Need advice

BeenThroughItAll

moneytroll wrote: »

Just spoke to the person I bumped into:
- the quote for bumper respray is £440. He said it would be much more expensive if he took it to the Mercedes garage
(is the quote for bumper respray in the right ballpark?)
- I suggested to do it via insurance and he said it would be much more expensive for me to do it that way
I checked with Moneysupermarket: if I renewed my policy now, if I didn't have an accident, it would cost me £635. if I report it and lose my NCB years, it will be:
£831 in year 1
£709 in year 2
£629 in year 3
(If Moneysupermarket is to be believed: I can't quite work out why year 3 is cheaper than if I didn't have any accidents?).

What would be your advice? He said he is an 'honest guy' and wouldn't claim for whiplash etc.

He's trying to make you avoid insurance so that he can pocket a nice £450 for his trouble. Personally, I'd go through the insurer just to !!!! him off, now.

Alternatively, as suggested, if you wish to avoid that ask him to provide a copy of the quote and say you will pay the repairer directly and have the invoice made out in your name.

moneytroll

He also mentioned that he had somebody else bump into him, really hard, and they settled it privately and he didn't claim for whiplash (to explain to me that he is honest).
The thing is, I am pretty sure those marks or scratches come from the previous bump in. On the photos I took, the marks (I can barely see any) , look painted over.
Will it be likely that my insurer would bother assessing his car for such a small amount? Yes, it seems prudent to go with the insurance but I worry this will !!!! him off and he will decide to claim for personal injury as well.

gilbert_and_sullivan

Yes, this had making a nice little earner for the Merc owner writ large all over it, he might be doing it himself or he might be getting the front end stonechips and a couple of door dings sorted and letting you pay for it.
If he's a long term customer or friend of a small bodyshop then a quote stating repairs to rear bumper plus paint doesn't mean the rest of the work isn't being done.
The small bodyshop i use charges me around £150 a panel for spraying up, depending on what needs doing it could be more obviously.
I agree with the poster above, go via insurance in this case.

Let your insurer know the gist of the conversation as you remember it, they might just send down an assessor to have a good look at this car.

Quentin

If you had 3 years NCD at the start of the policy year, then if you claim for this you will still have 1 year to use at renewal.


So your online quotes may be way out ( as having one year's NCD does make a significant difference)


If you do let your insurer deal with this and it is cost effective to do so you can get your lost NCD reinstated by reimbursing your insurer their outlay over the claim (meaning if you had 3 years NCD at the start of the current policy year you would have 4 years at renewal)


(Bear in mind that you are liable for all costs involved - not just the repair bill, and you may get more costs sprung on you apart from the injury compensation already mentioned eg. car hire whilst car in for repair, more damage found when bumper removed, taxi fares, loss of earnings etc)

neilmcl

moneytroll wrote: »

Thanks very much. I think I'd prefer doing it through the insurance and get them to make their own assessment. But I worry insurance may not bother for a relatively small claim and just pay out whatever he says

Why would that concern you? It'll make no difference to any future premium rises.

moneytroll

I may be able to agree to settle at £200. How can I make sure this will be final? Would a signed letter/agreement during the transaction by both legally hold up?

moneytroll

Lastly: I am buying a new car in a few months. Would the accident claim history be transferred onto the new car or how does this work?

Quentin

moneytroll wrote: »

Lastly: I am buying a new car in a few months. Would the accident claim history be transferred onto the new car or how does this work?

The accident history is yours (not your car's).


So it stays with you, and needs to be disclosed to all insurers you contact for quotes (depending on the length of history they ask about - insurers usually ask for your history over the last 3/5 years)

Quentin

moneytroll wrote: »

I may be able to agree to settle at £200. How can I make sure this will be final? Would a signed letter/agreement during the transaction by both legally hold up?

How can you trust this guy now?


In your OP you said he was hostile, and came up with a quote for £450.


Now this new quote is less than half (and just £167 + VAT) which sounds too cheap.


Ask him how come there is now such a vast saving!!

moneytroll

Well he's only human...But no, of course I don't trust him.
I called a body shop garage and showed them photos of car and damage and they quoted me £110+VAT for a full rear bumper spray so I added £50 for car hire and a bit for his inconvenience and came up with £200.
I just need to cover the legal side of things, in case he does accept. Is there a watertight draft letter somewhere for a full& final settlement and would it hold up? (if I include personal injuries etc).
Something like this, but slightly re-written: http://www.keatingchambers.co.uk/multimedia/docs/mediation%20page/Sample%20Settlement%20Agreement%2005032012.pdf

edit: he may not accept.