Non-fault accident - Insurance Claim - who to go with?

jay213

On Tuesday a car crashed into me as I was turning right into a road. The driver tried to overtake me and crashed into the rear panel and door. He accepted liability.

I contacted my insurance company Allianz and informed them. I wasn't sure if he would end up changing his mind or not. They logged the details and said that a garage would contact me to arrange to take my car to a garage. They said I would need to pay my excess when collecting my car and that I would get that back if the other driver is found to be liable. The garage phoned but didn't have any courtesy cars available, so arranged to pick up my car this coming Monday.

Not long ago I just got a call from the guy's insurance company Haven. They wanted to carry out the repairs and provide a courtesy car themselves. The rep mentioned that sometimes when you get a car it's under a hire agreement and that they have a set price that they pay out and that sometimes other insurance companies charge more but they only pay out their set amount. They said I could use a local garage, would that include main dealer?

Anyway I'm just wondering if there is any benefit to going with them? The main thing I'm wondering is if I could change my "claim" into "for information purposes" with my insurance company or not?

I'm sure I heard before that making a claim is worse for your future premiums than providing your insurance company with "for informational purposes" in non fault cases?

Would it be too late anyway, as in a claim is already on my record?

ChumLee

You can change you're claim to information only. The advantage of using his insurance company is no excess to pay.

rich13348

You will be making a claim anyway regardless of which insurer you choose to use so you will have to declare it anyway. If you claim through third party i.e. Haven then you will not have to pay excess and claim it back as you would if you went via your own insurance.

Has any work been done on your car yet?

jay213

rich13348 wrote: »

You will be making a claim anyway regardless of which insurer you choose to use so you will have to declare it anyway. If you claim through third party i.e. Haven then you will not have to pay excess and claim it back as you would if you went via your own insurance.

Has any work been done on your car yet?

Hi, No. No work has been done on my car yet. It has been booked to go to a garage related with my insurance comapny Allianz on Monday.

Haven just phoned me today, but said I could cancel my appointment and book through them.

Will it be considered as a claim even if I cancel getting the work done through them? or is it a case of it doesn't really make any difference?

ChumLee

It'll be a non fault collision when you renew your policy.

jay213

Thanks, sorry guys I'm just trying to get a bit clearer on this bit at the moment

"I heard before that making a claim is worse for your future premiums than providing your insurance company with "for informational purposes" in non fault cases?" is that the case?

If I go through 3 party does that mean I have not made a claim with my insurance company? or would there be charges related to cancelling my garage appointment for Monday, if I do?

arcon5

If you make a claim with your insurer they will claim the costs back from the TP insurer - so you paying the excess and loosing NCB is only temporary. Although if the TP get awkward it can complicate thins come renewal.

Whereas going direct will avoid this problem, but sometimes has its own problems.

The net result of both (assuming TP insurer eventually settle your insurers bills if going with your insurer) is the same, you have made a claim you need to delcare in the future and you have an accident to declare in the future. Neither option changes this outcome.

Personally i'd be more than likely to go directly with the TP insurer if they are being cooperative.

straighttalker

I'd always go direct with the third party insurer. It's clear that they have accepted liability otherwise they wouldn't offer to repair your car and provide you with a loan vehicle.

The third party representative was right when they say that they challenge hire charges which are presented when a person goes to a credit hire company. If you go to a claim's management company, there is a risk that the at fault insurer doesn't accept the amount claimed and you might get dragged to Court to explain why you incurred such high hire charges and you may have to disclose details of your finances and earnings to justify going for a credit hire vehicle.

jay213

One last question before I make up my mind and call the insurance. Can you take your car to the main dealer or do insurance companies not go to main dealers?

This is my first ever claim.

marlot

jay213 wrote: »

One last question before I make up my mind and call the insurance. Can you take your car to the main dealer or do insurance companies not go to main dealers?

This is my first ever claim.

If you have a reasonably new car, then insist on going to the authorised repairer for your car brand. That won't be a main dealer as such - my uncle's bodyshop was the authorised repairer for BMW in his area.

The advantage of using your own insurer is that if there is a problem you can go to the Financial Ombudsman. You can't do that if you use the TP insurer.

jay213

One last thing. I was going to go with the third party insurer but when I went to call my insurer on Saturday they had closed.

The garage arranged through my insurance is due to pick up my car tomorrow between 10am and 12 I think and also drop of a courtesy car. I see my insurance company claims line opens at 8am, if I call them first thing in the morning would I be able to cancel?

I'm just wondering if they will charge me or anything for cancelling so late? The only thing that has me a bit worried with going with my insurer is if the third party insurance company disputes the hire car charges.