car accident not going through insurance

Mihangel

Any help on this would be great got to get back to the other party by 6pm


During the icy weather 3 weeks ago i went into the back of someone causing scratches and a broken number plate. I told the lady i didn't want to go through the insurance and i would be willing to pay for all the damages.

She has been given a quote from forms for £480 to fix, i said that was fine. She then insisted she needed a courtesy car i said that would be fine. She has now got back to me saying it will be £551 which i said that’s fine.

Here is the weird bit, i said book it in and i will pay fords and the car hire company. she has turned round and said she wants the cash before, also said if that wasn't good enough she would go through the car insurance.

Any advice?

People in work have said because we haven't informed insurance it was too late to inform them 3 weeks on that right?

Any one got a legal letter i can get her to sign to say she has received my money and there will be no more claims/cost?

Should i pay cash like she wants or insist on a cheque?

Thanks for any help

mike

equitydealer

She's taking you for a ride by raising the price, and she thinks that she has got your cornered.

1) Tell her that you will pay her the amount quoted by Ford + car hire and nothing else. Cash is safe as long as you get a signed receipt from her.

2) Ask her for the original quote from Ford

If she is still messing you around, she is probably not insured herself.

MrsTinks

Uhmmm remember that she doesn't know you WILL honour your word and pay her once she's gotten the work done...
OH experienced something similar just over a year ago - he tapped someone in the boot and we all agreed to organise it out side of insurance. But we booked the car in to be fixed at a mutually agreed garage and paid them direct. Make sure she sends you the quote from the relevant garage AND prefereable 1 or 2 other reputable repair centres. If the quotes match what she is asking for then fine... If not then argue it!
3 weeks after the event is NOT too late to report it... I think infact you have 2 years... I could be wrong. However if she was to claim for whiplash she would have had to attend A&E and be examined by a doctor within 24/48 hours (i forget which) - otherwise there is no evidence the injury was as a result of THAT accident...
If you DO pay the cash to her then insist on a reciept SIGNED by her saying that this is the FULL amount agreed upon for damages to her vehicle following the accident at XYZ on the X/X/XX.

Personally I can see her point but yours as well.

Astaroth

You could agree to stagger the payments, pay the estimates net of the VAT up front and then pay the VAT on production of the invoices.

There normally isnt a time limit on reporting claims to your insurers however negotiating/ agreeing things with the TP is generally something you are instructed not to do. Whilst almost all insurers will turn a total blind eye to what happens at the scene of the accident as it can easily be discredited in court as "stress"/ high emotional state etc protracted discussions going on in the days/ weeks after are more likely going to concern an insurer.

violetta

For just a few scratches and a broken number plate, perhaps she is going to just pocket the cash, get a new number plate herself and reattach it and either polish out the scratches or get someone like ChipsAway to repair them much more cheaply. She would then not need the courtesy car and pocket this cash too. I would be inclined to tell her you will pay the garage and car hire direct in advance (so she has no worries you will not pay up) and see what she does then.

saintjanet

TINE has saved me alot of typing,i agree with what they say.

From the other side of the fence ,this has happened to me twice,both people paid up and i gave them a receipt saying that i would persue the matter no further.I had trouble ringing one of them and thought he was trying it on,then he turned up at my house with the money.Thats the trouble, you never can tell with people you dont know and that works both ways.The other paid the garage direct and i was happy to let them.She gave me the cheque,the garage cleared it then did the work.

movilogo

To OP, You have not mentioned how much loss you'll face if you go thru insurance company. Isn't it possible that your loss might be lower than what you are ready to pay?

wazza

she is asking for the money beforehand in case you will refuse to pay afterwards or she is quoting more than the actual costs.

my advice is to pop along to the garage and the hire company and pay for the repair/hire yourself. That way she is assured she will not be out of pocket.

Andyr11

For a few scratches and a broken number plate I can't see much more than a day or 2 in a body shop. Her vehicle is road worthy (after buying a new reg number which shouldn't cost ore than a tenner) so theres no reason why she cannot drive her own vehicle around whilst waiting for repairs.

I would ask her if you can get some photos of the accident and go around to local bodyshop / panel beaters and see if you can get a cheaper quote. £480 seems quite expensive for a few scratches and a new numberplate.

Personally I would ask for her insurance details to make sure she is insured. If she isn't you have absolutely no obligation to pay out.

Andy

DavidHM

If she isn't you have absolutely no obligation to pay out.

Sorry, that's simply not true. If you cause damage to someone else's property through your own negligence, regardless of whether or not they are insured, or for that matter have to have insurance, then you owe it to them to repair that damage. The argument that she "shouldn't have been there in the first place" has been tried and simply doesn't stand up at court, just as it woudln't if you pulled out in front of someone who was doing 1 mph over the speed limit.

We've no evidence that this woman doesn't have insurance, only that she seems to be trying it on somewhat. I do agree that it would be sensible to offer to pay the bodyshop/car hire in advance so that you are aware of the true cost but if she'd rather have the payout and take any damage on the chin then she's entitled to the dimunition in value of her car in any event.

Bossyboots

Is this really the cheaper option than going through the insurance?

You will find it a term of your policy that you have to report the accident whether she claims or not in any event. Presumably you have decided to take the risk of not reporting it and hope not to get caught out later on.