Someone hit parked car - not going through insurance?!?!

MORPH3US

Hi all,

Yesterday someone hit the GF's car when it was parked near my work up a back street. Damage not too bad, scrape / dent about the size of a football on the bottom of the passengers door, doesn't seem to be any other damage.

Luckilly they left a note to say they had done it and left a contact number. GF called the number and spoke to this womans husband and got the insurance details, was then told "the wife will phone you later when she gets in from work".

Later on the woman who hit GF's car calls up and says would we mind getting some quotes and she'll pay for the work rather than going through insurance co and losing her no claims.

The GF agreed on the grounds that it was good of this woman to be honest and leave a note, she probably could have driven off and got away with it. Also she seemed nice so we don't mind as long as it all gets sorted out in the end.

Now i'm worried that what we are doing is wrong and could land us in trouble either with our insurance co because we haven't notified them, or some other way if this woman messes us about etc.

Has anyone any advice on the matter?

Thanks

M

MyUserNamesTaken

Can't see why the woman would mess you about, as she could have just gone off without leaving her details. I can see why she's asking to pay for the work herself, though, as she probably doesn't want her no claims affected by this. It is true that you should inform your insurance company whenever you have any sort of accident (even when it's not your fault and it's being sorted without the insurance company's involvement). If I were you, I'd call your insurance company just to let them know that this has happened and that the driver responsible wants to pay for the damage without involving the insurance companies. They'll make a note of it on your wife's record and leave it at that. If you then have any further problems, you're covered.

Once you've got the quotes in, there's a chance the woman will want to go through her insurers anyway. From what you've described in terms of damage, repairs aren't going to be that cheap.


Incidentally, I had a no fault accident which was dealt with privately. I informed my insurance company, who were fine with it. My premium did not rise as a result. Failure to mention it could lead to all sorts of problems in the future.

Silent_Bob_3

Nothing wrong with doing it this way - regardless of it being her fault, mentioning it to your insurance company will result in a higher premium next year as you have made a claim even though its not on your insurance.

Take them up on their offer to have it repaired and paid for by them, but get the offer in writing and signed by them and if possible witnessed by someone to cover all bases.

hjb123

No there is nothing wrong with doing it this way. We have done this in the past and it was very easy and there is probably less hassle than claiming on the insurance. As the woman seems genuine and left the correct contact details I would do this!

zappahey

Silent_Bob wrote:

Nothing wrong with doing it this way - regardless of it being her fault, mentioning it to your insurance company will result in a higher premium next year as you have made a claim even though its not on your insurance.

Reporting it to your insurance is not the same as making a claim. There will not be a loading.

Silent_Bob_3

Whats to gain from reporting it then?

MORPH3US

zappahey wrote:

Reporting it to your insurance is not the same as making a claim. There will not be a loading.

Thats what I thought!!!

Anyway, I thought that when it says "have you made a claim in the last 5 years" - it only appied to a claim on YOUR insurance. If it applies to making a claim on someone elses insurance and that makes your premium go up, just because some idiot hit your car when you weren't even in it, how is that fair?!?!

Bloody insurance, life would be simple without it (until something went wrong :rolleyes: )

xycom1

zappahey wrote:

Reporting it to your insurance is not the same as making a claim. There will not be a loading.

Of course it will. The number of previous claims is a material fact - anything that the insurance company can use to justify an increased premium.

redux

Silent_Bob wrote:

regardless of it being her fault, mentioning it to your insurance company will result in a higher premium next year as you have made a claim even though its not on your insurance.

Sorry, but this is incorrect.

If there is no claim on a policy, then it is not affected. What is more, if there is an claim which the insurers recover in full against the other party, then the no-claims bonus is not affected.

tonys_3

To cover yourself, you must inform your insurance company. It also covers
a situation like the other person reneging on the arrangement.
Neither of you will have your premiums affected as neither of you will be making a claim on their policy. [They are no claim policies, not no blame policies.]

Silent_Bob_3

Redux - I've just spoken to my insurers and they said its "any" claim - regardless of whether its on your insurance or not. I dont agree with it but....