Insurance claim for hitting a deer

molotovdog

Hi everyone, hopefully you all can help me where my insurance policy and google have failed!
Yesterday i was driving down a country lane, thankfully only going around 40 in a 50 due to having several deer leap out on me in the last few weeks, however this time one jumped out just too close to me and despite my best efforts to avoid i couldn't help but hit it, thankfully it only got my front nearside corner and it disappeared off into the hedge, so i'm choosing to believe it's fine.

So this is where my question comes, It's cracked my front bumper as well as broken off the bottom corner of it and ripped the wheel liner out of the front nearside wheel. I'm insured fully comp with Hastings Direct and have the maximum no claims discount available that is protected. I've looked through my insurance policy and can't find any mention about wildlife at all, it only speaks in relation to accidents involving other people/cars, which is understandable i guess.

So i wanted to know, does anyone know if making a claim for this will affect my premiums/NCD? I've never made any claim for any reason before and as i mentioned i'm fully comp, max NCD and protected NCD. Or if no one can advise on if it will affect my premium were i to claim does anyone know if i can call up Hastings direct and enquire about that or will calling up and telling them about the accident etc.. possibly affect my premiums even if i don't make a claim?

Sorry if this all sounds silly but i've never had to make any claim for anything before and tbh if making a claim for this will cost me more in my premiums then i'd rather just not get the damage fixed as the car is still drivable/safe, it just doesn't look great and i don't really care about the car enough to want to make it look pretty if it will cost me money long term.

[Deleted User]

It would impact your NCD unless the deer has its own insurance you can claim off.

It will also most likely increase your future premiums.

wongataa

Reporting the incident to your insurers will affect your premium at renewal time.  No one could even guess how much it would affect it though.  It might be a little,  it might be a lot.  As you have protected your NCD that would not be affected.  If you did make a claim you would have to pay the excess amount.  If the cost to repair the car is less than your excess amount it isn't worth claiming.

Be aware that even if you don't want to claim you should be reporting the incident to your insurers as that is what is stated in your policy wording however if you don't tell them about it they are unlikely to find out about it.

molotovdog

Deleted_User said:

It would impact your NCD unless the deer has its own insurance you can claim off.

It will also most likely increase your future premiums.

So what's the point in having a protected NCD then if it will still impact my NCD?

molotovdog

wongataa said:

Reporting the incident to your insurers will affect your premium at renewal time.  No one could even guess how much it would affect it though.  It might be a little,  it might be a lot.  As you have protected your NCD that would not be affected.  If you did make a claim you would have to pay the excess amount.  If the cost to repair the car is less than your excess amount it isn't worth claiming.

Be aware that even if you don't want to claim you should be reporting the incident to your insurers as that is what is stated in your policy wording however if you don't tell them about it they are unlikely to find out about it.

Thanks for the info, the amount to fix it will certainly be more than my excess as i only have a £45 excess, just need to weigh up if the potential hike in my premium is worth it. Do you know if just the act of reporting it will affect my premiums or will they only be affected if i actually make a claim?

[Deleted User]

molotovdog said:

Deleted_User said:

It would impact your NCD unless the deer has its own insurance you can claim off.

It will also most likely increase your future premiums.

So what's the point in having a protected NCD then if it will still impact my NCD?

It won't reduce your NCD as it's protected, unless it takes you over the allowed number of claims.

TELLIT01

Deleted_User said:

molotovdog said:

Deleted_User said:

It would impact your NCD unless the deer has its own insurance you can claim off.

It will also most likely increase your future premiums.

So what's the point in having a protected NCD then if it will still impact my NCD?

It won't reduce your NCD as it's protected, unless it takes you over the allowed number of claims.

But you said previously that it would impact the OP's NCD.

[Deleted User]

Yes, I did. That's because I missed the word protected when I first read it.

daveyjp

It will affect your next renewal premium.  Hastings may test your loyalty by doubling the premium (that's what LV did to me after a no fault claim!), but insurance is a huge market so if this happens you shop around.

However be aware if you start a claim you will be in the hands of Hastings and their approved repairer.  Damaged bumper, wheel liner etc is probably already a claim into the thousands,  if the car isn't worth much you could therefore end up with your vehicle being written off and all the hassle that brings.

If this is a possibility before contacting Hastings I'd be looking for a local bodyshop to give you a quote for a cheap and cheerful repair, they may be happy for the work.

I was at an insurance approved bodyshop about 6 weeks ago and the lockdown saw their turnover drop by 65%.  They had just four cars in for repair, the unit can hold about 20 and it is usually full.

Jumblebumble

molotovdog said:

Deleted_User said:

It would impact your NCD unless the deer has its own insurance you can claim off.

It will also most likely increase your future premiums.

So what's the point in having a protected NCD then if it will still impact my NCD?

Zx81 presumably did not read your post properly

PRAISETHESUN

I'd get a quote from a local garage and see how it compares to your excess and potential premium increase. Reporting the incident, even if you don't end up making a claim will still probably increase your premiums as you're seen as more at risk of having an accident. You're meant to report it to your insurer regardless, but most people wouldn't bother unless they were actually intending to claim