Is this a normal response by employers following a nanny car crash?

One of our au pairs managed to drive my brand new mini cooper through a hedge into a field and we made her do something like 8 weekend babysitting nights to help 'pay' for the repairs but that was because she was not allowed to drive it and was in it without permission (trying to do someone else a favour at the time).

If the nanny was using the car at the time for nannying stuff, and not doing something stupid then I wouldn't expect them to pay anything (although I do have a clause in both nanny and AP contracts specifying the right to claim the excess from them if they are negligent). If the nanny was however using it on a night out or something then I might invoke the clause.

I would have an issue with the nanny using her own car though - her own insurance could be invalidated if it is deemed that she is using the car for business purposes - no idea if an insurer might take that line in a crash.

Dadinstead - would you have to notify your insurers if no other car was involved? Surely not?

my employers pay for any accidents/excess etc but its something i have in my contract - learnt from a friend having to pay a few hundres, years ago, so over 2 weeks wages towards excess

..............................

We will provide a car and suitable childseats for our nanny to use during the days that you are working. We will insure that the car has tax, mot and has fully comp insurance. If an accident happens while our nanny is driving, regardless of fault, we the employer will cover all insurance costs.
..................................

why are the family not going through insurance,sure their excess cant be more £500 and if they have protected then shouldnt be a problem

one one hand i can see that if the nanny has an accident and is her fault, she should be liable, but that is part&parcel of employing a nanny - unless happens lots

i managed to roll my works car 6mths into job, and ended up on roof, ,my dc then 1 and 4 were hanging upside down, saved by their car seats and seatbelts

it all went through db insurance, and was 50/50 but the lady who i hit/hit me hounded me and kept ringing trying to make me admit was my fault

db answered the phone one day, and said "i dont give a fuck about the insurance/car, my children are fine,as is my nanny, and thats all i care about, not a piece of fucking metal"

go db!!

sorry for woffle,yes parents should pay your friend petrol costs - but maybe not 40p per mile as it isnot mb/db fault they have to pay petrol iyswim

As an employee I have a company car and am told in advance what the excess will have to be when if I have an accident. The nanny should probably have been told the same and if not told then there is an argument on both sides as to how much she should pay but £250 seems a bit steep, £100 would be a reasonable excess for an experienced driver with a clean record and over 25.

The relationship with au pairs is different, I have so far gone through two tyres and a wheel (a particularly hard thump into the kerb that one) and would not expect them to have paid (though one did offer).

I wouldn't push any of the cost onto the nanny including the excess. Would just see it as part and parcel of having a nanny. We haven't had a nanny or au pair crash that was their fault. Have had someone crash into nanny and each au pair has had a tyre blow-out. Can't imagine passing the expense on in any case.

I have friends whose au pair recently crashed their car while driving their children and they docked the repairs from her wages

I thought this was mean, mean, mean. The au pair obviously did too as she left

I'd say it's part of driving and being a driver more than anything. Claim on the insurance and if they need to buy parts ask her to contribute towards the cost.

Personally I wouldn't, but I am sure there are some employers would.

It is a pain in the arse but you take it as part and parcel of employing a nanny (in the same way I wouldn't have dreamed of charging my nanny for repairs to the washing machine despite the fact that she washed DS's trousers complete with 4 handfuls of rocks!)

Yes, but then again I would expect the employer to pay for the petrol used by the nanny whilst "on duty".

What would the insurance excess have been if they had claimed.

By not reporting to their insurance company (to save on increased premiums next and following years) they are in breach of their insurance contract. If they expect the nanny to collude with this then it would be very unreasonable to expect her to pay more than what would have been the full liability if they were more honest.