# Roof tiles hit my car - car or home insurance?



## AS_BO (Sep 29, 2013)

In the North East we're experiencing some crazy weather tonight, very heavy rain and high winds. Heard a thud and knew  roof tiles have hit my 6 week old car.

Can't see the full extent of the damage but I can see it's hit the windscreen and the bonnet taking paint with it.

The car is on a fleet insurance through Nissan UK and I will be checking the policy tomorrow but would this be home insurance that covers it?

Any advice appreciated everyone.

Cheers

Matty


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## Darlofan (Nov 24, 2010)

We had a pub once and that happened to a customer. He claimed off his car insurance.


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## Shiny (Apr 23, 2007)

Definitely car insurance. You can't sue yourself. 

Even if it was a neighbours tiles you'd have difficulty claiming off their home insurance, you would have to prove they were negligent as it comes under the public liability/property owners liability section of a home policy.


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## chris.t (Jan 18, 2014)

definately car insurance, they will class it as an act of god and you will be required to pay excess on your policy, this is what they said to the wife last year when a similiar thing happened to her


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## AS_BO (Sep 29, 2013)

Thanks all, I wanted to double check but now that you mention it you're right - I can't claim against myself for negligence can I??

Over the course of the evening it got worse still, conservatory roof started ****ing in water and our landing wall (external elevation) is soaking too from missing roof tiles.

Gonna be an expensive Christmas!!!


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## willywonker (Oct 27, 2016)

I would suggest it depends who owns the car, if it's a company car, or owned by a lease company, etc. Then they maybe able to direct the claim against your home insurance (as you can't) as they have suffered the loss not you.

However if it's on a fleet policy it maybe better to let them carry the claim, rather it being on your personal home insurance.


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## AS_BO (Sep 29, 2013)

willywonker said:


> I would suggest it depends who owns the car, if it's a company car, or owned by a lease company, etc. Then they maybe able to direct the claim against your home insurance (as you can't) as they have suffered the loss not you.
> 
> However if it's on a fleet policy it maybe better to let them carry the claim, rather it being on your personal home insurance.


So the car belongs to Nissan UK, I lease it on a yearly basis through a family and friends scheme. As far as I'm aware it's covered by a fleet policy but I'll have the information later on today so I can figure it out. I'd prefer them to carry it to be honest.


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## Shiny (Apr 23, 2007)

chris.t said:


> they will class it as an act of god and you will be required to pay excess on your policy, this is what they said to the wife last year when a similiar thing happened to her


That's a bit naughty them telling you that as there is no such thing as an act of God exclusion in UK insurance policies. There are defined perils such as storm, earthquake, flood etc.



AS_BO said:


> Thanks all, I wanted to double check but now that you mention it you're right - I can't claim against myself for negligence can I??
> 
> Over the course of the evening it got worse still, conservatory roof started ****ing in water and our landing wall (external elevation) is soaking too from missing roof tiles.
> 
> Gonna be an expensive Christmas!!!


What a nightmare, water is such as pain and can cause so much damage. Sounds like you'll be claiming on both your home and car insurance!



willywonker said:


> I would suggest it depends who owns the car, if it's a company car, or owned by a lease company, etc. Then they maybe able to direct the claim against your home insurance (as you can't) as they have suffered the loss not you.


As i mentioned above this would be very unlikely, in the event of storm damage from falling tiles, you would have to prove that the home owner was negligent, e.g. was aware that the tiles were loose and had neglected to act upon it. If it happened as a result of freak heavy winds, then it would be difficult to prove negligence against the home owner.



AS_BO said:


> So the car belongs to Nissan UK, I lease it on a yearly basis through a family and friends scheme. As far as I'm aware it's covered by a fleet policy but I'll have the information later on today so I can figure it out. I'd prefer them to carry it to be honest.


It is leased to you and is in your care therefore the legal responsibility lies with you to protect it from harm. You won't be able to claim against your home insurance.

