In two minds whether to go through insurance after being hit.

TooManyPoints

I've been in touch with the company who tonight emailed me to say their insurance people will be in touch.

I imagine the first things those "insurance people" will want before they go a step further are your full details, those of your vehicle and those of your insurers (which they can get from the MIB database without your consent anyway provided they have your vehicle details). Then, when they contact your insurers (to establish if they have any bilateral agreements between them) your insurers might want to know why you have not reported the matter to them.

Not_Me_Officer

TooManyPoints wrote: »

RTA quote
Not doing the right thing is all fair and dandy when there are no complications. .

I like to read this forum from time to time and the impression i get from it is that the majority here would get in touch with their insurance should someone lean on their car because it may have caused some fine scratches with the grit that was on the surface and we must report all damage.

Now i'm not here to say whether that stance is correct or incorrect. If that's the way some people think then it's correct for them. I've been on a number of car forums over the years and can't remember one taking that stance. Again - not saying they were correct or incorrect. Anyone i've ever spoken to in person also never took that stance - again, not saying they're correct or incorrect but now (through my own personal experience) we're building a majority and minority.

So why did i come here would be the natural question. Well it's a money saving website so i was wondering long term what the best course of action would be as far as my pocket goes. Also i've never been in this position so i don't really know how things pan out from hereon in so wanted feedback from those who do know.

Just saying - i don't know of anyone who would report every minor blemish to their car.

And to show i am listening and not just running around in circles - thank you to those who advised to run some dummy quotes to get an idea. I'll do that.

For those asking if i have an official quote on a new unit. Not an updated one but from the last time i was hit and got in touch with Vauxhall:

Thanks for your enquiry.
The mirror unit comes without the glass and back cover.
Prices as follows including vat
Manual adjustment mirror unit £58.65
back cover £24.21
glass £34.62
Electric adjustment mirror unit £60.95
back cover £24.21
glass £57.39
The back cover comes primed ready to be painted.
I have included the price for the glass because it is not always easy to
remove the original without breaking.

The parts are usually in stock.
Please contact me if you need any further assistance.

I've put in bold my mirror.

Mercdriver

Not_Me_Officer wrote: »

I like to read this forum from time to time and the impression i get from it is that the majority here would get in touch with their insurance should someone lean on their car because it may have caused some fine scratches with the grit that was on the surface and we must report all damage.

Now i'm not here to say whether that stance is correct or incorrect. If that's the way some people think then it's correct for them. I've been on a number of car forums over the years and can't remember one taking that stance. Again - not saying they were correct or incorrect. Anyone i've ever spoken to in person also never took that stance - again, not saying they're correct or incorrect but now (through my own personal experience) we're building a majority and minority.

So why did i come here would be the natural question. Well it's a money saving website so i was wondering long term what the best course of action would be as far as my pocket goes. Also i've never been in this position so i don't really know how things pan out from hereon in so wanted feedback from those who do know.

Just saying - i don't know of anyone who would report every minor blemish to their car.

And to show i am listening and not just running around in circles - thank you to those who advised to run some dummy quotes to get an idea. I'll do that.

For those asking if i have an official quote on a new unit. Not an updated one but from the last time i was hit and got in touch with Vauxhall:



I've put in bold my mirror.

If you know the answer to your question why do you ask the question?

You should look beyond the obvious though as there are circumstances where someone might accuse yo of being at fault and that as a result of the incident they can't work for 6 months. By saying nothing, you instantly put yourself on the back foot and lose credibility which is very important in civil cases.

Getting a policy cancelled because of not reporting something even for information only is not moneysaving. It is pennywise and pound stupid.

Not_Me_Officer

I was talking to someone at work today (i never take what is said as gospel hence raising it here to check) and they said that i wouldn't lose my car, even if it was written off.

This is my concern - that their insurance company will end up taking my car away as part of the claim due to it being written off.
I was told this doesn't happen, you simply tell them you want to keep your car, they deduct the repair from the write off value and give you the remaining.

How accurate is that? My guess is not very?

