Absurd charge for car repair claim

Rasforte

Long story short. Today I was quoted a huge increase on my car insurance to renew. When I asked I found that a tiny incident I had in car park (my fault), which resulted in an almost invisible scuff on the other cars bumper and no damage to mine was down as having cost £6,500 (!) to repair, which I understand involved a respray of the bumper an a hire care. Insurance company are trying to claim that

a) this cost was reasonable for them to pay
b) it has not affected my premium
c) it won't affect any quotes I get from other insurers when I disclose it.

They won't give me a breakdown for how the money was spent. 

I think their claims are rubbish and that I have been unfairly disadvantaged by it, in terms of the cost I am now going to have to pay for insurance in future 

Am I wrong? If not what can I do? Ombudsman?

Insurance company are stonewalling me...

BoGoF

You are wrong, the cost of the repair could have been £10,000, it makes no difference to you. All it goes down as is an at fault claim. If you think the insurance company would pay it without it being properly invoiced you are wrong and at the end of day it's nothing to do with you.

Rasforte

Thank you, so just to be clear, if I go for a quote to another company and they ask me, as they do, about what claims I have had, and what they cost, they are not interested in the sum paid, and my quote won't be affected?

DullGreyGuy

Rasforte said:

Thank you, so just to be clear, if I go for a quote to another company and they ask me, as they do, about what claims I have had, and what they cost, they are not interested in the sum paid, and my quote won't be affected?

The vast majority won't ask what it cost... if you've lost concentration and gone into the back of someone it really doesn't matter if its a Rolls or a knackered old Fiesta, it doesn't change the probability that when it happens again that it will also be another Rolls or Fiesta. 

The fact that the aggregators do ask it means that 1 of the 100 odd providers they have on their books is interested though if they use it for pricing or just want to reject anyone with a claim over £100,000 would be speculation. The vast majority of people are simply not interested and never ask how much the final bill was for, and if its a claim in the 100,000s or £1m+ then thats likely injuries and is highly unlikely to be settled anywhere close to your first renewal after the claim and possibly not even the second. 

It's also not uncommon for there to be late claims, people have 3 years to claim for injuries unless they are a child (under 18) in which case they have until their 21st birthday. Even if you checked now and get told it was £6.5k that isn't to say in 3 years time it was still £6.5k if a whiplash claim came in just before the deadline etc so unless you plan to check annually 

Rasforte

Ok that's helpful thanks

prettyandfluffy

How much has your insurance gone up by? As a % is fine if you don't want to disclose actual cost.  Many, many people have had big increases in car insurance premiums.

Rasforte

100% increase £650 - £1200!!