Useful Information And Advice

Speed Camera Debate- Do they work or are they just a money making scheme?

2010-04-20T06:20:00.000-07:00

This is one of the hottest potatoes around, especially after the recent results in Swindon. For those who are unaware - Swindon removed their speed cameras. Instead of seeing an increase in accidents they saw a decline. This has basically fuelled the debate that Speed Cameras are just another form of revenue by the government.
What do you think?

Whiplash Treatments? - Does Anything Really Help?

2010-04-06T09:08:00.000-07:00

Having been a sufferer from Whiplash I can confirm how awful it actually is. It's so hard to describe really but to me it just felt like my head was too heavy for my neck to hold it up??? Plus lying down was just impossible! My head could not get comfortable at all no matter how many pillows I tried or how many positions I lay in.
There are so many treatments out there. From Tens, to Physiotherapy, Acupuncture to Reiki and so on. What I would really like to know is what people who have suffered think and what has worked if anything has??

STROKE INFORMATION - IT COULD SAVE PERMANENT BRAIN DAMAGE!

2010-03-25T07:02:00.000-07:00

Blood Clots/Stroke - They Now Have a Fourth Indicator, the Tongue

STROKE: Remember the 1st Three Letters.... S. T. R.

STROKE IDENTIFICATION:

During a BBQ, a woman stumbled and took a little fall - she assured everyone that she was fine (they offered to call paramedics) .she said she had just tripped over a brick because of her new shoes.

They got her cleaned up and got her a new plate of food. While she appeared a bit shaken up, Jane went about enjoying herself the rest of the evening

Jane's husband called later telling everyone that his wife had been taken to the hospital -
(at 6:00 pm Jane passed away.) She had suffered a stroke at the BBQ... Had they known how to identify the signs of a stroke, perhaps Jane would be with us today. Some don't die.. They end up in a helpless, hopeless condition instead.

It only takes a minute to read this......

A neurologist says that if he can get to a stroke victim within 3 hours he can totally reverse the effects of a stroke...totally.. He said the trick was getting a stroke recognized, diagnosed, and then getting the patient medically cared for within 3 hours, which is tough.

RECOGNIZING A STROKE

Remember the '3' steps, STR . Read and Learn!

Sometimes symptoms of a stroke are difficult to identify. Unfortunately, the lack of awareness spells disaster. The stroke victim may suffer severe brain damage when people nearby fail to recognize the symptoms of a stroke.

Now doctors say a bystander can recognize a stroke by asking three simple questions:

S *Ask the individual to SMILE.

T *Ask the person to TALK and SPEAK A SIMPLE SENTENCE (Coherently)

(i.e. It is sunny out today.)

R *Ask him or her to RAISE BOTH ARMS.

If he or she has trouble with ANY ONE of these tasks, call emergency number immediately and describe the symptoms to the dispatcher..

New Sign of a Stroke -------- Stick out Your Tongue

NOTE: Another 'sign' of a stroke is this: Ask the person to 'stick' out his tongue.... If the tongue is 'crooked', if it goes to one side or the other, that is also an indication of a stroke.

Thank You To M Verity for this information. Very valuable.

Tyre Safety - Correct Pressure & Tread Depth

2010-03-12T04:46:00.000-08:00

When to check your tyres?
It’s possible for a passenger tyre initially inflated to 35 psi (pounds per square inch) to lose 1 psi each month.
Be sure to properly check all four tyres cold once a month and before a long trip.
Whether you have a full-size or mini spare, make sure that it is properly inflated as well.

What’s the correct inflation air pressure for your tyres?

You will find your tyre pressure recommendations in one of the following places:

In the vehicle owners manual.
On the vehicle’s door jamb. (Often, a vehicle information placard is located on the door jamb along with the recommended tyre inflation pressure.)
Inside the fuel hatch filler flap. (In some vehicles.)
The glove compartment door. (In some vehicles.)

WARNING! But NOT on the tyre. The inflation pressure shown on the tyre sidewall is only the maximum tyre inflation pressure. In most situations, the vehicle manufacturers recommended tyre inflation pressure is shown on the vehicle placard. However, on some older vehicles, the recommended pressure listed by your vehicle’s manufacturer may be shown as two numbers: One for city speed driving and normal load and one for highway speeds and/or maximum capacity vehicle load. Be sure to inflate your tyres to the recommended inflation pressure for each type of driving situation.

For most passenger cars, minivans and mini pickups, the recommendations range from 27 to 32 psi. For full size pickup trucks and sport utility vehicles, the recommended inflation pressures tend to be about 5 to 8 psi higher to reflect the larger tyre sizes and greater weight of these vehicles.

