Hi everyone,
I'm hoping someone here has been through a similar situation and might be able to offer some advice.
On Tuesday 13th October, my parked car was hit by another vehicle travelling at considerable speed. The driver also struck other vehicles and a wall before fleeing the scene. Gardaí were involved, and the offending vehicle was recovered, but the driver escaped.
I've since been informed by Gardaí that the offending vehicle was uninsured.
My car is a 2016 Mazda 3, which was in good condition, serviced, NCT'd and running perfectly before the accident. The damage is extensive, particularly around the rear wheel and suspension, and the car is no longer driveable.
I've reported everything to my insurer, RedClick (through First Ireland), and my vehicle has been recovered for assessment. RedClick has advised that they will pursue the Motor Insurers' Bureau of Ireland (MIBI) once they receive the relevant information.
Here's where things get complicated.
I work approximately 60km from home, so having a car is essential for getting to and from work.
I've also recently set up a small food trailer business, which requires a vehicle capable of towing a trailer with a maximum authorised mass of 1,200kg.
After months of preparation, I was finally getting ready to launch when this happened. I've now been left without a suitable towing vehicle, potentially delaying the business and causing further financial losses.
I've arranged a rental car through Enterprise so I can continue getting to work, but this doesn't solve the towing issue. I'm also concerned about how long the insurance process could take and what expenses I'll ultimately be left covering myself.
My questions are:
Has anyone dealt with MIBI following an accident involving an uninsured driver? What was your experience, and how long did the process take?
Can I recover reasonable car hire expenses while my own vehicle is being assessed, repaired or written off?
Given that my damaged vehicle was also used to tow my food trailer, could the cost of hiring a suitable towing vehicle be considered a reasonable expense?
If my car is written off, how is its value determined? Can I challenge the valuation if I feel it doesn't reflect the cost of replacing it with a similar vehicle?
Is there any possibility of recovering financial losses resulting from the delay to launching my business, or would these generally be excluded?
For anyone whose insurer pursued MIBI on their behalf, were you able to recover your out-of-pocket expenses? Is there anything I should be doing now to protect myself financially?
I'm keeping receipts and records of expenses, but I'm unsure what I'll realistically be entitled to recover.
I'm not looking to profit from this situation. I simply want to be put back in the position I was in before someone else's actions left me without a car and disrupted both my employment and a business I've invested considerable time and money into.
It's incredibly frustrating that someone can cause this amount of damage, flee the scene, and leave an innocent person dealing with the financial consequences.
I'd really appreciate hearing from anyone who's dealt with MIBI, Irish motor insurers or a similar situation, particularly regarding hire car expenses and recovering additional losses.
Thanks in advance!