Question re accident/insurance

Tired07

My wife clipped the car of a neighbour this evening. The owner is a young lad still in his teens. The damage isn't huge on either car, but I think it'll be pushing £1k to fix in total.

After she'd been round to confess he nipped round later and asked that we don't include him in the claim because he thinks it'll effect his premiums going forward due to his age (don't worry, he is insured). His mum and dad have said they'd pay for his damage. Very kind in the circumstances.

I'm now in a quandary. I doubt I can afford to get my own car fixed. It's a dent and scrape over two panels on a fairly new car. It'll be several hundred quid at least from experience and I'll also have to fork out for a hire car, which I'd otherwise get through my insurance.

If I call the insurance company and explain that the owner of the other vehicle wants no part in the claim, I assume I'll have to provide the details of his car nonetheless? Will this automatically risks his future premiums going up? Will he need to declare the accident despite the fact that he wasn't in his car (it was parked), he wasn't at fault and hasn't made a claim?

I feel like I've no choice but to make a claim for our car, but don't want to cost the lad more money in future, given it wasn't his fault.

forgotmyname

If you provide the other parties details then you could cause trouble for them.

Even putting his reg number in cause cause his insurer to ask him why he failed to notify them of the incident.

On the other hand are you going to lie to your insurer and say you hit a post or something or your cars been hit by an unknown vehicle.

You came out and found damage.

I know what i would do. The decision is yours.

keith1950

It'll be several hundred quid at least from experience and I'll also have to fork out for a hire car, which I'd otherwise get through

Do you actually pay an extra premium for a hire car ?....otherwise the costs for one would be paid for normally by the third party ( if it was their fault ).

Do the right thing and report the accident truthfully or it could comeback to bite you later.

InsideInsurance

You can always report it truthfully in that you hit a TP car owned by one of your neighbours but that you didnt get the details of the vehicle and the family have said they dont intend to claim.

forgotmyname

You hit a vehicle, Went inside to get a pen and paper to leave a note and the vehicle had gone. You dont have its details other than its a red car/blue car..

?

lovinituk

Have I read this correctly? Your wife hit his car and his parents are paying for the damage your wife caused?

kwmlondon

lovinituk wrote: »

Have I read this correctly? Your wife hit his car and his parents are paying for the damage your wife caused?

Yes, can I clarify this? Is this right?!

McKneff

Bit more than a clip then.....a dent and scrape over 2 panels......

lovinituk

McKneff wrote: »

Bit more than a clip then.....a dent and scrape over 2 panels......

...and circa £1000 worth of damage on the neighbours car!!

sueh6

This exact same thing happened to my daughter when her car was parked outside. A neighbour came down the hill too quickly and clipped her car turning the corner. They totally accepted they were at fault (as you do), contacted their insurance company detailing the whole incident. Insurance company contacted her to arrange for the repair and it was all sorted. My daughter did contact her own insurance company but they weren't interested as it was a stationary vehicle and so no blame.

Up to you but I think it's unfair that this kid's parents should be footing the bill for something that neither they nor their son are to blame for. If they're worried about his insurance they shouldn't be but perhaps they don't know this? All he needs to do is, out of courtesy, tell his insurer; he doesn't need to make a claim - you should be doing that.

Like another poster has said - I know what I'd do in the same position.

lovinituk

sueh6 wrote: »

This exact same thing happened to my daughter when her car was parked outside. A neighbour came down the hill too quickly and clipped her car turning the corner. They totally accepted they were at fault (as you do), contacted their insurance company detailing the whole incident. Insurance company contacted her to arrange for the repair and it was all sorted. My daughter did contact her own insurance company but they weren't interested as it was a stationary vehicle and so no blame.

Up to you but I think it's unfair that this kid's parents should be footing the bill for something that neither they nor their son are to blame for. If they're worried about his insurance they shouldn't be but perhaps they don't know this? All he needs to do is, out of courtesy, tell his insurer; he doesn't need to make a claim - you should be doing that.

Like another poster has said - I know what I'd do in the same position.

The point is there is a risk that when the neighbours son renews his insurance they will increase his premium even though it was an incident that was not his fault.

You are right however that its unfair for the neighbour to foot a £1000 bill for something that was someone else's fault. The OP should be buying a lottery ticket with that sort of luck!