Things that invalidate your insurance

[ChrisB]

Very comprehensive

Your last case sounds like a staged shunt but CCTV disproved it.

In brief disclose everything, act in good faith and don't try to be a smart ass.


Mike

No Mike, It was a 'slam on' with exaggerated injury claims and manipulated vehicle damage. No CCTV available.

 

[T6 CFO]

No Mike, It was a 'slam on' with exaggerated injury claims and manipulated vehicle damage. No CCTV available.

Bad guess. Nice one to win then.


Mike

 

[ChrisB]

Bad guess. Nice one to win then.


Mike

Very much so, the insurance company was well pleased. Not so much the claimant(s). The judge singled out the ringleader (head of the family) and he really hammered him.

 

[Teejay]

No Mike, It was a 'slam on' with exaggerated injury claims and manipulated vehicle damage. No CCTV available.

What may I ask is a "slam on" ?

 

[ChrisB]

So

What may I ask is a "slam on" ?

Sorry teejay,
A slam on is when the drivrr of the leading vehicle slams on the brakes without warning or justification so as to make the vehicle behind run into the back of him/her. Its a common tactic to induce a collision to generate a claim

 

[Teejay]

So

Sorry teejay,
A slam on is when the drivrr of the leading vehicle slams on the brakes without warning or justification so as to make the vehicle behind run into the back of him/her. Its a common tactic to induce a collision to generate a claim

Ah, I've seen Youtube videos of these antics .. I wonder in your experience how are dashcams viewed by the insurers.
If I had the option of a front and rear camera setup integrated from the manufacturer I would have probably selected it.

 

[ChrisB]

Dashcams are excellent pieces of kit they provide 'real time' evidence and can often make or break a case. Make sure you get the better quality type that cover the widest field of view and those that are deceleration (impact) sensing so that the camera automatically locks the recording of the incident. Don't tell the other party you have the incident on dashcam. (see below) My other advice would be to always have access to a cheapo camera and take as many pictures as possible at the scene. Scene photos are an excellent method of recording damage and road conditions. A tip re the camera, a lot of the people who initiate collisions are not the nicest people on the planet. Buy a cheap digital camera from PC world and use that. They might take exception to you taking photos and try to smash your camera so the loss of a cheapo digital is better than losing your new iPhone.

 

[lostontheshore]

I drive better in flipflops than walking boots

 

[Moakesy]

Dashcams are excellent pieces of kit they provide 'real time' evidence and can often make or break a case. Make sure you get the better quality type that cover the widest field of view and those that are deceleration (impact) sensing so that the camera automatically locks the recording of the incident.

Many thanks for your excellent & informative posts...

I got a dash cam for my car and although haven't had any real need for it (thankfully) I have had enough close shaves with idiotic drivers that I've been grateful for it being there anyway. Think I'll get one for the Cali now as well.

Never occurred to me about not telling the other party about having the cam there. I would have thought telling them it was there was a good thing, but clearly it can make it worse.

Great post and thank you once again.

 

[blakeley]

I drive better in flipflops than walking boots

I hope you are never driving behind me and my family, there is no way anyone could confidently perform an emergency stop in flip flops!

It's a law for a reason

 

[elstevo]

It might be silly but I don't think it's illegal, at least not according to the RAC.

"There’s a great level of uncertainty surrounding whether or not it’s illegal to drive barefoot in the UK, with numerous reasons cited as to why you’re breaking the law if you do so.
While these may all be valid points, none of them are technically correct. Here is the law in a nutshell: it is not illegal to drive in the UK without shoes on and the same applies for wearing flip flops - there is a catch though.
it is not illegal to drive in the UK without shoes on
You can get behind the wheel of a vehicle barefoot or while wearing flip flops, provided you are able to operate the controls safely. If you do so with wet feet, for example, you might be putting yourself, your passengers and other road users at risk by not being able to drive the car safely. This is illegal.
And while it's not illegal to drive without shoes on, that doesn’t mean it’s right.
According to the Driving Standards Agency – the body that regulates the UK driving test – “suitable shoes are particularly important behind the wheel. We would not recommend driving barefoot because you don’t have the same braking force with bare feet as you do with shoes on.”

 

[Tufty_B]

Many thanks for your excellent & informative posts...

I got a dash cam for my car and although haven't had any real need for it (thankfully) I have had enough close shaves with idiotic drivers that I've been grateful for it being there anyway. Think I'll get one for the Cali now as well.

Never occurred to me about not telling the other party about having the cam there. I would have thought telling them it was there was a good thing, but clearly it can make it worse.

Great post and thank you once again.

+2 for dash cam (see below). I've got a front facing camera and I'm now also considering a rear camera as well.

Mine has been used twice, first as evidence when last year I witnessed a collision between 2 other cars and also earlier this year when I was involved in an a car incident where a van side swiped me on a motorway as it pulled into the outside lane, causing over £4k of damage to my car. The driver didn't stop and without the dash cam I would have been liable for the repair costs. Even with the dash cam evidence it still took 7 months to finalise the claim, with many official complaints including involving the Financial Ombudsman Service which is still in progress.

Sadly I have lost all faith in the police because they have categorically refused in writing twice to follow up on the other driver failing to stop and also in my opinion of dangerous driving. The reason quoted by the police to not follow up on this incident is that it is not the best use of their limited resources, even though it is an offence not stopping or reporting a collision within 24 hours. However recently they wasted 2 police officers time twice visiting a neighbour's house when they had a party which we could barely hear and weren't causing a disturbance.

Sent from my ONEPLUS A5000 using Tapatalk

 

[Teejay]

Moved..

 

[Fryers!]

Illegal or not, if you drive in flip flops you are just plain dumb, why would you put yourself and other drivers at risk for the sake of wearing totally inappropriate footwear? As mentioned above it would be near impossible to confidentially perform an emergency stop in flip flips be it 20mph or 70mph.

 

[DavidofHook]

Going back to the original subject of this post , 7 or 8 years ago I researched insuring with an insurer who specifically covers Cals and was told that I was not covered if I left the van in a hotel car park at Gatwick while I went in holiday for 2 weeks. Bit awkward as it was our only vehicle so I did not used them. They may well have changed their approach and I am not trying to get at them but it is one of those things that you don't even think about as you jet off to the sun.
Also recently had a problem with the Camping Club who won't cover you for voluntary driving taking people to hospital. Again did not use them. Surprising that the Camping Club would prevent members from doing voluntary work