car insurance..who do I make a claim from? Confused!!

freeisgood

Silly question coming up...

someone scraped my parked car on friday. I was watching. They got out, admitted their liability and handed me their insurance details.

I didn't know what to do so i phoned my insurance company, and gave them all the details....but then they confused the life out of me with all the blurb about me claiming through them, they waving the excess as not my fault, may affect premuim, but will get the worry of you. blah blah blah. I asked what is the normal thing to do.

1) claiming to my own insurance to deal with theirs
2)phoning the third parties insurance directly.
3)Getting the third party to phone their insurance up to contact me.

The lady on my insurance wouldn't give me any clues.

I am totally confused...please advise

OnanTheBarbarian

It's your call really, but I would recommend the following:

1- Call the other party and make sure they have informed their own insurers
2- Call the insurers of the other party and ask them to deal with the repairs to your car
3- You have already notified your own insurer of the incident, but phone them after you have spoken with the third party's insurer and tell your own lot that the other side are dealing with you directly and to close the claim down as non-fault and claim being dealt with directly by the third party

McKneff

Far far easier to let the third party insurers deal with it, just as the poster above has detailed.


Its happened to me twice and everything was sorted within 10 days or so.

freeisgood

Thanks for the help

freeisgood

I phoned up the other party, and she had a good whine at me for not allowing her to settle privately, she said her wing mirror replacement only cost her £40. She was shocked that the scratches along the entire length of my car and the trim that was torn off could not just be buffed up with a bit of polish.
And she complained that she would lose her no claims bonus. (I informed her that on the copy of her insurance she gave me, she has no claims protection cover). She also complained that she only hit my car because an oncoming car went "over the line" causing her to collide against my car, so it was not really her fault.

She said she would leave it in my hands what I do.
I am so cross as I now feel guilty that I will go though her insurance.

I have told my insurers of the incident, but not called hers yet.

SuperHan

If you are happy to settle privately, do so. But even if that is the case, then you were right to tell your insurers.

I had a bump about a year ago. I rang my insurer to let them know, I offered to let the other lady who hit me pay privately if she wanted to (the damage was so minimal, it wasn't worth claiming). She declined, but my insurers contacted hers to let them know what had happened. I didn't claim as the hassle of getting my car fixed was too much for the damage (you really have to look to see it), and even a no fault claim pushes up your premiums.

The point of my story (ignore my waffling - please!) is that it's not too late to let her settle and not go through her insurers if you don't want to. You've done the right thing so far.

My advice would be to either let her insurers deal with it, or let your insurers pursue hers. In a no fault accident where I did claim, my insurers passed me on to a claims handler and they were brilliant and liaised with the other insurers on my behalf.

[Deleted User]

You should claim on her insurance. The cost will be higher than she is willing to pay, based on your description of the damage. Panels bent, paintwork that needs to be restored and aged/blended, trim that needs to be replaced, and a wing mirror that will cost more than £40 if you want a new, genuine one. It also makes life easier for you as her insurance company will deal with it quickly to keep costs down.

If there really was another car that caused the accident then she should tell her insurance company that and get them to pursue that driver. Don't let her guilt trip you though - if you do you can be sure she will moan about the cost of repair and try to fob you off.

Don't risk it, claim on her insurance.

Wammer

She won't lose her NCD id she doesn't claim for her own damage.

A friend had a bump that sounds like it happened in similar circumstances last week. Minimal damage - two dents (one so small he didn't see it until the body shop pointed it out) the paint wasn't even broken and a scratch on the door handle and mirror.

It looked like it wouldn't cost much at all to get fixed. However the body shop quote is just over £800 then there is the cost of the hire car on top while it is being repaired.

I would definitely claim on her insurance. As it stands, you have informed your own insurance so have had an incident which will probably put up your premiums at renewal. She is trying to get off Scot free. However if she doesn't declare it at renewal it could come back to bite her on the bum now that you have reported it.

Aretnap

Wammer wrote: »

She won't lose her NCD id she doesn't claim for her own damage.

A claim is a claim, whether for own damage or tird party damage. She'll lose two years NCD, unless she has it protected.

She does have the option of leeping her MCD by reimbursing her insurer for whatever they pay out for the damage. If it really does buff out with a bit of polish that won't be too expensive for her... but it sounds like it will end up being a bit more than that.

Ultimately it's not the OP's problem though... if she wants to keep her NCD she could always try not driving into other people's cars.

Wammer

Sorry, I was confusing NCD with excess. My bad.