The manufacturer's recommendations are not necessarily the optimum inflation pressure for your tyres, but are generally the best for all-round driving. Adding a couple of extra pounds of pressure will decrease the rolling resistance of the tyres and make a slight improvement in fuel economy -- but it will also make the tyres harder which in turn may cause a somewhat rougher or harsher ride.

If you're carrying a lot of extra cargo, car pooling, hauling a lot of stuff in the back of a pickup or towing a trailer, a few extra pounds of pressure would be recommended to offset the added weight. Add the extra pounds to the rear tyres.

WARNING: Never exceed the maximum inflation pressure specified on the sidewall of the tyre. This number is the maximum pressure the tyre is designed to safely handle. Higher pressure increases the risk of tyre damage (when hitting a bump) or tyre failure.

Remember!!

Beware of public pressure gauges at gas stations. They are often abused and unreliable.

Check your tyres cold – before you’ve driven even one mile or at least three hours after the vehicle has been stopped.

******************************************************************************

Excellent Bargain Here

AA Tyre Air Pressure & Tread Gauge - Car Safety Kit

Includes Tyre Tread Depth Gauge AND Tyre Pressure Gauge!
AA Shop Price £3.99 + £3.25 P&P= £7.24
Their Price £4.99 Inc P&P
SAVE £2.25!!

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/AA-Tyre-Air-Pressure-Tread-Gauge-Car-Safety-Kit_W0QQitemZ130373958444QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM?hash=item1e5ae4bb2c
*******************************************************************************

Tread Depth

The laws require that in order to be legal a tyre must comply with a number of legal requirements.

These requirements range from what the manufacturer must be responsible for - relevant sidewall markings etc - and what the motorist should be responsible for - correct fitment and condition of tyre, tread depths etc.

It is recommended that tyres are checked on a weekly basis for tread depth, tread condition, inflation pressure, tread/sidewall damage, any signs of irregular wear. If in doubt seek the advice of a trained tyre expert who will be able to determine the suitability of the tyre for further use.

The penalties for having illegal tyres are currently up to a £2500 fine and 3 penalty points PER TYRE!

The legal minimum tread depth for cars and light trailers (including caravans) up to 3500 kgs gross vehicle weight and/or 8 seated passenger vehicles including driver is:

A minimum of 1.6mm in a continuous band throughout the central three-quarters of the tread width, throughout the whole of the circumference.

Any vehicle with a gross vehicle weight (GVW) or gross train weight (GTW) over 3500kgs or a motorcycle above 50cc must, either:

The grooves of the tread pattern must have a depth of a least 1 mm throughout a continuous band measuring at least three-quarters of the breadth of the tread and round the entire outer circumference of the tyre, OR
if the grooves of the original tread pattern of the tyre do not extend beyond three-quarters of the breadth of the tread (i.e. common with motorcycle tyres) any groove of the original pattern must have a minimum depth of at least 1 mm.

Thanks to:

Etyres.co.uk

Yahoo.co.uk

Michelin.co.uk

JUST PASSED YOUR TEST? JUST GOT A NEW CAR?

2010-02-03T05:39:00.000-08:00

Help yourself by always being prepared in case of an emergency. Use this checklist to make sure you have everything you may need before you start using your vehicle.

BOOT ESSENTIALS

-IN CASE OF A FLAT
1. JACK
2. THE RIGHT LUGNUT SPANNER
3. A GOOD SPARE TYRE

-IN CASE OF BAD WEATHER
1. OLD CLOTHS/KITCHEN ROLL (FOR WINDSCREEN, WINDOWS,TO CHECK OIL, TO WIPE HEADLIGHTS)
2. READY MIXED WINDSCREEN WASH
3. AN OLD PAIR OF BOOTS, SOCKS AND AN OLD COAT (GETTING STRANDED IS MORE COMMON THAN YOU MIGHT THINK AND IF YOU BREAK DOWN YOU WILL BE ASKED TO MOVE AWAY FROM THE VEHICLE)
4. DE-ICER SPRAY & SCRAPER
5. GOOD TORCH
6. EMERGENCY BLANKETS (THESE CAN BE OBTAINED IN MOST POUND SHOPS AND ARE WORTH £1 OF ANYONES MONEY TO AVOID HYPERTHERMIA!)