A claim on the fleet policy is the only way to go. :thumb:


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## AS_BO (Sep 29, 2013)

Shiny said:


> That's a bit naughty them telling you that as there is no such thing as an act of God exclusion in UK insurance policies. There are defined perils such as storm, earthquake, flood etc.
> 
> What a nightmare, water is such as pain and can cause so much damage. Sounds like you'll be claiming on both your home and car insurance!
> 
> ...


Very thorough response Shiny, thanks pal  I'm gonna go survey the damage now. Pictures to follow.


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## AS_BO (Sep 29, 2013)

Pictures -


























































So by the looking at it I reckon it's hit the windscreen, bounced onto the bonnet and slid down the wing  all repairable but gutting all the same. Thoughts guys - does it need paint?

I reckon so. At least one of the marks has dented the bonnet slightly, not sure on the windscreen though. That might need replacing too.


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## chrissymk3 (Jul 6, 2015)

I think you have got off lightly there !!


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## davies20 (Feb 22, 2009)

Looks like you have got away with that quite luckily! 

As mentioned it would be your car insurance. Our trampoline took off in high winds & hit the neighbors car, we tried to claim through OUR home insurance but they said it doesn't work like that! Even if his tiles fell off his roof, his CAR insurance still has to pay out.


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## AS_BO (Sep 29, 2013)

chrissymk3 said:


> I think you have got off lightly there !!


I think you're absolutely right  it could've been so much worse!


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## Cookies (Dec 10, 2008)

Oh good grief Matty, that's a nightmare. Really hope you get that sorted chum. 

Same happened to a neighbour of mine, 6 tiles landed on his golf during a night of high wind. Windscreen broken, bonnet dented, passenger Headlight, bumper and wing mirror. It was his car insurance that covered it. 

Cooks

Sent from my D6603


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## TRN Ent (Nov 16, 2008)

Sorry to here this OP.

On a slightly side note:
If I had my car parked on my driveway, SORN so no need to insure it and next doors roof tile hit it, who would I claim against, their house insurance as it was their thile that did the damage, my house insurance as my car is on my driveway (contents)?

Also how about wheelie bins?
They often fly around in the wind and could do some damage.
It would be unfair to claim against the household it came from as I believe the ones round here are owned by the council and also the council insist we use them so we've no choice but to leave them outside.

Interesting thoughts,
Tom.


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## Shiny (Apr 23, 2007)

As mentioned before, you can only claim against someone's house insurance if you can prove them negligent. 

If your car is on your drive, uninsured, and is damaged by a neighbour's tiles falling due to high winds, then you have to dig into your own pocket to pay, unless you can prove that your neighbour's tiles were at risk of blowing down in high winds, your neighbour was aware of this and did not act to prevent it happening. 

Your own home insurance excludes mechanically propelled vehicles so will not cover your car. You will need comprehensive car insurance in place to be able to claim for any accidental damage. 

Same applies to wheelie bins, you'd need to be able to prove negligence against the council or the home owner, which is unlikely in the event of high winds.


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## AS_BO (Sep 29, 2013)

Cookies said:


> Oh good grief Matty, that's a nightmare. Really hope you get that sorted chum.
> 
> Same happened to a neighbour of mine, 6 tiles landed on his golf during a night of high wind. Windscreen broken, bonnet dented, passenger Headlight, bumper and wing mirror. It was his car insurance that covered it.
> 
> ...


Thanks Cooks  it's not even "my car" strictly speaking because it's leased but for the year I drive it it's mine and it does suck when something/one hits your pride and joy!

Still though, all very minor and very much repairable. My house is top of the list at the minute, my conservatory roof took a battering and the missing tiles are letting in water in a big way.


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## AS_BO (Sep 29, 2013)

Shiny said:


> As mentioned before, you can only claim against someone's house insurance if you can prove them negligent.
> 
> If your car is on your drive, uninsured, and is damaged by a neighbour's tiles falling due to high winds, then you have to dig into your own pocket to pay, unless you can prove that your neighbour's tiles were at risk of blowing down in high winds, your neighbour was aware of this and did not act to prevent it happening.
> 
> ...


Thanks Shiny, all makes complete sense to me mate. I'll be ringing the fleet insurance providers this morning to get everything arranged.


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