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Original poster

Neighbours handbrake failed

135 replies

SkySmiler · 06/04/2025 16:49

So her car rolled into mine and made quite a significant dent, she doesn't want to go through insurance as 'both' our premiums would go up.

So she's proposed arranging fixing and paying for it herself, so we took car to garage with her and they have said to drop it off tomorrow at 9am and it can be collected at 6pm on Tuesday.

It's the school holidays and she expects me to be without a car for 2 days whilst she experiences no inconvenience - apparently her car manufacturer will reimburse her the money she has to spend on getting mine fixed, so no inconvenience for her and she won't be out of pocket either and she can go on about her day(s) with no problems.

OP posts:
diamondpony80 · 06/04/2025 18:14

It's probably true that both your premiums will go up. Someone crashed into the back of my car at a roundabout and even though it was very clearly his fault (and he admitted liability as he was looking at his GPS) my insurance went up too. You definitely shouldn't have to be without a car though when its her fault.

Chocbuttonsandredwine · 06/04/2025 18:11

I’d be telling her you need a car and that she needs to sort it.

tbh if you car will be ready on Tuesday I’d see that as a bonus, going through insurance will take weeks and be a ball ache

CautiousLurker01 · 06/04/2025 18:10

OliphantJones · 06/04/2025 16:52

Do not be browbeaten into not going through insurance. A woman police officer tried this on me once after driving into the back of my car. I insisted on going through insurance. My premium did not go up as it wasn’t my fault.

This - it’s not your fault so there will be absolutely no impact to your premiums.

SaladSandwichesForTea · 06/04/2025 18:07

To those saying your premium didn't go up, did you do a comparison of declaring an accident the following year vs not? Mine did.

FortyElephants · 06/04/2025 18:06

Your premiums won't go up since it's her fault, and going through your insurance would get you a hire car. She needs to provide the same as your insurers would.

willstarttomorrow · 06/04/2025 18:05

Honestly, just go through insurance. You are not at fault. I have only ever made 2 claims- I was not at fault either time and it was not contested. It did not impact on my premium and courtesy cars etc all sorted for the duration.

WooleyMunky · 06/04/2025 18:03

No, always go through insurance as you have no paper trail otherwise.

FrippEnos · 06/04/2025 18:02

Insurance all the way.
Go to a decent garage that is approved by the insurance company.
There may be more damage than you think.

FlourandFlowers · 06/04/2025 17:55

Similar has happened to us. We were also advised to replace the children's car seats we had in the car.

Insurance all the way.

OuchyEars · 06/04/2025 17:54

She needs to pay for your hirecar while your car is in the garage. She also needs to give you lifts to collect and return the hire car, as well as to and from the garage.
As soon as things get complicated it's best to go through insurance.
It would be astonishing for you to be held at fault for another car running into your staionary car.
Some people don't see or value a problem until it becomes their problem.

ThatsNotMyTeen · 06/04/2025 17:53

put it through your insurance, they will then claim off hers so it shouldn’t increase your premium. I wouldn’t be entertaining her nonsense.

Thatcannotberight · 06/04/2025 17:51

That happened to us and the car needed a new panel which took weeks to source, fit and do the respray. Luckily, the guy who rolled into our stationary car wasn't an arsehole, and put it through his insurance. We had a replacement car for weeks.

gamerchick · 06/04/2025 17:51

Nah go through insurance..it's pretty obvious she's forgotten to put the handbrake on. Otherwise, hers would be going in the garage itself.

Moveoverdarlin · 06/04/2025 17:47

I wouldn’t go to the hassle of hiring a car for two days. Carry on with your plans, get Ubers and say ‘I can’t manage without a car for two days Carole so can you reimburse me for the Ubers / taxis please?

mobilephonesoff · 06/04/2025 17:46

Text her and say that’s fine but we still need a car during that time so either you can arrange a courtesy car for those days or indeed let me use yours for 2 days or pay for all Ubers but either way we need transport.

or I will need to go through my insurance. I would have gone through my insurance any way. She would have paid everything including courtesy car etc

faerietales · 06/04/2025 17:43

mumofoneAlonebutokay · 06/04/2025 17:40

Oh really? When j called my insurance company to explain, he said that if they make a claim against me, I won't have to pay excess

When I googled, they have to pay excess and then claim it back?

Show quote history

You're right @mumofoneAlonebutokay.

You only pay your own excess if you're claiming for damage to your own vehicle - whether the other party claims (or not) is irrelevant.

AirborneElephant · 06/04/2025 17:43

Yeah, hire car as well or insurance

Tiswa · 06/04/2025 17:41

faerietales · 06/04/2025 17:02

It's not up to her whether you go through insurance or not.

Personally, I would let my insurers handle it. You're supposed to tell them about any accidents anyway, and if they find out further down the line, you could have your policy voided.

This yiu need to go through insurance simple as otherwise later on it could void your insurance

Secondguess · 06/04/2025 17:41

As others have said, there may be more damage than you realise. They really need to look under the car and check things like whether the exhaust has shifted etc before quoting for the repair. There's probably no benefit to you to doing it as she suggests.

When people say to go through the insurance company, you don't need to use your own (although you should inform them). You can deal directly with her insurance company which means your policy excess is irrelevant-they'll look after you so that you don't end up with one of those accident claims companies which charge huge amounts. When you both report the bump, expect her insurance company to get in touch.

mumofoneAlonebutokay · 06/04/2025 17:40

RubberyChicken · 06/04/2025 17:12

You won't have to pay any excess if it's not your fault.

Show quote history

Oh really? When j called my insurance company to explain, he said that if they make a claim against me, I won't have to pay excess

When I googled, they have to pay excess and then claim it back?

BitOutOfPractice · 06/04/2025 17:38

You know she forgot to put the hand break on don’t you?

Cognacsoft · 06/04/2025 17:37

Use insurance. They send an expert to assess the damage. What looks like a small dent could be hiding other damage underneath.

Zone2NorthLondon · 06/04/2025 17:35

She’s a chancer. Do it properly, through the insurance

faerietales · 06/04/2025 17:35

Also - how long ago did this happen? You generally have 24 hours to notify your insurers even if you don’t plan on claiming. They can take down the details for “information only” so that it doesn’t come back and bite you in the future. I’ve done this a few times when people have hit my car and it never really had an impact on costs.

Muchtoomuchtodo · 06/04/2025 17:31

I’d definitely notify your insurance and take their advice of how to proceed. There can be more damage than initially meets the eye

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