GLOVEBOX ESSENTIALS
Most of these can be obtained FREE from our website: www.rescueaccidentassistance.com

1. YOUR CAR HANDBOOK
2. BREAKDOWN SERVICES NUMBERS
3. IF YOU ARE A MEMBER YOUR MEMBERSHIP CARD (YOUR PHONE COULD BE FLAT! DON’T RELY ON IT)
4. DETAILS ON HOW TO CHANGE A TYRE
5. WHAT IF YOU HAVE MISFUELLED? IT COULD BE COSTLY – HAVE DETAILS OF A FORECOURT ASSISTANCE PLACE

FOR A PRINTABLE VERSION OF THIS CLICK HERE

ROAD ACCIDENT- USE THIS STEP BY STEP GUIDE

2010-02-03T05:29:00.000-08:00

1. TURN OFF THE ENGINE!
You do not want to be moving your vehicle until you have taken photographs of the scene, making sure you have photographs of where all the vehicles are located on the road. (if a car swerves into your lane and you do not have a picture of his vehicle in your lane what is to stop
him accusing you of changing lanes?)

2. LOOK FOR WITNESSES!
Passengers in either vehicle don’t count! Look for anyone in another vehicle or a pedestrian who saw the impact. Take their FULL details. Address as well as phone number.

3. EXCHANGE DETAILS
As a guide use the form HERE to make sure you have all the information you will need. If the Police are in attendance assist them with whatever they need but do not leave it to them to take
all the details. It will take your insurer up to 2 months to retrieve this information from them and in the meantime you are still waiting. Much better to take it yourself. Also don't forget to note the Police Reference Numbers and Officers name.

4. TAKE PHOTOGRAPHS!
Too many is far better than too few! As a guide take pictures of the following:

• THE POSITION OF ALL VEHICLES INVOLVED
• ANY ROAD MARKINGS/SIGNS
• VEHICLE REGISTRATION NUMBERS
• DAMAGE TO VEHICLES (EVEN IF THERE APPEARS NOT TO BE ANY)

TRUST YOUR INSURER WITH YOUR VEHICLE DAMAGE BUT NOT YOUR INJURY CLAIM!!
If you have been involved in an accident that wasn’t your fault you can get FREE legal representation from any solicitor you want. As a general rule insurance companies use large solicitors firms who deal with lots of claims in lots of different areas, not just personal injury. This can often mean you are just a number and the service you receive could not be the best. Although insurance companies do not like it—Accident Management Companies can provide the best solution. They choose only specialist solicitors and as they are more concerned with keeping your business you can get a much better service.

FOR A PRINTABLE VERSION CLICK HERE

ATM - PIN Number Reversal - Good to Know

2010-02-03T03:49:00.000-08:00

If you should ever be forced by a robber to withdraw money from an ATM
machine, you can notify the police by entering your PIN # in reverse.

For example, if your pin number is 1234, then you would put in 4321.

The ATM system recognizes that your PIN number is backwards from the ATM
card you placed in the machine.

The machine will still give you the money you requested, but unknown to
the robber, the police will be immediately dispatched to the location.

This information was recently broadcast on CTV by Crime Stoppers however
it is seldom used because people just don't know about it.
Please pass this along to everyone.

This is the kind of information people don't mind receiving, so pass it on to your family and friends

How to disable a STOLEN mobile phone?

2010-02-03T03:44:00.000-08:00

To check your Mobile phone's serial number, key in the following digits on your phone:

* # 0 6 #

A 15 digit code will appear on the screen. This number is unique to your handset.
Write it down and keep it somewhere safe.

When your phone get stolen, you can phone your service provider and give them this code.

They will then be able to block your handset so even if the thief changes the SIM card, your phone will be totally useless.

You probably won't get your phone back, but at least you know that whoever stole it can't use/sell it either.

If everybody does this, there would be no point in people stealing mobile phones. (We would hope....)

Have you locked your keys in the car?

2010-02-03T03:41:00.000-08:00

Does your car have remote keyless entry?

This may come in handy someday. Good reason to own a mobile phone:

If you lock your keys in the car and the spare keys are at home, call someone at home on their mobile phone from your cell phone.

Hold your cell phone about a foot from your car door and have the person at your home press the unlock button, holding it near the mobile phone on their end.

Your car will unlock.

Distance is no object. You could be hundreds of miles away, and if you can reach someone who has the other 'remote' for your car, you can unlock the doors (or the trunk).

WHAT TO DO IF YOU HAVE AN ACCIDENT AT WORK

2010-01-19T03:57:00.000-08:00

1. Make sure you record any injury in the 'accident book'.
2. If need be, make sure your employer has reported it to the Health & Safety Executive (for more information on what types of accident should be reported click here)
3. Check your contract or written statement of employment for information about sick or accident pay.
4. If there are health and safety problems at work, point them out to your employer and ask them to be dealt with.

Is Your Employer To Blame?

1. Does your firm have good policies and procedures in place to prevent accidents? Do they have evidence of these such as checklists etc?
2. Have you been shown how to do your job properly and how to follow these procedures?
3. Were you following these procedures correctly when the accident happened?

