Car Insurance claim help!

Daymo66

Hi,
This is an ace site - and I hope someone can help me with some quality advice

About a month ago I found a note on my car asking me to call a number regarding a car I had damaged!

It transpires that it was my nextdoor neighbour - and the alleged damage is a VERY minor parking 'ding' (panel slightly pushed in) and twoVERY small minor shallow scrathes less than (1mm x 1cm) on her car. The car is a 4 year old VW.

I knew nothing about it - and the damage is so minor its no suprise I didn't notice, I think I may have slighty pushed in a panel with my bumper.

Allegedly a passerby by left a note saying that it was me - I live in a very busy area, and there is lots of moving in and out of spaces to give way to cars etc.

Without FORMALLY admitting liabiliy I told her I'd pay to get it sorted but heard nothing for a month.

Now I have been presented with a quote of £1400 pounds from the VW dealers who are being utterly outlandish sensing some easy Insurance money!

She is really naive and seems utterly clueless - and reported me to the police for leaving the scene of an accident when I live next door!

She is obsessed with not reducing the value of her vehicle and getting work done 'to the highest standard'.

What should be a simple £60-£70 routine repair at any dent specilst is turning into a major issue - I have taken some pics and got them independently looked at just to confirm how minot it is.

If she insists on pushing it I have to put it to my Insurance company and will lose my 3 years no claims, have to pay £400 in excess and face an insurance increase!

I want to be civil but am at my wits end dealing with this!

If I had really dmaged her car then there would be no issue - but I going to lose out hugely for something tiny that I may not have even done!

Any advice would be great.
Thanks tons.

Anihilator

Your neighbour is spot on.

They have every right to expect their car to be restored to the standard it was before and not the cheapest option to ensure you pay as little as possible.

If they have an independent witness you either pay up or involve your insurers. You have no other option.

hartcjhart

new panel,paint,labour,vat. depending on panel it sounds about right to me for VW,

its her car she has every right for it to be repaired to the highest standard
sorry

dacouch

You do not normally have to pay your excess if your not claiming for your own damage, so the chances are you will not have an excess to pay

Daymo66

Wow!
Ok - my worries are:

1) Replacing the panel and respray is THE MOST expensive option - and the irony is it will surely REDUCE the value of her vehicle as opposed to the tiny cosmetic repair option - looking at the quote it includes re-setting the computer at £100 and replacing the badge - which is on the bonnet and no near the damage at all.... it's a rip off job from the most expensive dealer in the city, 12hrs labour???????

2) The panel has easy access and the scratches are really minor - less than 20mins work whilst you wait at the dent repair center - it's not a question of me being tight and wanting her to take the cheapest option to suit me - but why pay £1000+, have parts REPLACED, when some very MINOR cosmetic repair is all that is needed?

2) I'm not even 100% sure I did it - her witness might her best mate for all I know. I have no idea why it took a MONTH to get back to me. But I want to be responsible and civil - and if I did do it and a psser by left a note then I don't want to deny it!

3 Do I have any input in making sure she gets fair and sensible work done?

4) Should I even admit liability if I'm not 100% sure I did it and what do I telly my insurance company?

I dont have a lot of money and am a really sensible and carefull driver - and have never had to make a claim or had an accident before, I cant belive this may end up costing me possibly £1000+ for a really small bit of cosmetic damage I may or may not have done.....

What would you do in my place? All the advice I get from friends is to deny everything - is that what I should do?
Thanks all.

Quentin

You can deny it if you want.

But irrespective, you must inform your insurer of the claim you have received from the third party. (You breach your insurance policy if you fail to do so).

Just let your insurer deal with it. If they end up having to pay out, you can restore any lost no claims bonus by reimbursing your insurer (if you can afford it, if not then you will have nothing to pay apart from the effect the incient has on your future premiums).

(You won't lose all your current 3 years NCD - at the renewal you will have one years NCD left (assuming you only have this one incident during the year)

maninthestreet

Daymo66 wrote: »

Wow!
Ok - my worries are:

1) Replacing the panel and respray is THE MOST expensive option - and the irony is it will surely REDUCE the value of her vehicle as opposed to the tiny cosmetic repair option - looking at the quote it includes re-setting the computer at £100 and replacing the badge - which is on the bonnet and no near the damage at all.... it's a rip off job from the most expensive dealer in the city, 12hrs labour???????

2) The panel has easy access and the scratches are really minor - less than 20mins work whilst you wait at the dent repair center - it's not a question of me being tight and wanting her to take the cheapest option to suit me - but why pay £1000+, have parts REPLACED, when some very MINOR cosmetic repair is all that is needed?

2) I'm not even 100% sure I did it - her witness might her best mate for all I know. I have no idea why it took a MONTH to get back to me. But I want to be responsible and civil - and if I did do it and a psser by left a note then I don't want to deny it!

3 Do I have any input in making sure she gets fair and sensible work done?

4) Should I even admit liability if I'm not 100% sure I did it and what do I telly my insurance company?

I dont have a lot of money and am a really sensible and carefull driver - and have never had to make a claim or had an accident before, I cant belive this may end up costing me possibly £1000+ for a really small bit of cosmetic damage I may or may not have done.....

What would you do in my place? All the advice I get from friends is to deny everything - is that what I should do?
Thanks all.

Sounds like they are trying it on. They waited one month to tell you - and they live only next door? You may find that their alleged 'witness' disappears like the dawn mist on a summer's day when asked to make a written witness statement.

Quentin

maninthestreet wrote: »

Sounds like they are trying it on. They waited one month to tell you - and they live only next door?

The delay in getting in touch with a quote isn't significant.

In fact there is 6 years allowed to make claims for property damage. (And they did get in touch immediately the incident took place.)

Chippy_Minton_2

Daymo66 wrote: »

She is really naive and seems utterly clueless - and reported me to the police for leaving the scene of an accident when I live next door!

I would say you are the one that's naive.

Did you stop and give your details to your neighbour or report it to the police within 24 hours?

If not you failed to stop and report the accident. If she pushes matters you could recieve 6 to 8 points. What would that do to your insurance premium?

Daymo66

ummmm.....
I left the 'scene' of the ALLEGED incident to move perhaps 4 meters....

Also - no injuries took place and the damage was so minior that I had no idea it had happened - if indeed it even did, so any issues relating to 'leaving the scene' are not valid.

This is the first thing I checked when i was told about the incident.

Rolandtheroadie

Am I reading too much into this? Do you mean you moved 4 metres because you parked your car somewhere 4 meters away or you went into your house.
And if you dont know you hit the car, why would you even entertain the idea of it?