Cars & Transportation Road Accident Question

[BigKahunaBlue]

Heya GD

I just got a letter from CGU acting on behalf of someone who claims i smashed into rear of their car on a certain date.

The problem is on that day I was at work and i have enough proof of this.

Another problem is i cannot remember for the life of me of even driving around the time of the alleged accident. I checked my bank details to trace my movements and it shows my purchases for the day including a weekly which i bought on this day.

Another factor is on the letter it has my name and it's misspelt. The car is under my missers name so it would have been sent under her name.

Also there is no police report nor is there a time of accident nor anything that has my license or car rego.

If i did have an accident and we swapped license numbers with this person:

• I would be aware of an accident occuring, yes? Well i don't and i remember most things, including minor things.

• The amount of damage claimed does not add up because i checked the area around the front of the bumper on my car and apart from two measly little white scratches that happened a few years ago there is no one single dint. You would think my car would have had as much damage with what they are claiming.

• My license has my correct name on it and CGU would not have misspelt my name if i had given my license number and name. It's not just misspelt BUT badly misspelt. Why would I misspell it?

So what do I do? I am going to challenge it..but was wondering if anyone has ever had to deal with bogus claims?

Again I have substantial proof i was not even anywhere near where the accident occurred, through my work and transactions. My wife hardly drives and she was on the same train with me that day.

Why do people do this?

 

[Lensen]

Heya GD

I just got a letter from CGU acting on behalf of someone who claims i smashed into rear of their car on a certain date.

The problem is on that day I was at work and i have enough proof of this.

Another problem is i cannot remember for the life of me of even driving around the time of the alleged accident. I checked my bank details to trace my movements and it shows my purchases for the day including a weekly which i bought on this day.

Another factor is on the letter it has my name and it's misspelt. The car is under my missers name so it would have been sent under her name.

Also there is no police report nor is there a time of accident nor anything that has my license or car rego.

If i did have an accident and we swapped license numbers with this person:

• I would be aware of an accident occuring, yes? Well i don't and i remember most things, including minor things.

• The amount of damage claimed does not add up because i checked the area around the front of the bumper on my car and apart from two measly little white scratches that happened a few years ago there is no one single dint. You would think my car would have had as much damage with what they are claiming.

• My license has my correct name on it and CGU would not have misspelt my name if i had given my license number and name. It's not just misspelt BUT badly misspelt. Why would I misspell it?

So what do I do? I am going to challenge it..but was wondering if anyone has ever had to deal with bogus claims?

Again I have substantial proof i was not even anywhere near where the accident occurred, through my work and transactions. My wife hardly drives and she was on the same train with me that day.

Why do people do this?

Have you called CGU to confirm it's actually come from them?

 

[BigKahunaBlue]

I just got it tonight and tried calling CGU and they were shut. There is a formal letterhead, there are photocopies of quotes from smash repair places and it looks all formal.

Also there wasn't an incident report at all, time of the incident, only has a main street which i hardly use and nothing else.

I think i pissed someone off, they already had a dint and didnt have money to fix it, follow me home and when i went inside raided my letterbox. Sometimes i forget to check the letterbox. I do get letters with my name mispelt exactly how it is in the letter.

I just want to know how they got my name and details? I seriously cannot remember pulling over and exchanging details. And plus who here forgets they were involved in a bloody road accident!?

Again number plates? it's under my wifes name, not mine. So if anything the letter would have been addressed to her!

 

[Illinois Nazi]

Just man up, admit it and pay for the damage you caused.

 

[BigKahunaBlue]

Ok just called CGU.

People watch out for bogus claims. You can tell by the letterhead, this one was sent in bw they send letterheads in colour.

Also the claim numbers didn't exist.

So there is an insurance scam going on atm, watch out people!

Pricks!

 

[Messenger]

If you had supposedly run up the back of someone, wouldn't the lack of damage to your car be a tip off?

 

[BigKahunaBlue]

If you had supposedly run up the back of someone, wouldn't the lack of damage to your car be a tip off?

The first thing I did is go check my car and matched that quote thingy where they circle which bit is damaged. As i said there were two faint white lines from a few years back and nothing else.

The thing is i googled CGUs number which differed from that on the letterhead and rang that. I tried the dodgy one first and got a message telling me they were closed and to rang between 9-5. I am sure i would have rang the one on the letterhead tomorrow and they would have tried too scam me.

The letterhead is what got me as well. Very unlike for a big Insurance company to send it in BW and with some sections misaligned. Also the chick from CGU told us, cops always call you first when an accident occurs when insurance is involved. It's in the privacy act.

Also they had a mechanics quote attached! Going to ring them tomorrow and mind **** them..maybe.