Could The Accident Have Been Prevented?

1. Was there an issue which you raised in writing prior to the incident? Was it acted on?
2. Could providing better equipment, workwear or better maintenance procedures have oprevented the accident? was the company aware of this?

USEFUL TOOL
Download
ACCIDENT AT WORK QUESTIONNAIRE

CLICK HERE

All our panel solicitors are members of The Law Society, Regulated by The Solicitors Regulation Authority and Accredited on the Personal Injury Panel.

CALL NOW FOR A NO OBLIGATION ASSESSMENT OF YOUR CLAIM.
0845 2997790
Rescue Accident Assistance Ltd

Christmas Wishes

2009-12-23T03:53:00.000-08:00

To all our customers, clients, agents and business partners, we would like to wish you all ........
Afrikaans - een plesierige kerfees
Arabic - I'D MIILAD SAID OUA SANA SAIDA
Argentine - Felices Pasquas Y felices ano Nuevo
Armenian - Shenoraavor Nor Dari yev Pari Gaghand
Azeri - Tezze Iliniz Yahsi Olsun
Basque - Zorionak eta Urte Berri On!
Bohemian - Vesele Vanoce
Brazilian - Boas Festas e Feliz Ano Novo
Breton - Nedeleg laouen na bloavezh mat
Bulgarian - Tchestita Koleda; Tchestito Rojdestvo Hristovo
Chinese - (Mandarin) Kung His Hsin Nien bing Chu Shen Tan (Catonese) Gun Tso Sun Tan'Gung Haw Sun
Cornish - Nadelik looan na looan blethen noweth
Cree - Mitho Makosi Kesikansi
Croatian - Sretan Bozic
Czech - Prejeme Vam Vesele Vanoce a stastny Novy Rok
Danish - Glædelig Jul
Dutch - Vrolijk Kerstfeest en een Gelukkig Nieuwjaar!
English - Merry Christmas
Esperanto - Gajan Kristnaskon
Estonian - Ruumsaid juulup|hi
Farsi - Cristmas-e-shoma mobarak bashad
Finnish - Hyvaa joulua
French - Joyeux Noel
Frisian - Noflike Krystdagen en in protte Lok en Seine yn it Nije Jier!
German - Froehliche Weihnachten
Greek - Kala Christouyenna!
Hawaiian - Mele Kalikimaka
Hebrew - Mo'adim Lesimkha. Chena tova
Hindi - Shub Naya Baras
Hungarian - Kellemes Karacsonyi unnepeket
Icelandic - Gledileg Jol
Indonesian - Selamat Hari Natal
Iraqi - Idah Saidan Wa Sanah Jadidah
Irish - Nollaig Shona Dhuit
Italian - Buone Feste Natalizie
Japanese - Shinnen omedeto. Kurisumasu Omedeto
Korean - Sung Tan Chuk Ha
Latvian - Prieci'gus Ziemsve'tkus un Laimi'gu Jauno Gadu!
Lithuanian - Linksmu Kaledu
Manx - Nollick ghennal as blein vie noa
Maori - Meri Kirihimete
Marathi - Shub Naya Varsh
Navajo - Merry Keshmish
Norwegian - God Jul
Pennsylvania German - En frehlicher Grischtdaag un en hallich Nei Yaahr!
Polish - Wesolych Swiat Bozego Narodzenia
Portuguese - Boas Festas
Rapa-Nui - Mata-Ki-Te-Rangi. Te-Pito-O-Te-Henua
Rumanian - Sarbatori vesele
Russian - Pozdrevlyayu s prazdnikom Rozhdestva is Novim Godom
Serbian - Hristos se rodi
Slovakian - Sretan Bozic or Vesele vianoce
Sami - Buorrit Juovllat
Samoan - La Maunia Le Kilisimasi Ma Le Tausaga Fou
Scots Gaelic - Nollaig chridheil huibh
Serb-Croatian - Sretam Bozic. Vesela Nova Godina
Singhalese - Subha nath thalak Vewa. Subha Aluth Awrudhak Vewa
Slovak - Vesele Vianoce. A stastlivy Novy Rok
Slovene - Vesele Bozicne. Screcno Novo Leto
Spanish - Feliz Navidad
Swedish - God Jul and (Och) Ett Gott Nytt År
Tagalog - Maligayamg Pasko. Masaganang Bagong Taon
Tamil - Nathar Puthu Varuda Valthukkal
Thai - Sawadee Pee Mai
Turkish - Noeliniz Ve Yeni Yiliniz Kutlu Olsun
Ukrainian - Srozhdestvom Kristovym
Urdu - Naya Saal Mubarak Ho
Vietnamese - Chung Mung Giang Sinh
Welsh - Nadolig Llawen
Yugoslavian - Cestitamo Bozic
Papua New Guinea - Bikpela hamamas blong dispela Krismas na Nupela yia i go long yu

From All At Rescue Accident Assistance Ltd!

