Scratched the neighbour's car....

tox

The missus scratched the neighbours car last week when getting out of a tight space, the scratch is frankly tiny.

It's on the front bumper and is about two inches long and a mm wide. Only problem is that it's deep enough to be just into the plastic so won't t-cut out.

The bumper has about 3 or 4 worse bits of damage. I'm happy to pay for the damage we caused.

The neighbour though is being "emotional" and is tricky to engage. As my insurance excess is £300 would it be better just to leave it to insurance - which seems likely to be expensive...? Or just perist with trying to discuss it.

I think the concern is whether she will sting us for a whole bumper respray.

Legally I would have thought she can get us for the loss she has suffered - and not the whole shebang - or at least whichever is the cheapest...

Any help appreciated.

neilmcl

Can the damage be repaired by someone like Chipsaway, no need for a full respray and should be fairly cheap in comparison.

Inactive

Just let your insurers deal with it.

Wig

Unfortunaltely insurers don't do as much as they should in regards to "betterment" in claims like these..........well lets be honest they don't even bother with betterment reductions at all.

In situations like these if you can avoid telling the owner, you should, IMHO

xocbc

Why is she getting emo over a 2" scratch, you should arrange chups away or similar to deal with that scratch, and make it clear you will not pay for other damage that was already there, that is unreasonable.

Perhaps a solution is to suggest that if she wants it all resprayed you will pay a proportion to cover the damage that your wife caused.

pitkin2020

Dont bother with the insurers the damage is likely to be way under £300.
Offer to have the scratch repaired by chips away like others have said or to give her the cash that chips away would cost so she can get the whole thing resprayed. What ever you do ensure you get her to sign something to say the matter has been dealt with once you resolve it.

tox

xocbc wrote: »

Why is she getting emo over a 2" scratch, you should arrange chups away or similar to deal with that scratch, and make it clear you will not pay for other damage that was already there, that is unreasonable.

Perhaps a solution is to suggest that if she wants it all repaid you will pay a proportion to cover the damage that your wife caused.

Yes - the latter is what I've tried to do - maybe her emo-ness was about something else this morning. Still no excuse to be rude though. Didn't know about Chips Away - may try that as a "middle ground" suggestion.

Great ideas all round - thanks.

neilmcl

Bear in mind Chipsaway are a franchise outfit so some operators may be better than others but generally they seem pretty good for minor stuff. I had a 3" scrape on an Audi TT bumber repaired by them a few years back for around £60 and you wouldn't notice the repair, and this was with a special pearlescent silver colour which are notoriously difficult to match/blend.

inkyblue_2

You don't pay the excess on a third party claim which is what this would be, you would however lose no claims bonus if you let insurers deal with it.

tox

It's a "Protected" no claims bonus.... how does that work then....

pitkin2020

tox wrote: »

It's a "Protected" no claims bonus.... how does that work then....

your premium will still go up, just not as much as it would if you weren't protected. You still have declare you have had a claim.