Damage to car - should I claim or pay?

MiM

Hi all,

Some XXXX has decorated my car and those of my neighbours with a coin or suchlike. I was just about to sell it as well.

I got two quotes for repair - £260 or £700. Not difficult to choose from.

What I can't decide is whether to just swallow it and pay the £260 or claim on my insurance.

I'm with Esure, who have given me the best quote for the last three years, and have no claims protection. I've already claimed once on this for a minor bump about a year ago.

Which will end up being cheaper in the long run?

Many thanks

Sooler

Depends on how much excess you may have to pay plus any increase in premiums a claim will cause when you renew and how many years this increase will be in effect.


Were you going to sell it or trade it in? May be car dealer won't be too bothered about a scratch as they may be prepared to repair it at their own costs, so perhaps you'll lose less by trading it in with a scratch than without one.

MiM

Unfortunately it's more than a scratch, it's all down the side and the boot and bonnet, so I think £260 is a good price. I'm going to sell it privately anyway.

My excess is £100. With NCD are they still allowed to penalise you with an increase your next premium?

Last time I was unable to shop around after one claim because other insurers considered I had no no claims discount even though I'd had it protected. As usual, it seems you can't win with insurance companies unless you're dishonest.

Sooler

MiM wrote:

My excess is £100. With NCD are they still allowed to penalise you with an increase your next premium?

The policy says this ... so you may be OK, phone to check to be sure.


No claim discount protection
For an additional premium, you can retain your no claim discount unless
you make:
• more than one claim in a period of cover; or
• more than two claims in any three periods of cover in a row.
If we have to reduce your no claim discount and remove the no claim
discount protection benefit, we will use the scale shown in your Schedule.


I don't know if other companies take any notice of protected no claims.

MarkyMarkD

That's not what MiM asked, Sooler. The point is that the gross premium (before NCD) will be increased if you claim.

I wouldn't personally claim for an amount as small as this - you are losing an NCD "life" for very little financial gain.

Even if you switch insurers, declaring the claim will increase your quote.

NCD is transferrable, though, and if it's protected the amount on your renewal notice will be unaffected - so you would get the full NCD with the new insurer.

MiM

Thanks both, you've confirmed what I thought - pay up and forget about it!

Cheers