Discovering someone has hit your car can be a stressful experience and a source of real frustration and many are unsure what process to follow. At Hughes we care about protecting what matters to you, and we want to make sure you understand your rights. That is why we have compiled a guide to follow if your car is damaged by another vehicle whilst parked.
1. Collect information.
- If you witnessed the incident occur, or the other driver involved waited for you to arrive, first approach the situation calmly. It is likely that the incident was a genuine accident and the other driver involved is as shaken as you are.
- Collect the other driver’s information including their name, address, a contact number, an explanation of the accident, who their insurance is with and most importantly their vehicle registration.
- If the other driver is not present when you return to your car, check to see if they have left a note. If they haven’t, please don’t worry, we will still be able to help you.
2. Check for witnesses.
- Check the surrounding area for potential witnesses, dashcam footage or CCTV footage – especially in this day and age so many people have dashcams in their cars and the footage could be invaluable!
- If you cannot locate any witnesses, check if the area you are parked in has CCTV and if they have caught anything on their footage.
3. Take photos.
- Take clear photographs of the damage done to your car and the location of the car.
- If the other vehicle involved is present, take photographs of any damage done to this vehicle, and make note of the make, model and the registration plate.
4. Contact M.I.S.!
- Motorists Insurance Services Ltd (M.I.S.) are a third party company who deal with the administration of your claims for motor insurance on our behalf. M.I.S. will attempt to pursue a claim directly against the third party’s insurance company. If a claim is made against the third party’s insurance, your own policy will not be affected and you will not need to pay an excess. In some circumstances, M.I.S. may recommend that you use your own policy and in this instance an excess will be payable, but M.I.S. will try to recover this.
- M.I.S. can provide you with a like- for-like replacement hire vehicle which is similar to your own to keep you on the road while your car is being repaired. In addition to this, M.I.S. can appoint solicitors to act on your behalf for any uninsured losses such as personal injury, loss of earnings and depreciation.
- Unfortunately, if the other driver has not left their details and there are no witnesses or CCTV footage as evidence – you may be left to claim off your own insurance or to pay the repair fees yourself. Even if you do not plan to claim off your insurance, you should always contact M.I.S. to notify them of the incident. To find out more about what is included within your Hughes policy if you have an accident please contact M.I.S. on 02890410220.
Terms, limits and exclusions apply
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