Road Safety - Things We Forget In Bad Weather

2009-12-21T01:19:00.000-08:00

By: Lisa Randerson

It occurs to me while out and about this week in heavy snow that we forget about the real effect snow has on road conditions and I'm not just talking about the drivers.

PEDESTRIANS
Whereas normally it may be ok to run out in front of slow moving cars to get across the road - YOU MUST NOT during icy weather. Please do not forget drivers CANT BRAKE and even if they did they would skid straight into you.

CYCLISTS
Again in normal conditions you might weave in and out of cars. STOP. Again drivers CANT BRAKE and even if they did they would skid straight into you. Furthermore visibility is low so chances are they wont see you. BE SAFE. BE CAUTIOUS.

DRIVERS
Yes driving in this weather is difficult at the best of times. But please remember there are other motorists struggling just as much as you. So when you overtake dont blind the person behind you by pulling back into lane too quickly. In normal conditions this wouldnt be a problem but in rain, ice and snow the kickback is huge and inevitably the person behind has to brake causing a massive tailback.

PUT YOUR SENSIBLE HEAD ON IN BAD WEATHER - THINK! TRAVEL SAFELY THIS CHRISTMAS.

£500 CASH PRIZE OPENED UP TO ALL WHO CAN MAKE A VIDEO!!

2009-11-09T02:46:00.001-08:00

Initially we opened this competition up to just students but lots of poeple have been contacting us wanting to participate so we have now opened it up to anyone!!

What we are really looking for is a new slant on what we do. You can see it’s a very common industry and let’s face it quite boring. We want something different to promote our business that will sort of take on a life of its own and build a fan following. Eg a typical example is of the blender manufacturer who started a You Tube account filming anything in a blender under the guise of ‘Will It Blend?’ Beyond that we are open to any ideas these young genuises may have. Including Humorous ones.

For more information on what we do go to:
www.rescueaccidentassistance.com

Criteria
Open to groups or individuals
It can address any area of our business but most obviously promote our business in some way.
It can be film, animation or claymation whatever you want.
Unique ideas only please
No nudity or violence
No more than 5 minutes in duration.

Prize £500 !!!
plus the opportunity to continue the relationship and advertise your own skills on the web via our site.

Entry
Register interest by emailing info@rescueaccidentassistance.com. We will then email a registration form which should be completed and emailed back.

Closing Date For Entries
11th December 2009
Winner announced 18th December 2009

This is an excellent opportunity for both budding film makers or marketeers to gain practical experience and also get a web presence which consumers will see. Not to mention how good it will look on a resume for future career prospects and we are looking for someone we can work with to continue moving forward.

GOOD LUCK!!

£500 ON OFFER FOR STUDENTS

2009-10-23T01:15:00.000-07:00

Rescue Accident Assistance Ltd has launched a competition this week to find the next 'Winner'.

As we will shortly be setting up a You Tube page to expand our web presence ,we will obviously need to have videos to post on there. What we are really looking for is a new slant on what we do. You can see it’s a very common industry and let’s face it quite boring. We want something different to promote our business that will sort of take on a life of its own and build a fan following. Eg a typical example is of the blender manufacturer who started a You Tube account filming anything in a blender under the guise of ‘Will It Blend?’ Beyond that we are open to any ideas these young genuises may have. Including Humorous ones.

For more information on what we do go to:
www.rescueaccidentassistance.com

Criteria
Open to groups or individuals
It can address any area of our business but most obviously promote our business in some way.
It can be film, animation or claymation whatever you want.
Unique ideas only please
No nudity or violence
No more than 5 minutes in duration.

Prize £500
plus the opportunity to continue the relationship and advertise your own skills on the web via our site.

Entry
Register interest by emailing info@rescueaccidentassistance.com. We will then email a registration form which should be completed and emailed back.

Closing Date For Entries
11th December 2009
Winner announced 18th December 2009

This is an excellent opportunity for both budding film makers or marketeers to gain practical experience and also get a web presence which consumers will see. Not to mention how good it will look on a resume for future career prospects and we are looking for someone we can work with to continue moving forward.

We are really excited about the potential entries, hopefully we will get some really different ideas from a fresh untapped source.