At any rate, that's my concern - that i'll lose my car. I'm not bothered about it becoming cat C or cat D because i wont be selling it. I just don't want to lose it.

Using the My Free Car Check app which will give a very loose valuation as there'll be factors it wont be able to take in to account, it gives my cars valuation as:

Forecourt: £290
Private: £240
Trade In: £230
Auction: £180
New: £14,619

Looking on eBay now there's an 03 (mine's a 51) going spares or repair starting at £300. Can't find one on Auto Trader at the moment to see what others are selling at.

Mercdriver

Not_Me_Officer wrote: »

I was talking to someone at work today (i never take what is said as gospel hence raising it here to check) and they said that i wouldn't lose my car, even if it was written off.

This is my concern - that their insurance company will end up taking my car away as part of the claim due to it being written off.
I was told this doesn't happen, you simply tell them you want to keep your car, they deduct the repair from the write off value and give you the remaining.

How accurate is that? My guess is not very?

At any rate, that's my concern - that i'll lose my car. I'm not bothered about it becoming cat C or cat D because i wont be selling it. I just don't want to lose it.

Using the My Free Car Check app which will give a very loose valuation as there'll be factors it wont be able to take in to account, it gives my cars valuation as:

Forecourt: £290
Private: £240
Trade In: £230
Auction: £180
New: £14,619

Looking on eBay now there's an 03 (mine's a 51) going spares or repair starting at £300. Can't find one on Auto Trader at the moment to see what others are selling at.

You've been told upthread that you should be able to keep the car minus a scrap value payment.

Not_Me_Officer

Scooby.Doo wrote: »

Why didn't you say you drove an old poverty spec Vauxhall?

What difference does it make when i said very early on in the thread that my car is about £500 tops?

Mercdriver wrote: »

Getting a policy cancelled because of not reporting something even for information only is not moneysaving. It is pennywise and pound stupid.

That reminds me - I'm sure i read someone asking me why i'd not want to report it & i was under the impression they thought it wouldn't cost me a penny.

Simply insurance renewal time. Had this with a guy who hit me & did a runner, a proper runner. I got the police involved & he simply said he was never there. My word against his & therefore nothing happened as i didn't have a dash cam at the time.

I didn't claim but i'd told my insurance. Result was - he never had to declare anything at all but for the next 5 years i had to, even though i didn't claim. I remember doing a comparison for the first year & it being £70 dearer. £70 dearer for me being hit & having done nothing wrong & everything right. I clearly took the MSE forum stance of reporting to all that needed to know. Even paid up askMID and got in touch with his own insurance too. And it hit me in the pocket.

I'd have been better keeping my mouth shut.

Not_Me_Officer

Mercdriver wrote: »

You've been told upthread that you should be able to keep the car minus a scrap value payment.

That's what concerns me.

My boss tells me i should be ok to finish early but then when it comes to it i'm still there an hour after time.

Quentin

Not_Me_Officer wrote: »

That's what concerns me.

My boss tells me i should be ok to finish early but then when it comes to it i'm still there an hour after time.

#15 doesn't say "should"!

Not_Me_Officer

Quentin wrote: »

#15 doesn't say "should"!

Thanks.

I know it's a case of we can't tell you for sure because we're not the ones dealing with it - but how would you expect the payment to go in this situation?

I see my car going for approx £400-£600 on eBay/Auto Trader (which is why i said £500). My Free Car Check as i said values it lower.
The bodywork is not the best in that the bonnet has plenty of stone chips, it's done almost 180k on a 51 plate, there's rust appearing on the rear arch and someone keyed down the side of it 8 years ago. I'm saying this as i'm only being honest.

Then take the mirror cost from 10 years ago. £117.48.

I don't know how they value these things so let's say they take the auction valuation since it's the lowest - so you'd expect them to give me £62.52 for my car?

I'm not saying that's wrong or i should get more or i should get less. I'm just trying to see what i should be expecting.

Quentin

Get a quote for the repairs and phone the third party insurer and ask for their innocent third party claims department.

Ask if they will sort your repair which will cost whatever your quote is.

And take it from their reply