I was hit from behind by speeding driver
The motorist says their van was hurtled into motorway barriers by a driver who did not stop.
16:31, 09 Dec 2025
I was hit from behind by speeding driver - now I'm having to pay GBP25 a day
A driver has hit out after they "hit the barriers" trying to get an accident claim settled with Autonet.[1] The motorist says their van was hurtled into motorway barriers by a driver who did not stop.
The motorist wrote into the Guardian,[2] saying the vehicle is still being held in a compound along with the tools of the trade. They wrote: "My van was hit from behind on a motorway by a speeding driver who failed to stop.
"It spun across the carriageway, hitting the barriers on either side, and went up in flames. I thankfully got off with a small head injury.
I reported the collision to my insurance company, Autonet, and was told it would be in touch.
"Six weeks on and I've heard nothing. My tools are still inside my van, which is completely stalling my work as a self-employed tradesman.
"The compound where it is being stored needs permission from my insurer before allowing me access, but every time I call, I'm passed between a broker, an underwriter and a claims management firm.
"The only communication I have had is from the compound telling me I owe it GBP25 for every day my van is on its premises. As the bill racks up, so does my stress."
Autonet replied: "We have fallen short with our communication and responsiveness." After intervention from the national newspaper, it offered only half the GBP6,750 expenses you claimed.
When questioned, again it said it had "fallen short".
After consistent pressure from the national newspaper's consumer affairs team, it finally proposed GBP1,835.
The motorist was eventually paid after an ordeal which lasted a staggering 169 days, including 30 emails from the national newspaper to the letter writer.
"Autonet is a UK-based insurance company that has been providing quotes to motorists for almost 20 years", the website says.
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