Advice please: Scratched another car

charlie00134

My other half has scratched another car slightly when he's misjudged a turn in a car park, he claims it was only a minor mark but on a new-ish car. We're obviously going to have to pay for the repairs and I'm fine with that.
We're opting to pay ourselves rather than pushing up our insurance by claiming via them.
The other car owner has informed him the repair is £180. This seems high but is not suprising to me if it's a new car.

What sensible actions should I be taking? Should I be asking for a second opinion via a garage of my choice or just pay up and get it over with. Also do I have to tell me insurers even though I'm not claiming from them?

Thanks in advance

ilikewatch

180 to repair a scratch on a newish car doesn't sound that high to me at all. I'm assuming that they've gone to a smart repair place rather than the dealership or you might be looking at a much bigger bill. My wife has just had 3 (bad) scratches and a slightly scuffed bumper repaired by the main dealer and (including car hire) the bill will be around 3K.

OddballJamie

ilikewatch wrote: »

180 to repair a scratch on a newish car doesn't sound that high to me at all. I'm assuming that they've gone to a smart repair place rather than the dealership or you might be looking at a much bigger bill. My wife has just had 3 (bad) scratches and a slightly scuffed bumper repaired by the main dealer and (including car hire) the bill will be around 3K.

£3K! Unless it's something very high end, she could've had the whole car painted twice for less than that.

HappyMJ

charlie00134 wrote: »

My other half has scratched another car slightly when he's misjudged a turn in a car park, he claims it was only a minor mark but on a new-ish car. We're obviously going to have to pay for the repairs and I'm fine with that.
We're opting to pay ourselves rather than pushing up our insurance by claiming via them.
The other car owner has informed him the repair is £180. This seems high but is not suprising to me if it's a new car.

What sensible actions should I be taking? Should I be asking for a second opinion via a garage of my choice or just pay up and get it over with. Also do I have to tell me insurers even though I'm not claiming from them?

Thanks in advance

Whether the car is new or old the cost would be the same.

OddballJamie

Op get it in writing that the accident is settled and pay the £180. If you start messing them about, they could go through insurance and it will cost you higher future premiums.

OddballJamie

HappyMJ wrote: »

Whether the car is new or old the cost would be the same.

If it's a newer car they may have wanted to go main dealer to preserve any paint warranties the car may have.

If it was an old nail the owner might just take £50 to forget it happened.

Strider590

charlie00134 wrote: »

My other half has scratched another car slightly when he's misjudged a turn in a car park

A turn? or driving into a parking space?

Doesn't really make a difference, but we see so many of these on this forum, that i'm starting to wonder if insurance companies (or the govt, or somebody) should offer drivers free reverse parking training.... :rotfl:

facade

Pay up. £180 is cheap for bodywork, especially if it is a metallic finish.

You should inform your insurance of the "accident" (it will be in the terms of your policy) so that they can reassess your risk and increase your premium at renewal. (So some people choose not to, settle it themselves, and hope they don't get found out)

If the other party do make a claim against you through their insurance, your insurer will be upset that you haven't told them, and could cancel your insurance through breach of contract, this is a very bad thing as once you answer "yes" to the question "have you ever had insurance refused or cancelled?" you can at least put a zero on the end of the premium.

ilikewatch

OddballJamie wrote: »

£3K! Unless it's something very high end, she could've had the whole car painted twice for less than that.

It's nothing high end at all, in fact I'm incredibly surprised that it was even approaching being economically viable to do. However, the dealer is quoting ridiculous labour times to remove/refit bumpers, wings, lights etc. It seems completely uneccesary to me, and I'm sure a smart repair place would have done all the work to an acceptable standard for a few hundred quid. However, I guess it is a matter for the at fault drivers insurer to argue if they think the quote is inflated, and as far as I'm aware they have just accepted it.

OddballJamie

ilikewatch wrote: »

It's nothing high end at all, in fact I'm incredibly surprised that it was even approaching being economically viable to do. However, the dealer is quoting ridiculous labour times to remove/refit bumpers, wings, lights etc. It seems completely uneccesary to me, and I'm sure a smart repair place would have done all the work to an acceptable standard for a few hundred quid. However, I guess it is a matter for the at fault drivers insurer to argue if they think the quote is inflated, and as far as I'm aware they have just accepted it.

I'm surprised the third party insurers have agreed to it, they generally have a set hourly rate and replace parts rather then repair and it's less labour. What are they actually repairing/replacing on the car?

Hoof_Hearted

Yup -- pay up and grit your teeth. I guess he could be charging for a hire car while it is being repaired, too. Get something in writing that this is in full and final settlement.

Yes, you should inform your insurance according to the T's and C's, but would I? No.