Anyway it's all sorted but beware of bogus insurance claims.

 

[Fevola99]

don't **** with the gypos. just leave it and hope they don't follow up.

 

[And_ROOS]

Yeah they clearly (roughly) have your name and address, i wouldnt **** with people. Take it to the cops and let them deal with it.

 

[Wallaby]

Definitely go to the cops. If they have your insurance details, they may have a way of getting other information as well.

Did you pay your insurance via credit card, or by authorised deduction? If so, you might want to keep an eye on that.

 

[DTRAIN87]

All you have to do is sit back and wait and let them make flogs of themselves. They have to prove it was you who did it and not just the fact you own the car. The insurance company who sponsors a certain football stadium tried to do this to my brother, with little more than the fact that two males matching his age were in the car and that he owned it. They needed to be told after sending him a cleverly worded letter saying there is or may be some liability on his part with this accident and asking him to sign it as he was the registered owner of the vehicle.

After trying to tell the idiotic resolutions expert that they needed to prove it was him on the balance of probabilities as it was a civil claim and didn't have the benefit of strict liability like with speeding fines and they would be sued for harrassment and billed for my time if they did not stop harrassing us they promptly pissed off. We even sent the registration transfer paper to them as a good will gesture and made this clear.

So from a legal perspective here is some information to assist with non bogus claims .

My advice is to ignore this. The only action I would take on it would be to contact CGU and ask them what information they have to link me and my vehicle to it on that day and to provide any leagl documents from the police etc relating to the collision. They are wise to do this now, as they don't want to have to do it at the discovery stage of civil proceedings and find they are wrong or have no evidence and then be liable to compensate you.

I would call them if they provided you with a number to discuss it further and do so. Otherwise I would put it in writing and send it to them. In fact, I would probably do both to cover yourself.

This is what I would say/ask:

1. That I am ringing about matter X and wish to confirm this was sent by your organisation.

2. If yes then Say it was not me driving and that I intend to contest this matter should it proceed.

3. Ask what evidence is available to link me to the accident.

4. Say you have no recollection of the accident, you have sufficient proof that you were not driving the vehicle on that date and that your name significantly differs from that presented on the letter. Wait and see what reaction you get.

5. If they still intend to proceed then inform them you will be contacting your/your wife's insurance provider about this claim and also say you reserve your right to consider taking legal action against the person making the claim and CGU if this is pursued.

That's all I would say. No more no less as it keeps it simple, while getting enough information out there to proceed with it further. In fact I would even ring your or your wife's insurnace now and let them know about this and that you will foollow it up with them after contacting CGU.

If you want more help then let me know. OZrganisations such as these and parking inspectors are notorious for making threats and trying to pursue things at all costs. I have one with a council that is going to court over a fine because they feel it is reasonable to move a car while endagering other motorists and breaking other road rules.

 

[DTRAIN87]

The first thing I did is go check my car and matched that quote thingy where they circle which bit is damaged. As i said there were two faint white lines from a few years back and nothing else.

The thing is i googled CGUs number which differed from that on the letterhead and rang that. I tried the dodgy one first and got a message telling me they were closed and to rang between 9-5. I am sure i would have rang the one on the letterhead tomorrow and they would have tried too scam me.

The letterhead is what got me as well. Very unlike for a big Insurance company to send it in BW and with some sections misaligned. Also the chick from CGU told us, cops always call you first when an accident occurs when insurance is involved. It's in the privacy act.

Also they had a mechanics quote attached! Going to ring them tomorrow and mind **** them..maybe.

Anyway it's all sorted but beware of bogus insurance claims.

Have you gone to the cops about this and made a complaint? Are CGU following it up on your behalf with the cops? I would report it on your behalf for identity theft and the like as CGU cannot press charges on your behalf for this and even the attempted fraud.

 

[JuddsABlue]

lol whats really funny is you couldnt actually say for sure whether or not you were in this accident

how could you possibly believe theres a chance you would forget about a car accident?

 

[DTRAIN87]

lol whats really funny is you couldnt actually say for sure whether or not you were in this accident

how could you possibly believe theres a chance you would forget about a car accident?

People forget what they had for lunch two hours ago. I don't exactly remember everything I did a month ago. For all I know I could think I was watching a movie when really I was scratching my nuts in the monkey enclosure in royal melbourne zoo .

 

[Mooster7]

Do report them and get them into strife. Find out who they are and where they live. Once that is all settled, weld a spikey Mad Max type of armor plate to the front of your car, then go stalk these people. Rear end them something fierce. Flip them off, drive away and remove the Mad Max spikey thing from the front of your car.

Let them report you again.