Insurance liability after conviction

[deberoonah]

Hi,
I had an accident in November 2013, was breathilised 4 hours later and subsequently I was charged with driving over the legal limit. Although I pleaded 'not guilty' to begin with (hip-flask defence), due to issues with representation I ended up pleading guilty for need of the situation to be resolved.

The accident was minor, I was performing a U-turn, perhaps 3 or 4 mph. I have received notification from my old insurance company today stating that I need to pay £10,000, I have documented the email below:

'As you are aware we have not been able to provide indemnity to you for the above incident due to the drink driving conviction you received from this incident.
Due to the above as per the terms and conditions of your insurance policy we now look to make a recovery from our outlay for this incident.
All payments have been made on our file and the amount to be recovered from you is £10,837.84.
Please contact 1st Central within 21 days of this letter to make payment or discuss a payment plan.
If we do not hear from you we will instruct solicitors to recover the amount from you, which will also incur further costs.'


Could you advise me on where I stand with this issue please?

many thanks
Debbie

 

[SeanJoyceStephensons]

Unfortunately this is a civil contract dispute rather than a criminal prosecution and as such I am unable to offer any detailed advice regarding this issue. Your insurers are obligated to pay for any damage to a third party, however in some circumstances they will look to recover these costs from you and also refuse to make payment of your own costs. This will normally be contained within the terms and conditions of the policy, and they may also have sent an authority to you to sign. I would look into this issue and potentially speak to someone who deals with consumer disputes.