Car Accident - Other Drive Wants To Pay Cash & Not Go Through Insurance?

stressedoutmum

Can you help. On my way home from work tonight someone went into the back of my car at a roundabout. It shunted my car forward and after a couple of minutes I got out. He did not get out of his car until I approached them. Then he apologised, said he didnt have his insurance docs with him but gave me his name address and tel no. He also told me it doesnt look like much damage and wants to pay cash. I've reported it to the police and my insurance company to cover myself. When I got home my OH phoned him and the other driver wants me to get an estimate for repair and get back to him - apparently its his wife's insurance and she doesnt want to lose her 15 years no claims. My husband asked for his insurance details anyway but he said he had just moved house and would phone us back with the details (which he hasnt done yet!). The guy might be genuine but am I right in thinking that if I ask my garage for an estimate for repair that it will cost and should I just go through the insurance anyway. Have just calmed down now been very tearful and sore neck and shoulder so feeling bit sorry for myself now

mancitychick

My mum has been hit twice and both times the drivers have asked to pay for the repairs rather than go through the insurance. Both times she has agreed to this and got estimates and the other party haven given her the cash. As you have reported it to your insurance co you have covered your back so I guess its up to you to decide if you happy to accept cash and sort it out yourself. If it was my hubby in my car I wouldn't want to lose my no claims either and if it was only a small amount of damage it could be cheaper for them to settle direct with you. As you are hurt though, I would probably go through the insurance as you may want to claim for personal injury.

Hope your ok though, maybe worth getting the doc to check you over tomorrow - if you can get an appt at such short notice though! HAve a nice cup of tea with lots of sugar

stressedoutmum

Thanks - feel really tired. Bit worrying they have not called me back with their insurance details anyway. Do I have to ask the garage how much an estimate will cost and get them to post me the money first before I put the car in for an estimate or do garages do estimates for free??

mrbadexample

Hi, sorry to hear about your accident.

The only real advantage (to you) of him paying cash is that you wouldn't necessarily have to tell your insurance company (if you chose not to) that you have had an accident in the last 3/5 years. Your premium will probably rise as a result, even though it's a non-fault claim.

There is also the matter of your injuries. If you are considering an injury claim, he isn't going to pay that, so the insurance company is the only option.

As you have already informed them, this is not a course of action you can take anymore, so he is the only one that would gain this way - he presumably does not want to inform his insurers of the situation. You may as well, therefore, go through the insurance company. You are likely to have to use approved repairers, and will usually get a warranty on the work, which you may not necessarily get if you chose your own repairer.

He doesn't have to give you his insurance details. He has given you all the information he is required to give - name and address. Pass the details to your insurers and they will contact him for the details.

HTH

MBE

kazd

Don't do it, go through your insurance. If you get some tinpot garage to do it you will have no come back. How do you know that there isn't some underlying damage that is not immediately obvious.

I had someone back into me last year and I believe its best to let your insurance company handle it. If they were so concerned about their no claims then they should have protected it. Anyway they do not have 15 years no claims, most insurance companies will give full no claims bonus on about 7 years or so.

Guinea_2

Hello there

The same thing happened to me a couple of years ago. I was shunted by a car from behind and then I shunted the car in front of me. To cut a long story short, the guy behind (who's fault the accident was) drove off. Police were involved, found the person, not his car...blah, blah, blah. My advice to you would be go through your insurance ESPECIALLY as this person hasn't given you their insurance details. Everyone knows where their insurance documents are and if it were any honest person then they would have wanted to give you their details to get it all sorted out quickly.

Hope this helps

G

stressedoutmum

Husband had a drive round the block in it and thinks there is some damage under carriage as it seems to be 'swaying' at the back which is what I told him when I drove it home. My husband told other driver this but he insisted he only 'tapped' me. Still no phone call from him yet with insurance details which worries me incase he's not covered. When I phoned my insurance just to cover me they did tell me my repairs would be guaranteed for 5 years and that as I was not at fault it would not affect my insurance - so insurance looks best bet. Only prob is if he's not insured then I've got to claim on my insurance (£100 excess)and he'll get off cos even though I have his name and address theres no witnesses.

Oscar

As far as the police are concerned this is a non reportable accident as both drivers have exchange details. If however as you have stated that you have reported the matter,if the police noted all the details they will record the details for stats but they should also follow up the other driver and make sure that he has a driving licence and is insured. If he is this will all be recorded and then your insurance can ask for an extract of the details held for them to make the necessary claim through his insurance. But yes if he is uninsured and you persue it in this manner you will loose out on you excess.

Guinea_2

Just to let you know....my car looked like it had just been tapped and there was hardly any damage to look at but it actually cost the insurance company £3500 to re-do the damage that the man caused to my car. Which, by the way, was my very first brand new car I had EVER bought and was in-fact just under three months old!

Helen_from_yorkshire

A friend of mine always keeps a disposable camera in her car for such eventualities - this seems like a good idea but not sure what benefits it would have other than showing where the incident occurred and both cars together in one picture (could always get the other driver to pose in front of the car !).

Sorry it doesn't help you StressedOut but maybe something you would consider for the future.

mancitychick

Most garages will give estimates for free. As Mrbadexample said the other driver doesn't need to give you anymore than his name and contact details however as he wants YOU to do him a FAVOUR he should be a bit more co-operative (IMHO). If it was me I would go through my insurance, the only problem being is if he isn't insured it will cost you. Maybe its worth you getting an estimate from a approved repair garage (eg a main dealer) and if he isn't insured it may be cheaper in the long run for you to pay for the repairs yourself.