Go through insurance or do repair ourselves?

thebigdog_2

Hi,

I slid through some ice and into a lamp post the other day causing £800-900 damage to the car (had 2 different quotes).

My question is should I go through the insurance (excess is only £100, but we have 5 years no claims bonus - unprotected) or get the repairs done ourselves. Our policy costs approximately £400 and I would like to know how much (%) that is likely to go up by...

Am I right in thinking you only have to declare any claims on your insurance if the accident happened within the last 3 years? I'm basically trying to work out what the cheapest option:

a) Make the claim on the insurance and pay an increased premium for 3 years or,

b) Pay for the repairs ourselves and keep the 5 years no claims bonus

Any advice guys?

cyclonebri1

Regardless of how you repair, you should inform the insurer of the accident.


Other answer depends on the value of the car and what it will cost you to repair it compared to how much an amatuer repair would affect it's resale value,

Mustard_Dave

I would go to your insurers website and see what sort of quote you get, using a different name and manually enter the vehicle type rather than putting in the actual reg. number.

You are obliged to answer anything the insurer asks you - there is no set time limit for declaring accidents. Most mainstream insurers want to know anything in the last five years but if they ask for the last ten, you must tell them.

You are obliged to inform your insurer of the accident but who realistically would? If you do not declare it, make sure there is no way they will find out - you haven't potentially got a claim from the council for damage to the lamp post have you?

Quentin

Find out the cost of getting the repairs done privately (ie not via insurance) at a back street garage for cash.

Then follow the advice to get some dummy quotes online with and without the claim & loss of NCD to see whether making the claim is worthwhile - though if you have damaged the lamp, then that cost will make using your insurance the only viable option!

bigjl

As above try to reduce the price of the repair, such as sourcing secondhand parts, they will get painted so colour match is unimportant.

I wouldn't claim if it was me.

Technically you should tell the insurance company.

Jackinbox99

My other half had the same decision to make last year - unfortunately because she hit another vehicle we had to go through the insurance as it was cheaper. I priced up the parts to repair my other halves car and it came to about 400quid all in, incl paint. I actually saw the invoice the garage submitted to the insurance company for the repair and it came to nearly 3000quid!!!!! Talk about massive profits.

If you claim, you`ll loose about 2 years ncb, so you will still have 3 years ncb left. As someone else said, go onto your insurers online quote site and using a different name see what the difference is in what they quote you.