indicator's in a car insurance.

[LTDHO]

To OP.
Yeah mate you are at fault and as you have to pay your excess, might as well have your car fixed.
Something to consider, as your excess is high, find out how much the damage is on the other vehicle, could be cheaper to pay them direct!

Originally Posted by prydey

i think there needs to be more education on the correct protocol/procedure when you have an accident. i wonder how many people actually know the correct procedure.

Exactly, you learn it when you get your licence, then forget.
What I hate the most is thopse that leave the cars in the centre of the road. selfish morons, if you can move it, get it to the gutter, lete the 1000's of other cars pass.

Originally Posted by prydey

its something i fail at too. i think a police report needs to be made within 24hrs?? just guessing here. obviously most people are aware that details need to be exchanged with the other party. if its not obstructing traffic, i don't think the police need to be called out, but again, i'm guessing.

Not at all, unless there is an injury where an ambulance is called, police do not need to be notified. They have more important concerns than a 'fender bender'.

Originally Posted by prydey

if you file a report with the police, you then give that report to the insurance co. i think.

Sorry mate.
A police report is 2/5 useless, costs to buy from the police and takes over a month to obtain.

Don't waste your and their time, it would be better spent making sure all is OK, exchange details, clearing the road and speak to witnesses.

[Yellow_Festiva]

Originally Posted by cobramania

Have you read your insurance PDS lately?

This is a copy out of mine, which just happens to be with Shannons.

WHAT YOU MUST NOT DO WHEN YOU MAKE A CLAIM
✗✗ Admit fault. You must not admit fault or liability to anyone,
offer, agree or promise to settle any claim without our prior
consent. If you do so, we can refuse to pay your claim.

If the police aren't involved, & no one was hurt, the rules of the road or the law, has little to do with an insurance claim/point of view, it's all about liability, yours or the other persons, your insurance company won't pay out, if they can get the other person to admit "at fault" & have the other insurance company pay instead.

I guess each case is different. If you know you stuffed up then you say sorry and move along with life.

I had an accident a few years ago which killed the Festiva. It was my fault, even though I was given the 'all clear' signal from drivers to turn across them. I thought I was turning across 2 lanes, and got t-boned by the car driving in the 3rd lane.

First thing I did was get out to see if she was ok, admitted fault and then made the scene as safe as possible for other cars.

Her car was able to be moved, mine wasn't. She called the police in front of me and I didn't object. I know I stuffed up and she had every right to in the end.

10 min later, her hubby turns up. Big, gruffy trady looking bloke, the sort you don't want to pick a fight with in a bar. I'm thinking I'm going to either get yelled at, threatened or belted. He walks up to me and before anything is said I tell him how sorry I was, and that I had full insurance and have admitted fault. I also told him I will be paying my ($2000) excess the next day and you won't be getting any grief from me regarding the claim.

He put his arm around my neck, gave me a pat on the back and said don't worry, we all make mistakes, as long as no one was hurt, that's want counts.

Anyway.... I said as a joke... funny how the towies are here before the police. He looked at me and said, who called the coppers? I said your wife mate.

He rolled his eyes, told me not to worry and went to have a chat with his wife. She called them back, and he explained that both cars were moved (by then the towy got my car away from the scene and in a side street). And that both parties have exchanged details and it will go through insurance. He suggested that they were no longer needed, but were welcome to come if they weren't busy.

The police never came, I paid my excess soon after and carried on with life, along the way learning some valuable lessons.

I wonder how it would have went if I stood there, admitted nothing and acted like a total tool about it?

[jason71]

I've been in same situation as the OP.

I normally wait until the car starts turning but it was a busy intersection so I thought its now or never.
When the police arrived the corolla was still parked in the side of my car with its indicator flashing, yet I was the one deemed to be at fault.
My mother-in-law who was in my car said the other car speed up once I pulled out. The driver of the other car said he was changing lanes,
which was crap because he was in the left lane when he started indicating.

Funny thing was when they all got out of their crappy old corolla holding their necks and backs complaining they were injured.

Moral to the story, if you have a crappy old car and want it written off just drive around with your left indicator on waiting for some sucker to pull out!

[aussie muscle]

Originally Posted by hawker

Case in point to never trust an indicator.

Like me, Some of the older drivers probably learned to drive back in the days when the indicator didn't turn off automatically.

[FoxtrotGolfXray 5.0]

Originally Posted by LTDHO

Not at all, unless there is an injury where an ambulance is called, police do not need to be notified. They have more important concerns than a 'fender bender'.

Slightly OT, but just following on from above, once the cops have been called to the scene of an accident, even if there was no requirement for them to attend in the first place, they MUST investigate. This is here in Vic at least, not sure about anywhere else. Was told to me by a cop called to an accident I was involved in.

Similar story to Yellow_Festiva except a lady pulled out in front of me at a t-intersection. She lived just around the corner and hubby was on the scene in no time. All he was worried about was calling the cops. I never stopped him, coz I knew she was at fault. Anyway, cops turn up, one tells me the above (ie must investigate) and states that on top of having to pay the excess to cover the damage, the lady would receive a fine for failing to give way.

Personally, I couldn't have cared less about the cars, I was most worried for my 3 year old daughter sitting in my car. Luckily, the car seat worked well and she had no injuries at all. However, I sold the XR8 shortly after that, coz I didn't want any potential problems that may have come with the repairs.

