7yr old crashed bike into car-what happens?

shul558127

Afternoon all, my 7 yr old accidentially crashed into a neighbours car whilst riding a friends bike, he has damaged it nothing major but the scratches won't t-cut out it may need a re-spray and the bumper is dented, son is ok though a little shaky, turns out his friend was not s'posed to have the bike out cos the breaks needed fixing

What happens now? husband didn't see the accident and the neighbour only found out because another child told him. He says he has protected no claims and we have offered to pay his excess, he wants to claim on our insurance but our car wasn't involved the only other cover we have is house insurance but it didn't happen in outr house. I know it wasm't his fault and I would feel exactly the same if our places were switched but he has a drive big enough for 4 cars that he usually parks on but for some reason this one time he parked it in the road will his insurance company have anything to say given that he has probably told them its parked off road?

Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated

Quentin

Your house insurance will have a liability section you can use if you don't want to pay yourself. (Where the car was parked is irrelevant)

nomoneytoday

When I was learning to ride a bike I did something similar.
My father paid the other car owners costs to get it fixed

magpiecottage

Your house CONTENTS policy will almost certainly have liability cover. Contact the provider and explain that your neighbour is making a claim against you.

They should pick it up from there.

jenniferfluff29

Hi op

I'm in Scotland, so don't know if laws are different here. But when I child fell against our car and dented the door, the parents wouldn't pay up. I went to the police and they said they could do nothing about it as it was accidental damage caused by a child and they couldn't prosecute.

Therefore we had to claim off our own car insurance.

Fluff

Inverita

As advised already your house contents insurance will have a liability extension and if he really wants to claim let them sort it out. the best advice for your neighbour is he needs to pay for it himself or claim off his own policy. A 7 year old is not going to be held responsible by any court and based on what you have said already the neighbour will struggle to show that you as parents have been negligent to the extent that it is/was reasonably forseeable that this accident would take place. Feel sorry for him but it is quite simply an accident. In this situation one accepts the risk themselves or asks another to carry it i.e. an insurer.

cwcw

Inverita wrote: »

As advised already your house contents insurance will have a liability extension and if he really wants to claim let them sort it out. the best advice for your neighbour is he needs to pay for it himself or claim off his own policy. A 7 year old is not going to be held responsible by any court and based on what you have said already the neighbour will struggle to show that you as parents have been negligent to the extent that it is/was reasonably forseeable that this accident would take place. Feel sorry for him but it is quite simply an accident. In this situation one accepts the risk themselves or asks another to carry it i.e. an insurer.

Disagree. The parents should offer to claim through their own home insurance if it allows, or offer to pay in cash, for the damage caused by their child. This is taking responsibility and the fair, neighbourly way to behave.

shul558127

Thanks for your replies atleast I know what to do next if he knocks the door again.
We have been fair, neighbourly and responsible in offering to cover reasonable costs or his excess but if the bill comes to hundreds which is likely then we simply don't have that kind of money lying around so it would have to be an insurance claim.

if our insurance doesn't cover it, well then I don't know what would happen?

Judas

Not really. Your son damaged his car; you are legally liable and your trying to get out of it.

Altarf

Judas wrote: »

Not really. Your son damaged his car; you are legally liable and your trying to get out of it.

Incorrect. The OP is not legally liable, but their 7 year old son may be. The neighbour can sue the 7 year old for his pocket money he wants.

Of course if the OP wishes to make an ex-gracia payment or involve their house insurance company to settle they can do if they think that is the right thing to do. But legally, nope.

inmypocketnottheirs

Judas wrote: »

Not really. Your son damaged his car; you are legally liable and your trying to get out of it.

Not true.

Exactly the same thing happened to us.

I took legal advice and under the circumstances regarding a 7 y.o causing damage, there is no liability and that is why the party with damage has insurance.

As this was a neighbour, and in the spirit of maintaining good relations, I claimed through my household insurance. There was no excess to pay and it did not result in any increase in premium.