Truck dinged my car

Kim_kim

Hello - my car was parked outside my daughters.  There was a knock on the door it was an Argos delivery driver.  He explained that the big doors on the back had been whipped by the wind & dinged my car.  I went out to look - it’s about the size of a match box (maybe a tiny bit more), a bit off scuffing & a little bit of denting.
He asked if we could do it privately as his firm would charge him money for it & he'd rather sort out with me.  He said he’d pay into my bank if I got it fixed.  His co worker recommended someone.
I was very impressed with his honesty & this made me inclined to think I should go down this route.  Car is less than two years old. 

I took a photo of the truck & number plate - just in case.
walking back into the house (after they’d driven away), I found out the reason he’d knocked.  Her neighbour had saw it happen, stopped them driving away & told them what door to knock on.  Another neighbour also said same, they were getting back in to drive off. 

Knowing that I don’t feel like I should help him out, but should do what’s best for me.
I’m a bit clueless about these things - what should I do? 

AdrianC

If he does pay privately, rather than go through insurance, will you be honest to your insurers for the next five years... or will you "forget" to mention it come quote o'clock?

Belenus

Kim_kim said:...what should I do? 

Do everything by the book. Inform your insurance company and let them sort it out.

He was prepared to drive off and leave you with a bill so don't do anything that makes it easier for him. That could easily rebound expensively on you.

You may face slightly higher premiums for a few years but that is a risk we all take as motorists and car owners.

justworriedabit

AdrianC said:

If he does pay privately, rather than go through insurance, will you be honest to your insurers for the next five years... or will you "forget" to mention it come quote o'clock?

That is a good point. Someone I know had someone run into the back of their car at traffic lights.  They exchanged details went home, it was light damage/scuffs to bumper, rang insurance and they as her, "do you have any other damage to the car."? 
She recalled a 5/6 scratch to the front door of the car could have been keyed or some careless with a handbag walking past and causing that ( she was not making a claim on that as the scratch did not really bother her) The insurance person told them what will happen with the traffic light accident and said something like, "and as you did not tell us about the incident regarding the scratch when you took out insurance it will be another 150 pounds."
So the tell them everything.

I have a question and it may sound silly but I've always thought about but we've never had to claim. We have the fridge, washing machine, drier, dishwasher, tv, central heating, water/sewer pipers within our boundary all insured. If we was to have the tv repaired for a fault, not accidental damage, when renewing the car/s insurances, would we need to declare a claim?

It is always best to declare everything and if not sure ask as the last thing you want is your 10/15 thousand car in an accident then find out you are not getting a penny.

daydotz

I'd be asking Argos Via social media to go though there own insurance the driver should have had a accident form which would be sorted via 

gallagher bassett at no cost to you 

Id also be asking why one of their delivery drivers only owned up after being caught  & why they trying to cover it up 

sheramber

if the car is only 2 years old I would want it repaired by an authorised dealer for the make to maintain the paintwork warranty.

Kim_kim

daydotz said:

I'd be asking Argos Via social media to go though there own insurance the driver should have had a accident form which would be sorted via 

gallagher bassett at no cost to you 

Id also be asking why one of their delivery drivers only owned up after being caught  & why they trying to cover it up 

The reason I was at my daughters yesterday, she had driven me to & from the hospital for a small procedure which makes me very tired that day & the day after.  

So I didn’t contact my insurance today, I actually completely forgot about it.
He’s been back to my daughters with another man a bit agitated asking why I haven’t sent pictures of the damage to the repair company he wants me to use and telling her to tell me not to contact Argos.
My daughter told him she would call the police if he turned up again - she is a single parent with two small children & it unnerved her.
I have contacted Argos.  

[Deleted User]

Really doesn't make sense, if he was an Argos delivery driver then they would have procedures in place and Argos's insurance would cover it, the driver wouldn't be charged. Sound like it was some quasi self employed courier driver to me.

AdrianC

Deleted_User said:

Really doesn't make sense, if he was an Argos delivery driver then they would have procedures in place and Argos's insurance would cover it, the driver wouldn't be charged. Sound like it was some quasi self employed courier driver to me.

Probably not self-employed, but he won't work for Argos themselves. That certainly doesn't rule out him wearing an Argos uniform in an Argos liveried wagon, though.

A friend of mine works in the logistics industry - his company used to run the Argos two-man delivery contract.

And, yes, it's entirely possible that his employment contract puts minor damage onto him.

Kim_kim

Deleted_User said:

Really doesn't make sense, if he was an Argos delivery driver then they would have procedures in place and Argos's insurance would cover it, the driver wouldn't be charged. Sound like it was some quasi self employed courier driver to me.

It was a huge Argos lorry, the really big ones.  

AdrianC

Kim_kim said:

Deleted_User said:

Really doesn't make sense, if he was an Argos delivery driver then they would have procedures in place and Argos's insurance would cover it, the driver wouldn't be charged. Sound like it was some quasi self employed courier driver to me.

It was a huge Argos lorry, the really big ones.  

So not a 3.5t van...

Do you mean...

7.5t?


~15-20t rigid?


or an artic?


If it was a little 7.5 tonner, it was probably doing a delivery to a house of a larger item - garden shed or trampoline or similar.
If it was a big rigid or an artic, it would have been more likely to be delivering to a store.

Probably none of them will actually be employed by Sainsbury's/Argos directly... Van's most likely. The others will be contracted out to a large logistics outfit.