoted R22808.41 excluding the headlight.

Mother is in legal so getting that route as well. Hope this can be sorted soon.

 

[ChefDJ]

You have a horrible underwriter.

 

[tyronejames]

You have a horrible underwriter.

The sad part is and i hate to say this but our brokers are non the btter and the issues mainly lay there. Doing because with "family" really does come around to bite you some day......

Any suggestions for new insurance brokers or even straight directly to the insurers ?

 

[r0ckf1re]

There was someone on here that was good, I cant recall his name.

Someone who remembers will chime in I hope.

 

[Blueskys]

Thanks so much for the feed back today guys. Some more digging happened and with the help of some people i have managed to get an address and contact number of the owner. its just a matter of contacting him now.

If this happened three months ago i would have just claimed from insurance however two months ago they asked us to find another provider as our claim ratio was over 200% and gave us a months notice. Fortunately they have kept us on whilst we look for alternatives however the excess fee is extremely high now so thus the reason trying to avoid the insurance.

The vehicle was assessed today and was quoted R22808.41 excluding the headlight.

Mother is in legal so getting that route as well. Hope this can be sorted soon.

Being refused cover/asked to leave and lots of recent accidents is going get the insurance cover/minimum excess loaded to the hilt.

The fact that you claim from the other party etc isn't going to change the fact that you were in an accident despite it not being the drivers fault.

What is the excess?

Really is inadvisable and risky to try claim in your personal capacity from a 3rd party insurance, they will do everything in their power not to pay, at the end of it all you'll probably wish you had just sat back paid your excess and let your insurance deal with it from day one.

 

[tyronejames]

So an update to this....

Three quotes have all come back around 22k. The owner has been contacted and unfortunately does not have insurance but said he will pay.

Now after getting the quotes he refuses to answer any calls.

Thankfully legal connections help in getting the local sheriff to go and deliver summons very soon.

Its been a process but no cost other than time so far.

The excess is R7500 if i had to claim through our insurance.

Hopefully soon things will be sorted out.

 

[ChefDJ]

You have a horrible underwriter.

The sad part is and i hate to say this but our brokers are non the btter and the issues mainly lay there. Doing because with "family" really does come around to bite you some day......

Any suggestions for new insurance brokers or even straight directly to the insurers ?

My broker is Morne. 076 308 8979

Tell him Chef referred you.

 

[tyronejames]

[/quote]

My broker is Morne. 076 308 8979

Tell him Chef referred you.
[/quote]

Thanks Chef

Will make contact asap.