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AIBU?

Bump in the car. AIBU to query a cash request.

33 replies

Pulluptothebumper · 07/12/2017 14:18

Posting for advice please.

My husband had a small bump in his car in a car park and caused a slight graze to the bumper of another vehicle (a colour-coded BMW bumper though!).

He left a note and the owner contacted him. The owner said he didn’t want to go through the insurance. He said he is selling the car and the garage that is taking the car in part-exchange said they would fix the damage for £250 (they estimated that an insurance loss adjuster would cost the job at £1000).

He’s had the job done and now wants my husband to pay him the £250 in cash. We don’t really have that spare cash. It would have been better for us to go through the insurance as it wouldn’t have affected our policy premium too adversely.

Has anyone got any advice as to where we stand with this situation. My husband accepts it was his fault but the owner’s course of action is going to leave us very much out of pocket. Isn’t this why we pay insurance?
Thank you

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ghostyslovesheets · 07/12/2017 14:21

you pay insurance to get the protection of going through insurance - he didn't - sounds like the other driver is trying it on - go through insurance!

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ghostyslovesheets · 07/12/2017 14:22

also He said he is selling the car and the garage that is taking the car in part-exchange said they would fix the damage for £250 (they estimated that an insurance loss adjuster would cost the job at £1000)

so what did your DH say to this - your post reads as if he agreed to it and now wont pay?

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wasonthelist · 07/12/2017 14:25

Tricky one - I suspect it’s unlikely to cost you less than £250 if processed through insurance - even if the immediate costs aren’t that, significant bet premiums will increase.

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Pulluptothebumper · 07/12/2017 14:28

Hi ghostly
No, the other chap said he would get a quote and get back to us. He phoned yesterday to say that he’d gone ahead with what I posted above and we are to pay the money to him.

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ghostyslovesheets · 07/12/2017 14:29

ah - well you don't pay - you didn't agree to

I'd still contact your insurance x

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ZigZagandDustin · 07/12/2017 14:31

Just tell him you don't have that kind of money st this time of year year but you do have insurance so to go through that. Don't engage directly with him again. If he wants it fixed he can use the appropriate channels. Some people may prefer to pay cash but you are not obliged to do so.

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Emerald92 · 07/12/2017 14:32

Ask for the invoice as proof as well as pictures of the repair. £250 sounds a fair price to me, if you're still unsure though, best go through the insurance.

Tbh I'm not sure what the insurance would do now as he's had it repaired before being assessed. Hmmm tricky!

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Glumglowworm · 07/12/2017 14:33

Go through the insurance. You dont have to pay cash if you don’t want to

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Flywheel · 07/12/2017 14:36

You are completely within your rights to go through insurance but keep in mind that you will probably have to pay excess (could be same sort of amount - check your policy) and your payments will go up next year. Sounds like it could be a win win for everyone if you just pay out.

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TollgateDebs · 07/12/2017 14:37

My advice is to let your insurance company deal with it, as this could come back and bite you on the bum! It is a condition of insurance that you inform your insurer when involved in an accident / incident / no matter how small. They then take over. You don't have to claim, but you do have to tell your insurer.

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Sadik · 07/12/2017 14:45

I'd definitely go through the insurance. I had a small accident last year which involved a similar value of damage and it certainly didn't increase my insurance by that amount.
I don't know about the circumstances in this case, but mine ended up being recorded as 'shared blame' or something like that (didn't know this was possible, and hadn't expected it).

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MonumentalAlabaster · 07/12/2017 14:46

Perhaps he wants to come to a cash arrangement because he is uninsured?

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BadTasteFlump · 07/12/2017 14:49

this

You are breaking the terms of your insurance contract by not informing them of an accident and sorting it out privately. Not worth the hassle - or the money. And actually when we've had v minor bumps in the past it hasn't cost us anything, or affected our premiums. I think it depends on your claims history, etc..

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BadTasteFlump · 07/12/2017 14:49

Don't know where that random 'this' came from!

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specialsubject · 07/12/2017 14:52

go through insurers.

the setup on this and the bad design of modern cars means official fixes cost a lot more but it will stop the guy coming after you for more. And if by any chance he is uninsured, it will flag him up.

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unreasonablesmells · 07/12/2017 14:54

Word of warning, I had a small bump. Not my fault but hers. Reported it in case she did (which she did and tried to blame me then dropped it so it was registered with no fault assigned) my premium went up next year by £200.

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Roussette · 07/12/2017 14:57

Don't tell the insurance company! Even if you ask them their advice but decide to pay the £250 yourself, it is logged and your premium will go up. Those who'e said their premiums don't go up are very lucky. I have 9 years no claims and I know mine would.

OP, how do you know your premium won't be adversely affected? It will! And it just won't be next year's premium, it will affect a few years. So £250 is a bargain. Just say to the bloke you want to pay via online banking so you have a paper trail.

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CeciliaBartolli · 07/12/2017 14:58

If your premium goes up, change insurer. You are meant to use your car insurance for claims, that's why you pay for it.

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Pulluptothebumper · 07/12/2017 14:58

Thanks people, I think we will pay on this occasion. The other driver has been very pleasant about the whole thing and therefore I think it’s only fair to resolve the situation with a direct payout.

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Roussette · 07/12/2017 14:59

Thanks nreasonable that's exactly what I mean.

My sister rang and asked her insurance company how much she thought her premium would go up as she'd reversed into a post. They couldn't say so she decided just to have it done herself. Her premium went up similar. When she rang to query it, they said it was because she had had an accident even though she hadn't claimed. Don't tell them anything unless you really have to.

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Jaxhog · 07/12/2017 15:00

At the very least get a receipt for the work done. And a written agreement that he won't make a further claim.

Or insist on going through insurance. You'll have to report it anyway.

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Somerford · 07/12/2017 15:01

You are completely within your rights to go through insurance but keep in mind that you will probably have to pay excess

The policy excess is usually only payable if you are making a claim for your own damage, it is not typically applied if the claim is for third party damage only.

OP - the third party doesn't get to dictate the manner in which you settle their damages. Assuming that you don't dispute that your husband is at fault for the accident, it is entirely up to you whether you pay the costs yourself or involve your insurer. Your insurer would likely prefer that the repair had waited until they had assessed and approved the third party repairs but it's not the end of the world, one of their engineers will look over the estimate and invoice to make sure that the repair costs tally with the level of damage.

Be wary of the impact on your renewal premium however. If you have protected no claims discount it shouldn't be a problem but if you haven't you might be in for a surprise there.

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Guardsman18 · 07/12/2017 15:01

I 'pranged' a neighbour's van last year and he came to tell me that he could get the work done for £380. his friend was going to do it! It could have been a million pounds - I just said I didn't have it and would go through my insurance.

He didn't want that (said out premiums would go up) but I felt that I have been paying it for 30 years and have never claimed and that's what it's for isn't it? He also said he'd contact the Police. Apparently, they would only be involved if someone was hurt I was told later.

I contacted my insurance company which told me it was being dealt with. Nothing has ever happened to my insurance premiums due to this.

I hope I'm right in saying this, but I would either ignore him and let insurance deal with it or say you'll get your own quote.

Neighbour had the work done for £80. (I have since given this to him!)

Sorry if this has been posted earlier, I have to go and get my son!

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Aridane · 07/12/2017 15:02

£250 sounds very reasonable - sounds like you are all being adults about this

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Killerfiller · 07/12/2017 15:05

So many people I know have had this happen to them
Paid cash directly then letter from insurance regarding claim


Don't do it if you don't want to
Pay twice.

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