TOP 5 TIPS ON HOW TO AVOID A LIABILITY DISPUTE AFTER A CAR ACCIDENT

2009-10-20T06:20:00.001-07:00

Unfortunately some of us have been involved in car accidents and then later had to argue liability as the other party will almost always change their minds after apologising at the scene and say the whole thing was your fault! Here are some tips from an ex loss adjuster on how to avoid these potential problems.

1. Photographs Are Vital!
Immediately after a collision, make sure you DO NOT move your vehicle before taking a photograph of where all the vehicles are placed on the road. Step back. Make sure the photos clearly show any road markings or signage. If you are quick you can still limit the effect on traffic but it can be vital to proving your account later. Especially in cases where one vehicle has crossed into your lane. In these cases 9/10 claims will be settled 50/50 as it is one persons word against another and the truth is no insurer will just take your word and risk the court costs they will cave in and settle 50/50. Which means you only get 50% of your claim and you lose your NCB. By taking a picture which clearly shows their car on your side of the road - arguments are irrelevant.

2. Witnesses! It is so easy to forget about potential witnesses.
You cannot rely on your passengers as they are biased. So if you see anyone who could have seen the accident go over and ask them. Take their name, address AND phone number. Don't just take a number this can often be taken down wrong in stressful situations then it's goodbye witness. By taking all three your insurer has a better chance of being able to contact them. Further don't forget to keep a lookout for any businesses CCTV cameras. Go over and ask them for the details your insurer would need to apply to see it and ask them to keep the days footage. They wont show you the footage but this isnt necessary. They will release a copy to your insurer upon written request.

3. Forget EVERYTHING you think you know about the rules of the road because when it comes to insurance and liability it doesnt count. No really.
Example 1 A car flashes you to pull out, so you do and then they hit you. Sorry - you are at fault they have right of way. Do you have CCTV footage of them flashing you? Even if you do you are still partly to blame in the eyees of an insurer.
Example 2 You are travelling round a roundabout to turn right and just as you are about to pass the last exit before yours a car pulls out cutting off your exit and you hit him. Boy you would think you are not at fault for this one right? Wrong. You are the one crossing lanes to exit the roundabout so its your responsibility to make sure the path is clear. This little example has caused so many disputes you cant imagine! But knowing about it makes you much more careful when exiting a roundabout!
Example 3 A car reverses into you. Yes we know they are at fault. Can you prove it though? Here we go again - your word against theirs and believe it or not their case is strongest. After all the damage to your car is front and theirs is back. So you guessed it! They are going to say you hit them! Avoid it by keeping a good distance or getting a witness!
These are just 3 examples. For more on this click here

4. No Damage Arguments
Seriously you need to get your head around this. There may look to be no damage to a car. They can open and close the boot ok and so on. But that DOES NOT mean there is no damage. So many people fall foul of this. They stop at the accident scene chat nicely to the person they have hit who says no its ok there is no damage etc. you dont swap details etc. Then the next thing you get a letter from the insurance company claiming against you for £1000 worth of damage. Of course you argue there is no damage but your insurance company pays out and wham you lost your NCB! Don't be fooled. Take all the details of the person just in case and PHOTOGRAPH the damage or lack thereof. This will also help eliminate people who try to claim damage you havent caused.

5. Speed Is Irrelevant
Don't rely on the fact that the other party was speeding. In the majority of cases this will not be taken into account. Why? Can you as a driver really tell exactly what speed the other vehicle was driving at unless you have a speed camera in your car? Your statement is not good enough for court. Can a pedestrian? Sorry no. Again to a pedestrian a car may be looking to be going fast but could actually only be doing 30mph. Realistically unless a speed camera caught the vehicle speeding, this argument will not be enough to argue liability.

There will always be liability disputes in car incidents but if you educate yourself a bit more on the potential pitfalls you can help reduce the chances of it happening to you.
For more information on car accidents in general click here
For a step by step accident guide click here
For an accident log sheet click here

Disclaimer
I realise some of the content here may seem unfair. Please don't shoot the messenger! As a loss adjuster I came across a lot of these cases myself and saw how the insurance companies deal with them, so you are getting first hand knowledge of what can happen. Obviously not all cases are the same, this is intended as a rough guide to help motorists avoid potential problems. Thank You.

NEW COSTS FOR SOLICITORS ON RTA CASES

2009-10-14T06:16:00.000-07:00

Ok so we finally have the new costs system for solicitors on road traffic accident claims.

Only claims that can be settled for £10,000 or less will be included. Fatal accidents, accidents involving children, and accidents where contributory negligence is alleged, will be excluded.