Craig H

[MAD]

Originally Posted by Sorted

I got pinged for being in a right hand turn lane then going straight.
The right hand turn lane light turned red so I went straight instead which had a green light - I even indicated to go back in the straight lane lol

Two options for getting pinged there. Going through a red, if you entered the intersection from the right turn lane, or crossing a single unbroken line if you moved out of the lane before the intersection.


To the OP, if you file a police report, as mentioned by prydey, most likely they will charge you with the traffic offence due to the available evidence (ie. you being hit in the side), then you would have to fight that separatley.

[ch33z1l]

Originally Posted by prydey

i think there needs to be more education on the correct protocol/procedure when you have an accident. i wonder how many people actually know the correct procedure.

its something i fail at too. i think a police report needs to be made within 24hrs?? just guessing here. obviously most people are aware that details need to be exchanged with the other party. if its not obstructing traffic, i don't think the police need to be called out, but again, i'm guessing.

if you file a report with the police, you then give that report to the insurance co. i think.

My old man was recently involved in am accident where a driver failed to give way exiting a petrol station. The other party tried to blame Dad for not applying his brakes. (It was wet, and Dad was enable to swerve. Guardrail to the right, oncoming traffic to the left). The Police were called, both put on the bag, driver details exchanged and the other party determined to be at fault. The cop got back in his car and drove off. To my knowledge, a report wasn't even filled out.

A police report is not required to lodge an insurance claim. I think this fits in with what you said about Police not needed to be on-scene unless the accident is obstructing traffic, or someone is injured.

[Yellow_Festiva]

Originally Posted by ch33z1l

A police report is not required to lodge an insurance claim. I think this fits in with what you said about Police not needed to be on-scene unless the accident is obstructing traffic, or someone is injured.

I think there are a few reasons when Police need to / should be called:

1) If car is blocking traffic / posing a danger to others.
2) If you suspect the driver is under the influence of certain substances.
3) If you think a law has been broken to cause the accident.
4) If the value of the accident is over a certain amount ($500????)
5) If someone is injured.
6) If the other party refuses to supply details or is playing the fool about it.

I don't know if my above points are actual law or more common sense (perhaps a bit of both??).

Re point 6. I had another accident in the Festiva where the other guy was at fault. When I asked for his licence and insurance details his reply was "Insurance? I don't know what that is?" Don't know if he was being smart or stupid but that's where the conversation ended. Police were called and he was fined with causing the accident.

Geeze... come to think of it, that Festiva sure took a battering lol.

[xisled]

Originally Posted by cobramania

Have you read your insurance PDS lately?

This is a copy out of mine, which just happens to be with Shannons.

WHAT YOU MUST NOT DO WHEN YOU MAKE A CLAIM
✗✗ Admit fault. You must not admit fault or liability to anyone,
offer, agree or promise to settle any claim without our prior
consent. If you do so, we can refuse to pay your claim.

If the police aren't involved, & no one was hurt, the rules of the road or the law, has little to do with an insurance claim/point of view, it's all about liability, yours or the other persons, your insurance company won't pay out, if they can get the other person to admit "at fault" & have the other insurance company pay instead.

No I do not need to read a PDS to know this. Try and prove that a person has admitted fault at a accident scene. It is impossible. Never been able to do it once in my 5 years in motor claims.

With the police report thing. Each state has it own rules on when a police report needs to be lodged. In Vic only time is when someone is hurt. In S.A for example, it is when someone is hurt or if the property damage is over $1000.

[Dave3911]

Originally Posted by psychobimbo

Slightly OT, but just following on from above, once the cops have been called to the scene of an accident, even if there was no requirement for them to attend in the first place, they MUST investigate. This is here in Vic at least, not sure about anywhere else. Was told to me by a cop called to an accident I was involved in.

As far as I'm aware, That policy changed July 1st.

[belvo]

i didn't call the cops not sure if the other person did i haven't been contacted by there insurance or police hope they didn't call the cops.
i have only so far just put in a notification of what happened to my insurance

[belvo]

sorry for bringing up a old thread but just a update the other person in the accident contacted me with a letter of demand with a quote and demands that either i lodge a claim or they will take me to court as they dont have full comp insurance i have to lodge a claim for them to get a payout. hase anyone gone through this situation any advice would help.

[LTDHO]

Just lodge a claim...

[IDT]

Unfortunately belvo you are in the wrong. Video and a thousand witness mattter not. Nowhere in any traffic act does it say give way unless indicating. Remember indicating shows intent only and does not commit you to turning, changing lanes etc. As such you can not be found culpable if you change your mind..
You only pay your own excess regardless.
The police report is as simple as a phone call. They will give you a report number over the phone if they don't ask and one will be provided.

[xisled]

Just lodge a claim, if you leave it to late and they do go the legal way. Your insurance will not cover all the legal costs because you put off lodging a claim.

[blackf6]

Your standard excess is stated on your insurance. That is what you pay no more no less. Simple as that, it will say something like driver under 25_ x amount of dollars, this is what you will be liable to pay, if you caused the accident.

[InTrail]

Is the quote for repairs (for both vehicles) more than your excess?
If so, lodge a claim and let the insurer sort it out.