I slightly damaged other person car

Kim_kim

Dear all

A bit of advice please.
After 12 years of no claims I reversed into a wall in October and knocked part of the wall down.
I knew it was going to be expensive (the wall), so I let the insurance handle it all including fixing my car (bit of damage to back corner) and curtsey car while mine was being repaired - no idea what the bill was.
Then I renewed the following month & I didn’t think it seemed to have made much difference - my no claims was protected thought.

Last week while pulling out of a space I was closer to the car to my left than I realised and turned left too early and touched their bodywork and scuffed it.
I was still looking at it when the lady came back,

Now she’s got 3 quotes. One is cash not written - £150, the other two are nearly 1k.

Do i give her £150 cash & get a reciept or go via the insurance?

Any advice gratefully recieved.

Arklight

How much is your excess? You still have to tell the insurers.

Why have you started having accidents?

Kim_kim

Arklight wrote: »

How much is your excess? You still have to tell the insurers.

Why have you started having accidents?

I thought excesses were something I paid if my car was being repaired.
Your other comment is rude.

maisie_cat

Kim_kim wrote: »

I thought excesses were something I paid if my car was being repaired.
Your other comment is rude.

You must tell the insurers even if you do not make a claim. Statistically somebody who has had an accident is more likely to have another.
There must be a reason for you starting to have accidents after 12 years of clean driving.

neilmcl

It's really up to the third party as to what she wants to do. If she'll accept the £150 in cash then happy days, just make sure she agrees in writing that it's for full and final settlement of the claim. If not, then let your insurer handle things.

Kim_kim

neilmcl wrote: »

It's really up to the third party as to what she wants to do. If she'll accept the £150 in cash then happy days, just make sure she agrees in writing that it's for full and final settlement of the claim. If not, then let your insurer handle things.

Absolutely - I know I can’t inconvenience her in anyway.

Kim_kim

maisie_cat wrote: »

You must tell the insurers even if you do not make a claim. Statistically somebody who has had an accident is more likely to have another.
There must be a reason for you starting to have accidents after 12 years of clean driving.

I am not starting to have accidents.
I was rushing to get to work, pulled out of a space, forgot how close I was to the car to my left and lightly touched it and scuffed it

Arklight

You are starting to have accidents. Statistically you are colliding with something stationary once every 3 months, after 12 years of not doing so.

Aylesbury_Duck

I think it's a reasonable question and not a rude one. Lots of things happen over time to change our spatial awareness and reaction times, it's nothing to be annoyed about when someone asks. I think it's a perfectly reasonable question that might prompt you to think about whether you need to get your eyes tested for example. I had mine checked after a few years and although I don't need a prescription, my eyesight has deteriorated.

Alternatively it could be the symptom of someone stressed and perhaps rushing a bit more than they used to, or someone pre-occupied with something. No need to take offence about it.

Mercdriver

Kim_kim wrote: »

I thought excesses were something I paid if my car was being repaired.
Your other comment is rude.

It's the kind of question that your insurance company would be thinking of as they are loading your policy with the risk factor. Matter of fact, yes. Rude? No, I don't think so.

If you do go the 'cheap' route, be sure to get them to sign as full and final settlement and hope they don't approach your insurance company. Not declaring non fault accidents is bad enough. Not declaring an at fault one can have all sorts of consequences if your insurance co find out, and the person can still go ahead and approach your insurance company even if they do sign a declaration of full and final. They might not get anything out of it, but you would then have an insurance co that knows you breached their Ts and Cs. Cancellation can seriously affect your ability to get reasonably priced insurance.

Iceweasel

Kim_kim wrote: »

I am not starting to have accidents.
I was rushing to get to work, pulled out of a space, forgot how close I was to the car to my left and lightly touched it and scuffed it

Yes you are - despite what you may choose to think.

Your insurance company will certainly think that.

If you say you were 'rushing to work' and 'forgot how close I was' as some sort of excuse, you will regret it financially eventually.

And no-one is being rude to you - they / we are trying to help you see it as others will.