It basically runs on a 3 tier system.
Stage 1 - the claimant solicitor completes the claim notification form and sends it to the insurer who may admit/deny liability - Payt £400
Stage 2 - where liability is admitted, the claimant obtains a medical report and the process continues with offers and negotiation of a settlement to a strict timetable - Payt £800
Stage 3 - where the parties cannot agree a settlement and the case goes to court - Payt £250

Correct me if I'm wrong but the way I read this, the customer is going to be much better off. Because the solicitor gets paid in stages it is in their own interest to move through the stages more quickly and more efficiently. This basically eliminates solicitors who take forever to appoint a medical agency or take forever negotiating a settlement.

Some solicitors have previously dragged the claim out as long as possible (i have experienced this myself), not necessarily to get the highest amount for the client but because the higher the settlement the higher the fees. In a lot of these cases the client may only get an extra £100 for that extra 12 months they have waited and the solicitor hasnt been bothered. Now there is no incentive to drag it out, the client will be prioritised. Excellent!

In addition I have also come across some solicitors who issue proceedings early without really giving the third party insurer any time to negotiate a settlement. Purely in order to bump up costs, regardless of the poor client who may now have to attend court instead of accepting a settlement. These new rules virtually eliminate this as the solicitor is no better off financially so once again the client wins! Less court appearances and less pressure on the tax payer as well.

This will also have repercussions for the third party insurer who will hopefully find solicitors a bit more co-operative when it comes to negotiations.

I think these new rules could really slimline the whole claim process and make life much better all round.

For more information on our services go to:
Rescue Accident Assistance Ltd

Roadworks On Motorways- To Speed or not to Speed??

2009-10-09T01:52:00.001-07:00

I want to open this one to any comments as to be honest am getting confused with the roadworks on the M62 pretty much the whole stretch between Selby and Manchester.
I mean seriously!! I travel a lot to Manchester so I am constantly on the road with the roadworks seemingly put to one side. So I can be driving a mile with the roadworks on the hard shoulder but there are signs still up saying 50mph. So am I supposed to still drive at 50mph??? No-one else seems to be doing so! Then of course all of a sudden the roadworks expand onto the motorway and everyone slows down but then there is a sign saying END so we set off again only to find 200 yards away yet ANOTHER sign saying 50mph slow for roadworks!!
Yes we know the Highways Agency is ridiculously stupid but my main concern is the speed limit. Is it 50mph or not??
If it is then I will be travelling the whole 50 miles from Leeds to Manchester at 50mph as they are all the way across. If not how am I supposed to know?
My biggest concern is that they expect a 50mph speed even when the roadworks arent in use. My poor dad was driving up from London one evening and the signs had been left out for 50mph speed limit but all the cones had been gathered up and left on the hard shoulder for collection but he still got collared for a speeding fine which I think is wholly unfair!!
If there is anyone out there who has any comments on this I would very much like to know your experience!
Have you been fined? Did you appeal? What happened?

Rescue Accident Assistance Ltd

Car Insurance- An Insiders Observations

2009-09-29T04:05:00.001-07:00

Ok so you may wonder how I became the expert, no I’m not selling insurance and I don’t work for an insurance company though I did for almost 5 years and in that time I went from being the unsuspecting motorist to having my face slapped with the knowledge I obtained working in the motor section of a very large insurer. So much so in fact I left and started my own business which I wont go into right now, and spent most of my time since educating my friends and family about insurance.

Firstly let me tell you it really isn’t about price, it isn’t about all the extras you get either, no matter how many ticks you see in the boxes on comparison sites such as Go Compare, Money Supermarket And Confused.Com. Though in fairness to them they do a pretty comprehensive search and can give you a good baseline to work from.

I must stress here that this is just my observations and you should always check out the small print on everything you are paying for. Some offer much better deals than others.

Third Party Fire & Theft vs Fully Comprehensive

Third Party Fire & Theft can actually be all you need. You need to look at all the factors. How old is your car? If you bought it for £500 it will only be worth around £200 and what is the excess? So if its stolen or set fire to are you really going to claim and lose your NCB (no claims bonus) which could be worth more discount to you than the cost of the car? Secondly if you have a non-fault accident you don’t need to claim via your insurer anyway so why pay for fully comp?

Fully comp is essential really on newer more valuable cars or basically if you know you are a poor driver and likely to wrap it around lamppost again. Just don’t be fooled into thinking that you need always claim via your insurer. If you have a non-fault accident you can use a number of different companies who won’t charge you anything to repair your car, give you a courtesy car and claim any injury compensation. I know, I know you are asking well what am I paying my insurance for?? Answer – because its legally required, but that doesn’t mean you automatically get the better service by using them post accident.

Legal Expenses Cover

Firstly believe it or not you will most likely already have it on your house insurance!! AND it will cover personal injury etc – check your home insurance policy first!

