Accidental damage claim?

pickingausernameistough

Hi

Rather embarrassingly, after checking the oil in my car i failed to put the bonnet down properly. After driving for a few miles (no warning lights and no didn't notice anything wrong), i pulled on to the slip road for a motorway. When i accelerated the bonnet flipped up, completely blocking my view, fortunately it didn't come away or damage the windscreen and with no one behind me i was able to slow and pull into the side.

The bonnet now shuts okay but at the hinges it is now badly bent at 70-80% degree angles and of course I am not sure how safe the hinges now are, although it does close okay.

Anyway i called Admiral and they say i am not covered as i wasn't involved in an accident. Now i am fully comp so assumed i was also covered for accidental damage.

So..thoughts and assistance please.

BeenThroughItAll

pickingausernameistough wrote: »

Hi

Rather embarrassingly, after checking the oil in my car i failed to put the bonnet down properly. After driving for a few miles (no warning lights and no didn't notice anything wrong), i pulled on to the slip road for a motorway. When i accelerated the bonnet flipped up, completely blocking my view, fortunately it didn't come away or damage the windscreen and with no one behind me i was able to slow and pull into the side.

The bonnet now shuts okay but at the hinges it is now badly bent at 70-80% degree angles and of course I am not sure how safe the hinges now are, although it does close okay.

Anyway i called Admiral and they say i am not covered as i wasn't involved in an accident. Now i am fully comp so assumed i was also covered for accidental damage.

So..thoughts and assistance please.

For the cost of your excess, plus increased premiums, plus time and effort you may well find a new bonnet+hinges will be a sensible and lower cost investment.

InsideInsurance

As above its highly unlikely to be cost effective to claim, though the fact you have called Admiral about it may mean you now need to declare it for the next 3-5 years.

You would need to read the definitions in the own vehicle damage section of your policybook to see if it would be covered or not. I would have expected it to be covered even if not cost effective to claim

pickingausernameistough

InsideInsurance wrote: »

As above its highly unlikely to be cost effective to claim, though the fact you have called Admiral about it may mean you now need to declare it for the next 3-5 years.

You would need to read the definitions in the own vehicle damage section of your policybook to see if it would be covered or not. I would have expected it to be covered even if not cost effective to claim

unfortunately i can't find the policy booklet, i have searched the documents on admiral's website and i can't find anything on accidental damage. i have c15 years protected no claims so while there will still be an uplift, depending on the cost of repairs i could still be better off claiming. That's if i can!

BeenThroughItAll

pickingausernameistough wrote: »

unfortunately i can't find the policy booklet, i have searched the documents on admiral's website and i can't find anything on accidental damage. i have c15 years protected no claims so while there will still be an uplift, depending on the cost of repairs i could still be better off claiming. That's if i can!

So you don't actually want thoughts, what you want is for us to tell you that you can and should claim?


Personally I think that would be madness, but it's up to you; if that's what you want to hear then I think you should be able to claim and that's what you should do.

pickingausernameistough

BeenThroughItAll wrote: »

So you don't actually want thoughts, what you want is for us to tell you that you can and should claim?


Personally I think that would be madness, but it's up to you; if that's what you want to hear then I think you should be able to claim and that's what you should do.

not sure i have said that have i? all i've said is i have a long period of no claims and i COULD be better off claiming.

But i do not know if i am even able to claim for what has happened, before i make a decision to pursue admiral for a claim i need thoughts/advise/help on whether a claim would be valid. I did not ask whether if it was worth while claiming, but thank you for your thoughts, clearly it comes down to me taking a view on the cost of the repair vs a potential increase in my premiums. With quotes of c£1,500 for the repair i am clearly keen to find out if i should be pushing admiral for the claim.

With any years above 5y not counting towards the no claims discount, then the maximum change to my no claims discount would be from 5 years to 3 on a c£250-300 insurance premium vs a potential £1,500 bill. But i don't know if i have a valid claim.

System

Doesn't sound like an accident to me, more negligence by the owner which I don't think will be covered.

rs65

pickingausernameistough wrote: »

Anyway i called Admiral and they say i am not covered as i wasn't involved in an accident. Now i am fully comp so assumed i was also covered for accidental damage.

Comprehensive will cover you for accidental damage - there doesn't have to be an road accident.

rs65

!!!!!! wrote: »

Doesn't sound like an accident to me, more negligence by the owner which I don't think will be covered.

Most accidents involve negligence.

System

No, incidents involve negligence. An accident involves no negligence, however there is no such thing as an accident as there is always a cause

rs65

!!!!!! wrote: »

No, incidents involve negligence. An accident involves no negligence, however there is no such thing as an accident as there is always a cause

You know what I mean. If you accidentally drive into a wall or a flood, comprehensive cover will repair the damage. Whether you negligently or accidentally drive into the wall, you are still covered for the damage caused.