Car accident - should i pay or use insurance?

[arctic_ferret]

Hi

I don't know if anyone can help me, but due to trying to avoid another car who hadn't signalled and was about to hit me, I recently bumped another car from stationary, which resulted in a very small scuff on his bumper. Because of certain factors at the time, (failing to give details and other things), I mentioned the accident to the police and my insurance company. The chap has now got in contact and says that if I pay up £400 for a bumper respray (apparently it takes 9 hours), then I don't need to go via my insurance.

Not knowing much about cars and insurance, I was hoping someone could give me some advice. It seems like I have two options:
1)Pay the £400 (is this the right price for a bumper respray?). I keep my no claims according to the insurance company, but will they penalise me more since they know about the accident?
2)Go via my insurance and pay £250 excess and lose 2 years no claims bonus (worth approximately £70), and thus be 2 years no claims behind forevermore (not sure how much this is worth). And again, will they penalise me more because they know about the accident?

If I didn't live in London then I'd pay the £400, but it seems probable with the driving i've seen around where I live, that I'd be involved in another accident (not my fault of course!), and thus lose my no claims later anyway.

I'd be very grateful for any advice.

Thanks:confused:

H

[Hintza]

Personally I think £400 seems about double what it should cost (assuming not replacing bumper) up here but in London it might just be reasonable. However since your insurance company is aware of the accident I would just put it through them.

I had a similar incident when my son opened the door in a car park and dented the guys car next door. He insisted on insurance claim via his and letter to mine. Anyway to cut a long story short I got a settlement figure from my insurer and paid the bill to retain my no claims discount.

Talk to your insurance company a see what they say.

Also tell the guy you feel his claim is too high and he had better fill in claim with his insurer or you'll give him £300 just to keep things simple?

[redux]

Is this scuff actually through its own paint to bare plastic?

If it only shows the colour of your car, it would probably polish off, maybe with light sanding first.

I'm sceptical about 9 hours labour.

[arctic_ferret]

Thanks for all the replys.

I'm afraid that I can't remember exactly what the scuff is like, but apparently it's a two-tone job with a small chrome line going through it, hence the cost.
I wouldn't mind, but it's an old car (albeit a Mercedes!).

I do think it's a bit steep - our garage quoted £200 but that was just for a single colour respray. The price was originally £500, but he said he'd let us pay £400 cash.

At the time, he didn't give me his details and looked like he was trying to kick his bumper off, so it all makes me a bit suspicious.

[claire16c]

Go through your insurance.

Unless someone is asking for a very small amount of money or it was a friend or relative you trust, youre better off going through the insurance, because who is to say that after youve paid him the money, that he wont deny it, and then claim through the insurance anyway, and youd have no proof of paying him or what the money was for. Its way too risky.

[scbk]

If the damage is to their car why would you have to pay excess:confused:

[Viper_7]

Sounds way to much.
I have a chrome insert bumper with inset foglights
After someone side swiped me, it was only £350 to replace a head light and a fog-light and to fix/paint the bumper. Naturally the Main dealer wanted nearer £900, a real body shop does it at a proper price!

Sounds like they are trying it on based on the damage you describe.
If you settle, they pocket the difference - or even all of it as they may not be bother with the damage if it's an older car as you say. If you go through the insurers they will get nothing more than the cost to fix.

Go through your insurance, as someone else did you can always settle with your insurers afterwards.

[arctic_ferret]

Just wanted to say thanks once again for all the advice - it was very helpful and I did as suggested and went through the insurers. I've just been notified that, as you all thought, he was just trying it on. So thank you all for saving me £400!

[anewman]

I wouldn't mind, but it's an old car (albeit a Mercedes!)
Don't understand that attitude myself. Damage to a car will cost the same to repair no matter what the age of the car. People shouldn't be expected to put up with damage to their car just because it's old.

[Locoblade]

If the damage is to their car why would you have to pay excess:confused:

Its immaterial to this particular case now, but if you cause an accident, you pay excess, its nothing to do with which car is damaged!

[markelock]

wrong. if you don't claim for your own car, you don't pay the excess. this is true for swiftcover at least.

[Conor]

Don't understand that attitude myself. Damage to a car will cost the same to repair no matter what the age of the car. People shouldn't be expected to put up with damage to their car just because it's old.

My 23 year old car is a classic. It actually costs more to repair than a modern car due to the complete unavailability of parts. In fact, if you're driving an average car that's a few years old, there's a good chance this 23 year old is worth more than what hit it.

So just because it's old, it doesn't mean that it's worth less. And it certainly doesn't mean the owner likes it less than you do yours.

[Wig]

I know you sorted out now, but...

Ifanyone does ever sort out a claim outside of their insurers, make sure to get the third party to sign a waiver against any future claims for the accident. And to write in the waiver that the payment is ex gratia and without admittance of any liability. "full and final payment" etc

I did this and a few months later got a letter from an insurance co. asking me to either give them my insurers details or agree to settle the amount owed for the accident myself. The third party had changed his mind on repairing outside of his insurer and had made a claim.

I photocopied the waiver I had him sign, sent it to the insurer and never heard from them again. His insurer also probably gave him a ticking off for a possible criminal offence of fraud because he did not tell them he had already had a £100 from me. He would have been fine if he had told them the accident was a hit and run.