Minor bump this morning - insurance question

bestpud

I was driving along a country road this morning and clipped wing mirrors with a car coming in the opposite direction.

It is very difficult to say who was at fault and tbh I think it was just that we were both close to the white line and were unfortunate to pass at that particular point. It is narrow and a bend at the bottom of a dip so there is signs warning that cars may be on the wrong side of the road.

Anyway, my mirror just snapped back out and is fine, but the other drivers was smashed.

She wasn't sure what she wanted to do as there is no way of knowing who was to blame, or whether it was just one of those things (neither of us was obviously on the wrong side of the road iyswim), but we exchanged details anyway.

She is going to call and let me know what she wants to do, but do I need to call my insurance company now anyway?

I won't just pay for half of the mirror so it will be insurance or nothing as far as I am concerned.

Any ideas what the outcome may be if she puts in a claim?

Gloomendoom

I have had this happen to me on more than one occasion (five times IIRC). I have never involved an insurance company yet. By the time the excess and loss of no claims is taken into account, it just isn't worth it.

In your case, remember that the other driver is likely to claim on your insurance, so you may lose your no claims bonus. Which is particularly galling when you may not have been at fault.

Mankysteve

Were either of you stationary? If not it'll properly be 50-50 might be cheaper to pay for a replacement rather going though insurance.

whatmichaelsays

I'd agree with the above.

Assuming your excess is as standard for most polices (ie, circa £250-£300), there's no value in going via the insurance.

neilmcl

Gloomendoom wrote: »

I have had this happen to me on more than one occasion (five times IIRC). I have never involved an insurance company yet. By the time the excess and loss of no claims is taken into account, it just isn't worth it.

In your case, remember that the other driver is likely to claim on your insurance, so you may lose your no claims bonus. Which is particularly galling when you may not have been at fault.

Ignore this bit.....

If she does make a claim the chances are both insurance companies would probably go down the 50/50 route. Personally I'd hold back until you've heard froom the other driver.

Hintza

Protected NCB = the discount you get off your premium is protected.

Not necessarily your premium.

For example 2010 Premium is £1k less 70% NCB you pay £300.

2011 premium is £2k less 70% NCB you pay £600

Or am I wrong? I jst feel there is a bit of a scam on this going on just now.

Sorry OP not really related to your question. OP say nothing until the other party contacts you. Then just say you are not submitting a claim and you feel you were on your side of the road. I very much doubt they will bother.

Indout96

This is incorrect. You'd only lose your NCB if a, you were making a claim not someone claiming against you, and b, your NCB is unprotected.

Which ladybird book did you get that from????
You loose your bonus if there is anything paid out by your insurers to anyone, you or them. You get it back if they and you (excess) make a FULL recovery. In some cases your next renewal will even have a loading when you have made a full recovery due to the overall claims statistics for your area.

neilmcl

Indout96 wrote: »

Which ladybird book did you get that from????
You loose your bonus if there is anything paid out by your insurers to anyone, you or them. You get it back if they and you (excess) make a FULL recovery. In some cases your next renewal will even have a loading when you have made a full recovery due to the overall claims statistics for your area.

Apologies, I got excess mixed up with NCB, I was in a bit of a rush.

skiddlydiddly

Different insurance companies will treat your NCB differently after a claim.Some will just reduce it by 2-3 years.
Protected NCB is just that, it doesn't stop your policy getting loaded on renewal for a claim, it just means you keep your full discount, albeit on an inflated rate following a claim.If you have too many claims in a period of time some companies won't ofer you this protection anymore.
OH was in insurance for about 10 years and I have asked most questions like this myself over the years.

whatmichaelsays

Hintza wrote: »

Or am I wrong? I jst feel there is a bit of a scam on this going on just now.

It's not a "scam" as such. No insurer ever sells protected NCB as a "your premium never goes up" service. If people perceive it to be that, that's there issue.

Your NCB is effectively just a discount voucher, nothing more. The insurer calculates your premium and then offers a discount based on your NCB. If your risk factor increases (ie, you make a claim), the calculated premium is understandably higher. The same percentage discount is still applied.

bestpud

Thanks for the replies.

Update:

I decided to call my insurer anyway as I worry about stuff like that.

The other person hasn't contacted me but I think it unlikely they will claim because their excess won't make it viable.

Basically it is now on record and I will wait to see if she claims.

If she does, it is likely to be 50:50 and go down as a partial blame but no cost for me.

The only problem will be if she tries to say it was my fault but tbh the road where it happened is so narrow we'd have had a serious bump if either of us was on the wrong side of the road iyswim?

I drive it every day (often several times) and we were just very unlucky to hit that particular spot at the same time and with both of us near the white line.

I wouldn't pay half the cost as I don't believe in doing that - it's insurance or nothing as far as I am concerned.

If it had been my mirror broken I'd have just told her to leave it altogether and I'd have replaced it myself.

Maybe it's the wrong attitude to have but it's the one I am most comfortable with.