Secondly if you want to claim for personal injury there are two things to remember:

1. You cant claim off yourself – so if the accident is your fault you can’t claim anyway

2. If you are not at fault you can get legal representation from pretty much any solicitor in the country free of charge.

Of course the insurer will say that you need to cover yourself in case you are at fault and the third party claims off you. Er……. In that case your insurer would pay out anyway???? You wouldn’t pay anything. You only need to cover legal expenses if you are stupid enough to try and defend against liability after your insurer has admitted it. Let me tell you insurers will not just accept liability. The last thing they want to do is pay out for anything they can avoid. So if they are telling you it’s a lost cause you can pretty much accept that if it went to court you would lose. Fair or not. Believe me I’ve seen too many cases where the truth of the matter is the third party should have behaved better but when it comes to court they just don’t care. Of course there may be that one in a million that succeeded but have you heard of that case? I’m afraid I haven’t.

So you have paid your £30 for cover and you have a non-fault accident. Well I don’t care I hear you say. I’ve paid for it so I’m using it. I’ll let my insurer deal.

Some things you should know first:

· Your insurer will not be dealing with it, they will subcontract it out to an accident management company. Why would they make any payments when they don’t have to? Even if they can claim it back (this can take up to 12 months to get back by the way).

· Your insurer will get anything from £500 - £1500 for the drivers claim by selling it plus anything from £500-£800 per passenger in your vehicle.

Hang On – So my insurer will get paid money for passing my claim on and I have paid for this service? YUP! Not to mention which if they do decide to deal with your repairs only to claim back they will suspend your NCB while they get it back and in the meantime your renewal comes up well that’s just tough!

At this point I haven’t even mentioned the solicitor you could get to deal with your claim. Don’t think for one minute that because your insurer is reputable, their panel of solicitors is good. From experience I can tell you the opposite is usually true. The bigger the solicitor usually the worst service they provide the client.

After working on the other side of the fence for so long and dealing with so many solicitors on a daily basis I definitely got to know which ones were the best and worst (don’t worry I’m not going to name names). Most of them have still not discovered the telephone! They are still paper oriented and would not dream of speaking directly with their own client to ask what they need or see if they are ok. (I will go into this more another time). Point is you could get stuck with anything and believe me most people have horror stories about a claim they had.

Breakdown Cover

Read the small print!! A lot of insurers are offering this as a free extra and you are thinking well it will save me the £60 I’m paying the RAC or AA etc. STOP. Most of them only cover you for roadside assistance. If the car has to be moved you have to pay their rates and this can mean like £90 recovery plus a mileage charge if it’s a good distance away. Double check before you click!

Windscreen Cover

Again be realistic and read the small print. If it’s an old car is it worth it? If it’s a good car with a heated windscreen you definitely want this!! Best thing to do is go to a garage and get a quote for a new windscreen before you get your insurance that way you know if it’s worth it.

NCB Protection

Check what level of discount you get. Some companies offer a max of 60% while others offer up to 75%. Also remember that some companies allow you protect after 3 years but you can only use your protection once. So if you are unlucky enough to have more than one accident the second one loses you your NCB. Some however protect if for life so it’s a very good idea to check this.

Repairers

Wow did I have my eyes opened here. Firstly don’t assume a large company with a large network gives the best quality service and best quality repairs. In fact once again the opposite is usually true. These repair networks have to operate fast and in bulk. I can’t tell you the number of complaints I dealt with from policy holders for shoddy work or communication.

Also remember you can choose your own garage. The insurance company may not like it but you are entitled to do it as long as the garage agrees the rates. At least this way if you have been using Steve from up the road all your life you still can.

Courtesy Cars

You should NOT have to pay extra for a courtesy car. Basically you ONLY need this should your car be stolen and even then be aware you are only entitled to 14 days even if it takes them over a month to pay you your cars value! Most of the time in this situation it does because most of them wait 21 days to see if it turns up before they will pay you, while others are just so slow you can be waiting 2 months! So pretty much 14 days doesn’t really help much. Either way its your decision on this one.

Of course remember that they make you pay this because the cheap garages that some of them use won’t provide courtesy cars. I refer you to the above comments on repairs. Choose your own – one that provides courtesy cars. HINT – all main dealers do this free of charge along with reputable accident repair centres. And if it’s a non fault accident you can get an Accident Management Company to organise a like for like for you at no charge.

If you are not sure find out which repair network the insurers use. Then look on the network website, they will state if they offer courtesy cars to their customers.

We need to know who has had good or bad experiences with insurance companies/solicitors. It’s your opinions that help others make tough decisions so please feel free to add your comments.

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