Caused a prang - to go through insurance or not?

victor2

Just tell her £450 is the most you could pay (if you could). Any more than that and it will have to go through yours and her insurers.

If she's being any way uncooperative, just hand it over to your insurers and give her the details.

Must have been a sizeable dent to cost £450 to repair...

JustAnotherSaver

NottinghamKnight said:

JustAnotherSaver said:

I wouldn't ask here (too late) as this forum will always tell you to declare any minor ding you get, even if you were to nudge your own garden wall. 

Technically they're right but it's your call. I've had incidents where I've had to go through insurance and 1 where I didn't - and was better off for not going through insurance. 

I've 'done the right thing' and told the insurance before, even when I've not claimed - and now I'm worse off for it... For 3 more years. 

but you're not being chased for zillions from a personal injury claim, swings and roundabouts.

Are you saying that in reference to the one i declared but didn't claim on and am now paying for?

It's the statistic game. Statistically if someone hits you and does a runner, they're not going to bother claiming against you for injuring them. Just like all these add ons to your insurance - statistically you wont need them all, they're just extra expense that you don't need.

Insert the one-upmanship.... "But one day you will need that extra level of cover" - well yes, i didn't even try to say that it's on a par with someone doing a runner. Of course there's more chance that you're going to wish that you added on legal protection or wrong fuel cover than there is of that guy who did a runner claiming. I didn't say there wasn't. The only extra i've ever needed was protected no claims.

So i'm 2 years in to a 5 year stretch of paying extra for some willyhead in a transit pickup going for the overtake, hitting me and then doing a runner once i pulled in to exchange details.

It would've been better for me to keep my mouth shut and not do the right thing. Wont be making that mistake again.

NottinghamKnight

What I'm saying is that there is risk in whichever option you take, your decision and whether that was wise can only be seen with hindsight.

sheslookinhot

Don’t listen to those who suggest keeping it quiet from your insurance company. It’s better to tell them before the other party has a chance to tell them. Any premium increase is motivation to ensure you take more care.

Car_54

I've had a few 'fault' claims over the years, and they have had very little effect on my premiums. One I particularly remember was a sizeable dent on a Mercedes by a hit-and-run driver while parked: a four-figure repair bill, but less than £50 increase (and I changed insurer anyway).

Contrary to popular belief, the insurers do not try to claw back the cost of claims, they simply take a view on the increase in risk, if any. And they are well aware of how competitive the market is.

victor2

Car_54 said:

...

Contrary to popular belief, the insurers do not try to claw back the cost of claims, they simply take a view on the increase in risk, if any. And they are well aware of how competitive the market is.

You can be a totally innocent party, hit by another vehicle. But you are then statistically more likely to have cause for another claim, so your premiums increase. Not so much clawing back the cost of claims, just reducing the insurers future possible costs.

ontheroad1970

JustAnotherSaver said:

I wouldn't ask here (too late) as this forum will always tell you to declare any minor ding you get, even if you were to nudge your own garden wall. 

Technically they're right but it's your call. I've had incidents where I've had to go through insurance and 1 where I didn't - and was better off for not going through insurance. 

I've 'done the right thing' and told the insurance before, even when I've not claimed - and now I'm worse off for it... For 3 more years. 

When there's a third party involved it changes everything.  It can get awkward of you don't inform them and then 3 months later the third party who yo've already paid money to has a bash elsewhere at their own fault decides to double dip?  What do you say?  What do you do?

Dr_Crypto

JustAnotherSaver said:

I wouldn't ask here (too late) as this forum will always tell you to declare any minor ding you get, even if you were to nudge your own garden wall. 

Technically they're right but it's your call. I've had incidents where I've had to go through insurance and 1 where I didn't - and was better off for not going through insurance. 

I've 'done the right thing' and told the insurance before, even when I've not claimed - and now I'm worse off for it... For 3 more years. 

Normally I’d agree with you but this involves a stranger third party who is already being demanding. It’s got disaster written all over it. 

This isn’t a case they you’ve damaged your wife’s car on the drive. 

As I said these private arrangements require trust between the parties and there seems to be little here. 

michaelhamill

thanks for all the replies. i think i will do some comparison searches to try to gauge what i will have to pay out then just go through the insurance. cant be bothered arguing with an unreasonable person and i really resent giving her the money to go to the garage that she wants to go to when she knows that it is not the most suitable choice of garage. i have her address and i see the good autobody shop that was recommended is 300 meters from her house. and its a good price. yet she wants to go thirty miles away and cost me more money. eurgh. 

Scrapit

michaelhamill said:

thanks for all the replies. i think i will do some comparison searches to try to gauge what i will have to pay out then just go through the insurance. cant be bothered arguing with an unreasonable person and i really resent giving her the money to go to the garage that she wants to go to when she knows that it is not the most suitable choice of garage. i have her address and i see the good autobody shop that was recommended is 300 meters from her house. and its a good price. yet she wants to go thirty miles away and cost me more money. eurgh. 

I'm not sure you can call people unreasonable when you damage their property. Going through insurance means neither of you get much choice.