Car Insurance claim. Not my fault, Will my premium go up?

4rchibald

Another driver didn't stop when my wife was already waiting in a queue and bumped our car. There is not a lot of damage, but looks like bumper has to be replaced with all trims and at least one new reverse sensor. There is no structural damage, and if there is it;s a tiny one which will have no impact on the car.
I have all details of the driver and was proposed to resolve it outside insurance, but he can only offer me £100-150 which might not be enough to fix it.
So I;m thinking about claiming of his insurance, which he is happy to do as well, but I'm concerned about my premium going up next year, as apparently even if it's not my fault, statistically I'm at higher risk to have another accident (insurance rules=money making machine).

I am also concerned that insurance may decline to repair my car and will pay 70% of what a similar car would cost me. I have also spent a lot of money on service recently so I really would like to repair mine.

Please advise as I am more tempted to take the money than to claim it and be concerned about cost or loosing my car.
Thanks

forgotmyname

Probably will increase, But the only way to find out is to get dummy quotes or ask them.

Whats the car worth? Claim off his insurance and they may write it off, But you haggle to keep the car + money to repair.. They record it as a CAT D and you get it repaired for less.

4rchibald

There is not really any option to chose this type of claim.
The only similar one is "Third Party Vehicle / Object Hit you - Recovery O/S", but there was no recovery.
Anyway this option bumps the price by more than 25% compared to no claims made!!
So why would I need a no claim discount protection if my insurance will go up even if it's not my fault?

I could sell it now for 2200-2500, but that's Ebay, but for any official valuation (Parker) car is probably worth nothing (I would say 1500-1700) as it's got 140k on the clock. Would I then not be hit by my £250 excess?
I have also spent almost £1 on parts within last two years and therefore would really like to keep it.
In addition more insurance companies are nor insuring Cat C/D cars. They will take the premium but will decline to pay insurance iof something happens (like Swiftcover which I'm with now).
Any Category will also drop the value of the car so looks like it's better to accept the £150 in cash.

4rchibald

Ok, the "O/S" bit in the claim is outstanding, but there would be nothing outstanding (hopefully)
When option "Third Party Vehicle / Object Hit you - Recovery made" is chosen, my premium stays the same.
So looks like insurance company would not hit me with extra costs

McKneff

It's in your terms and conditions of your car insurance, that whether you make a claim or not through your insurance, you have to inform them. Failing to will invalidate your policy, maybe at the very time you need to claim. This is in all car insurance T&Cs.
The other insurance company will pay for your repairs, and your vehicle number will be on the National Database. When you (or if) you have an accident, someone wants to claim from you,or your make a claim your reg number will flag up and your insurance company will invalidate your claim because of non disclosure of this incident. You will then find it difficult to get any kind of insurance ever again.

You also have to declare it on any quotes you ask for for the same reason.

This will happen whether you have sold the car or not.

scooby75

If you make a claim then statistically, you are more likely in future to make a claim in the future.

Your premiums, all other considerations removed, will increase.

Ask their underwriters / actuaries for the explanation on doing something that you are contractually obliged to do as though it is an option.

forgotmyname

You had an accident or incident their figures suggest you are now likely to have more in a short space of time.

Your no claims stands you still have it, But you are now a higher risk so the premium rises.

No accident premium £1000, 50% off, You pay £500.

After accident premium £2000, 50% off, You pay £1000

You still get 50% off, But your now a higher risk.

4rchibald

I have received more information from 3 different insurance companies.
My car got damaged so I can either
1.claim it off my insurance and wait for response from the 3rd party. By the time the claim is resolved, my insurance acts like it's my fault (NCD down, premium up, excess to be paid)
2.Wait for the 3rd party insurance to agree to repair my car.

I then have even more options
No 1
-3rd party agrees that they were at fault and my insurance claim money of them and cleans me of any fault (NCD not affected, no increase in insurance)
-3rd party argues that it's my fault. If fault was obvious then thy have to pay. If not...well I was told that many times insurance companies do a 50/50% split so both parties pay more.

No 2.
Once 3rd party agrees it's their fault, my car is repaired and insurance will mark a no fault claim with no extra cost.

That's theory, as I have just found out system live it's own life.
I have made a "claim notification" to Swiftcover. They have asked me for all details which I have provided. 3 days later another e-mail from Swift, asking for details again! I got bit annoyed but sent them all details, including reference of the claim made by person who caused it! Yes, he claimed it and gave me all the details.
I have also attached all photos, but 3 days later Swiftcover was still nowhere.
I have therefore contacted 3rd party insurance and was told that I can claim it directly of them and don;t need my insurance to to that! So they have organised everything and today (after almost a week) I ve asked Swift to advise on the status. Yep, still nothing. SO I asked them to cancel this claim and close it as resolved (gave them all details to contact other insurance to confirm this).
Claim is now closed with NCB not affected and as a "non fault"...however, my NCD on the latest letter is one year less than on the letter issued to me day before the accident!
Also my premium is now a £502, not £420 like before the accident.

So looks like even if it's not may fault their system oddly works in my insurance favour which i find annoying, as now I have to contact them to put things right.

forgotmyname

Works in their favour. Would they want it any other way?

Customer is never right and has pockets lined with gold.

4rchibald

As I have found out, their claims system is different to their insurance system and as the insurance is automatically bumped up when there is ANY claim in the system, it has to be amended manually to show non fault claim at owners request!