Involved in a collision!
Deeko
Posts: 5
Hi,
I'm looking for some advice here. Two days ago I was merrily cycling along on my daily commute when a car, which was waiting to turn into a road on my left suddenly went across. I was doing 15-18mph at the time but luckily I managed to slow myself and veer left enough and ended up hitting the car between the bumper and the wheel arch. I think I was pretty lucky I didn't go over or under the car. Luckily the guy has admitted liability and I also had an independent witness. My police came on scene and statements were taken confirming his liability. Thankfully I was really lucky and managed to avoid injury (still can't believe I unclipped!)
The bike (Giant SCR2.0) looks OK but the both wheels were knocked out of true. The bike is currently in an LBS for an assessment to see what the damage is. The composite fork looks OK and I couldn't see anything wrong with the head tube. There's a scratch on one of my cranks and I'm sure the RH pedal is scraped a bit.
So the question is what should I go for on the claim? The wheels (Alex DA22s) on the SCR2.0 have been OK prior to the collision but I'm a bit worried that if they're trued rather than replaced that the may go out of true again easily. Should I also claim for possibly minor scratches? I also had to miss most of the day waiting of the police and pushing my bike home so should I claim for that as well?
I have bike insurance (through my home cover) so I could pursue the claim through them - is it better to do this?
Sorry for all the questions!
Cheers,
Derek.
I'm looking for some advice here. Two days ago I was merrily cycling along on my daily commute when a car, which was waiting to turn into a road on my left suddenly went across. I was doing 15-18mph at the time but luckily I managed to slow myself and veer left enough and ended up hitting the car between the bumper and the wheel arch. I think I was pretty lucky I didn't go over or under the car. Luckily the guy has admitted liability and I also had an independent witness. My police came on scene and statements were taken confirming his liability. Thankfully I was really lucky and managed to avoid injury (still can't believe I unclipped!)
The bike (Giant SCR2.0) looks OK but the both wheels were knocked out of true. The bike is currently in an LBS for an assessment to see what the damage is. The composite fork looks OK and I couldn't see anything wrong with the head tube. There's a scratch on one of my cranks and I'm sure the RH pedal is scraped a bit.
So the question is what should I go for on the claim? The wheels (Alex DA22s) on the SCR2.0 have been OK prior to the collision but I'm a bit worried that if they're trued rather than replaced that the may go out of true again easily. Should I also claim for possibly minor scratches? I also had to miss most of the day waiting of the police and pushing my bike home so should I claim for that as well?
I have bike insurance (through my home cover) so I could pursue the claim through them - is it better to do this?
Sorry for all the questions!
Cheers,
Derek.
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Comments
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I'd claim it straight off the driver's insurance if you can.
The insurance company will want proof of what's been damaged, a report written by the bike shop on their headed paper will probably suffice. So and nod and a wink to the bike shop might help.
Also submit receipts for out of pocket expenses e.g. alternative modes of transport.0 -
I'd want the bike to be put back to the way it was prior to the accident, therefore if anything got scratched or damged I'd want it repairing / replaced as necessary.
You only have the one chance to claim so make sure your happy with whats done.
If as a result of the accident you lost money (or were forced to use holiday) from missing work then I'd claim for that, if work covered it then I'd say that you should drop the idea
Always better claiming of others insurance and not your own.0 -
If you're not a member of the CTC get joined and go through their legal services. I had a similar thing happen a few months ago...I had an accident on the Wednesday, joined and claimed on the Friday. The advice from the solicitor assigned to me was to itemise any damage...scratches included. Also include mileage to/from police, GP, LBS to get things checked etc. costs for taxi or other vehicle to recover the bike back to home and cost of commuting by car if you usually commute by bike.
It's not a case of trying to get something for nothing but you are (I believe) entitled to have your bike restored to the same condition as it was in prior to the accident and be recompensed for expenses that you would not have otherwise incurred.0 -
Thanks for the comments!
My intention is just to pursue it myself - should be OK as he's admitted it and I've got a witness. If it gets messy I'll involve my company.
I'll see what the LBS say - should find out today. I have to admit I'm not keen on the wheels being trued (it's be OK if they were good wheels) so I might pursue replacements. Again, a new crankset would be nice but I'm not sure if it's pursuable because of a scratch!
As far as my work's concerned I didn't have to use a holiday but I obviously lost time that I might have used another day. I'll maybe tentatively request compensation for that!
Cheers,
Derek.0 -
Just be totally honest about it... the whole principle of insurance is that it should put you back in the same position as you were prior to the incident.
So - anything that's scratched or damaged should be replaced with the same or equivalent parts, so as above, I'd speak to the bike shop and suggest that they put down the cost of replacement rather than repair (including any damage to tyres and inner tubes). Also, I'd push to get the pedals and cranks replaced too. After all, it wasn't your fault so why should you have to ride around with a scratched bike.
I doubt they'd quibble over the values, but if they do, stand firm and don't accept their first offer - chances are they'll just ask the shop to do the repairs and settle with them. If you'd gone under the car then they'd be looking at a much, much bigger bill so a couple of hundred on parts and labour is nothing.
Don't even tell your house insurance about it at this stage.0 -
Deeko wrote:Thanks for the comments!
. I'll maybe tentatively request compensation for that!
If you tentatively request compensation, then you won't get it... The problem with compensation though is that it's a very difficult thing to measure - how much is your inconvience worth? You'll need to be able to quantify exactly how much, financially, you were inconvienced by.
I would push for the crankset though... much more tangible and as I said, why should you have to ride around with a scratched bike (loss of resale value etc) through no fault of your own?0 -
I'd want the bike to be put back to the way it was prior to the accident, therefore if anything got scratched or damged I'd want it repairing / replaced as necessary.
You only have the one chance to claim so make sure your happy with whats done.
If as a result of the accident you lost money (or were forced to use holiday) from missing work then I'd claim for that, if work covered it then I'd say that you should drop the idea
Always better claiming of others insurance and not your own.0
