Car Insurance - bumper scuff - best way to proceed?

AdCee

Hi, I've been involved in a bumper scuff accident (them parking on a street corner on double yellow lines to pick someone up, me not navigating around them enough!). They have maybe £400 of damage (paint a scuffed bumper), I have negligible damage to mine (£100 paintless dent removal). I suggested working it out without advising insurance (thinking of my NCB, likely increases to future premiums), but they've gone ahead and notified theirs (albeit telling their insurer it will likely be settled privately)

My accident was in my company/Salary Sacrifice vehicle, but I do have another car with 20+ years Protected NCB

A few questions...

- must I inform my insurance company?

- does settling privately constitute a "claim" (for renewal purposes)?

- does the accident in my SS car affect my old private car come renewal time, both in terms of losing NCB on the old car, and increased premiums (i.e. do I have to divulge the accident in the SS car when renewing my old cars insurance)?

- is it still worth settling privately, or will my premiums etc go up anyway, even after I've settled privately (i.e. make it a full claim and defend my case, because it will cost me in the long run)?

Many thanks.

Car_54

- Yes
- Yes (the TP has claimed from you
- No impact on NCD, but yes you have to declare
- I would let the insurers handle it, since (1) it will probably end up much more than your "guesstimate", and (2) increased premiums are likely to be less than that. BTW how will you defend hitting a stationary object? 

DullGreyGuy

AdCee said:

Hi, I've been involved in a bumper scuff accident (them parking on a street corner on double yellow lines to pick someone up, me not navigating around them enough!). They have maybe £400 of damage (paint a scuffed bumper), I have negligible damage to mine (£100 paintless dent removal). I suggested working it out without advising insurance (thinking of my NCB, likely increases to future premiums), but they've gone ahead and notified theirs (albeit telling their insurer it will likely be settled privately)

My accident was in my company/Salary Sacrifice vehicle, but I do have another car with 20+ years Protected NCB

A few questions...

- must I inform my insurance company?

- does settling privately constitute a "claim" (for renewal purposes)?

- does the accident in my SS car affect my old private car come renewal time, both in terms of losing NCB on the old car, and increased premiums (i.e. do I have to divulge the accident in the SS car when renewing my old cars insurance)?

- is it still worth settling privately, or will my premiums etc go up anyway, even after I've settled privately (i.e. make it a full claim and defend my case, because it will cost me in the long run)?

Many thanks.

You are obliged to and the fact that the TP has told theirs means its likely in the Cue db so easy for your insurer to find out your lying to them/failing to fulfil your obligations

Insurers dont ask about claims, they ask about incidents irrespective of if you claimed for them or not and irrespective of blame. Exactly how you enter it in the quote system will depend on how the question is phrased and the options. If you do tell your insurers in advance they are likely to register a claim and close it down with no outlay after a few months and no approach from the third party. 

NCD will be unimpacted as you've not claimed on that policy. You must answer all questions honestly and completely. 

Cost of premium increase is likely to be notably more if they settle the claim than if you do.  Increases tend to be a percentage so it depends on how much your premiums currently are and if the £400 repair estimate remains true or increases. 

AdCee

DullGreyGuy said:

AdCee said:

Hi, I've been involved in a bumper scuff accident (them parking on a street corner on double yellow lines to pick someone up, me not navigating around them enough!). They have maybe £400 of damage (paint a scuffed bumper), I have negligible damage to mine (£100 paintless dent removal). I suggested working it out without advising insurance (thinking of my NCB, likely increases to future premiums), but they've gone ahead and notified theirs (albeit telling their insurer it will likely be settled privately)

My accident was in my company/Salary Sacrifice vehicle, but I do have another car with 20+ years Protected NCB

A few questions...

- must I inform my insurance company?

- does settling privately constitute a "claim" (for renewal purposes)?

- does the accident in my SS car affect my old private car come renewal time, both in terms of losing NCB on the old car, and increased premiums (i.e. do I have to divulge the accident in the SS car when renewing my old cars insurance)?

- is it still worth settling privately, or will my premiums etc go up anyway, even after I've settled privately (i.e. make it a full claim and defend my case, because it will cost me in the long run)?

Many thanks.

You are obliged to and the fact that the TP has told theirs means its likely in the Cue db so easy for your insurer to find out your lying to them/failing to fulfil your obligations

Insurers dont ask about claims, they ask about incidents irrespective of if you claimed for them or not and irrespective of blame. Exactly how you enter it in the quote system will depend on how the question is phrased and the options. If you do tell your insurers in advance they are likely to register a claim and close it down with no outlay after a few months and no approach from the third party. 

NCD will be unimpacted as you've not claimed on that policy. You must answer all questions honestly and completely. 

Cost of premium increase is likely to be notably more if they settle the claim than if you do.  Increases tend to be a percentage so it depends on how much your premiums currently are and if the £400 repair estimate remains true or increases. 

Thanks DGM, the third party now tell me they haven't spoken to their insurers, but I see what you're saying about my obligations. It's a lot clearer now, I appreciate your input.