Accident :-( Use Motor Insurance or pay cash

Korkyb

My wifes car had a very slow speed slide yesterday into the side of a stationary minibus causing some damage to the minibus wheelarch but no damage at all to her car (apart from a slight mark on the bumper plastic).

She is Fully Comp with Zurich Insurance, has full no claims and has No claims protection and an excess of £150.

The bodyshop that has the car has quoted £300 to repair the damage to the minibus.

My instinct is telling me we will be better financially to go with the direct payment option but dont have the knowledge to back this up.

Any advice appreciated.

Damn this weather :mad:

FlameCloud

You would need to inform them of the incident regardless.

Was the bus occupied at the time? There may also be hire costs if it is off the road.

Korkyb

I didnt know that I would have to inform them regardless?

The minibus is owned by a local bus firm & the owner is happy for me just to pay for the damage.

The bus was parked at the side of the road - no-one in it.

Does it make a difference that the accident happened on a road in an estate thats still being built so I believe its a private road?

JimmyTheWig

I agree with your gut instinct that paying the £300 would be better than going through insurance. But I, too, don't have any figures to back that up.

I also agree that you'd need to tell your insurance company and you'd need to declare it on any insurance quotes for the next few years. My premiums were hit when someone drove into the back of me on the M4, causing lots of damage to his car but none to mine. I still have to declare it as an incident but no claim. The effect shouldn't be as severe as if you claim.
Be aware that you'd need to declare it even if the price comparrison website you use doesn't appear to ask about it. (Speaking from experience!)

Why not check out price comparison websites with the two scenarios - one with an incident with no claim and current no claims bonus and one with a claim and no no claims bonus. The second will be more, but by how much?

Korkyb

Just spoke to the owner again to clarify his position.

He doesnt want insurance companies involved if at all possible and if I pay directly then he wont be informing his insurance providers. (a recorded incident obviously affects his insurance premiums as well).

As far as he is concerned the accident happened as I was passing his vehicle with a wheelbarrow and hit it with that...

Thoughts please !

vaio

buy a wheel barrow and give him the cash

InsideInsurance

Korkyb wrote: »

Does it make a difference that the accident happened on a road in an estate thats still being built so I believe its a private road?

As you are comprehensive, no. If you were RTA Only cover (almost unheard of for personal lines but more common in corporate motor) then it may be that you had no cover if it is considered private and not covered by the Road Traffic Act.

As has been said, the concern with a claim like this would be for loss of earnings or hire of an alternative vehicle whilst the bus is in for repair. If you can ensure that that wont come, or can agree a low value for it then it may be worth privately settling the claim.

vaio

and, even a bare bones RTA policy needs to cover "roads or other public place"

Korkyb

The owner isnt looking for anything else in respect of loss of earnings (the minibus is part of a small fleet).

I think I will go with the £300 private settlement and just be more careful with that bleeding wheelbarrow in future.

InsideInsurance

vaio wrote: »

and, even a bare bones RTA policy needs to cover "roads or other public place"

Hence my comment, if it is considered private and not a public place then an RTA policy wouldnt provide any cover for losses. Slightly immaterial given the OP has Comp

Quentin

Once you agree to pay for the repair, you leave yourself open to the bill rising! Even though the injured party is being co-operative now, you cannot rely on them remaining so once you agree to this arrangement.

Why not insist you want to leave this to the insurers to deal with - inform your insurer (as you are bound to by your policy conditions, and breach them if you fail to do so), then if the bill is £300 when the matter is concluded you can reimburse your insurer and thereby retain your NCD.

And know the insurance company will have tied up all loose ends so there is no comeback over the incident. Or maybe the bus owner has other reasons for not wanting any insurance involvement, and won't pursue the matter!