Why was the passenger in my vehicle not independent?

Passengers travelling in your vehicle are not considered independent because they have a pre-existing relationship with you. The third party will always argue that because of this their evidence may be biased and so the evidence of independent bystanders is preferred.

In the rare cases that actually go to Court the evidence of the passenger will be taken into account but the Judge will take into account the fact that the passenger is not independent. The evidence of passenger witness is always useful when dealing with a claim but it is not given the same weight as an independent witness.

If you do have an accident we recommend trying to take the details of all of the people nearby as their evidence could be crucial when a claim is made.

If you would like further information please speak to David Jacobsen (Claims Manager)