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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To tell him to jolly well go through the insurance then!

37 replies

Fairydustandfairycakes · 09/02/2015 07:12

So a couple of weeks ago, I was driving in heavy traffic behind a taxi when he stalled. A short time down the road, going around 5mph whilst we were in first gear, he stalled again - but this time, due to the heavy traffic I was closer to him and our cars had a light bump.

My phone had died so had no way of taking pictures should have listened to dp when told to carry a disposable. Although on close inspection of his car, there was no damage, just the 'hackney carriage' sign on the bumper had come off on one side and so was dangling. We swapped details and I called him later on. He said he would prefer to get it sorted between us and he would get a quote from a garage.

Fast forward to yesterday, he calls me and says "I got the quote - £400 but make me an offer". Hmm

I was gobsmacked and asked him exactly what the damage was an could he send me the pictures he had taken. He said "uhh ohh well the sign and the bumper." And kept saying "well how much can you afford to pay? I don't want you to pay £400 or even £300.... Make me an offer"! I persevered with asking for photos and he said he would try. He pressed me for a figure and so I said "to be honest, I didn't expect anything over £50 because to my mind, the only damage was the pin on one side of the sign" - i'm certain there was no other damage - I made sure I had a good look because I had no phone! damn thing

I then received a message saying "we can sort this out if you pay me £100 compensation". Compensation?! Not for damage but compensation?! Shock

Now, I know that he hasn't contacted his insurance company (whereas I have on an 'information only' basis) as I know this is a legal requirement. The whole thing is stressing me out as it seems like he has just popped the sign back on (because he surely hasn't been driving around for the last two weeks with it half hanging off.) the reason he decided against the insurance company is because there is nothing to fix and therefore nothing to gain for him. Whereas this way he can almost bribe me. He did not send me any photos.

So lovely mumsnetters, what would you do?

OP posts:
ivykaty44 · 09/02/2015 08:31

Tell him he needs to get two quotes in writing and photographs.

Tbh I reckon the stalling was on purpose to get you to bump into him so he could make a few hundred quick.....

stubbornstains · 09/02/2015 08:39

If you damage someone else's car, then the excess doesn't apply! The excess only applies when you claim for damage to your own vehicle (at least in the case of fully comp. policies). I've just been through this Blush.

Also, if a claim is disputed, your insurance company will send an inspector round to inspect your car for signs of damage, and then they will go and look at the other party's car for signs of corresponding damage. At which point, if what you say is true, this taxi driver will just go very very quiet...Grin

(again from personal experience. What can I say? 12 years of totally incident free driving and then it all happens at once Blush)

BauerTime · 09/02/2015 08:40

He clearly doesn't want to involve insurance companies which means he is either trying it on because there was no damage or he just doesn't want to go through insurance because it may up his premiums and so is willing to take a loss but wants you to pay something towards the damage. Either way I wouldn't be giving him anything right now. Either he sends photos (which he won't be able to do because let's face it if it's still damaged then he won't have been able to work since it happened and so he has clearly fixed it already) or a bill for the repairs he has had done (which he won't have) or he contacts his insurance company (which he won't do).

You were at fault as you went into the back of him and as he is responsible for the safety of his passengers he should have had it fully checked out to ensure the bumper wasn't damged and if it was had it repaired properly. But if he hasn't done that then that's on him, not you. A bumper on a black cab would cost more than £400 to repair or replace so he is trying it on.

You have reported it to your insurance company so let him report it to his if he wants to claim costs. It seems unlikely at this stage that he is in a position to be able to do that but that's hardly your fault.

stubbornstains · 09/02/2015 08:44

I should ALSO add, that if you have a disputed claim, that will go on your insurance record until resolved, which can take more than a year, meaning that if you have to renew your insurance in that year your no claims bonus will go down and your policy will go up until it's resolved. (someone claimed I pranged their car THIS TIME LAST YEAR and it's still not resolved- they have to wait 6 months from the last letter they sent the fuckmuppets, and when there is no answer they will finally close the claim and I'll get my 2 years NCD back, which meant my insurance was much pricier this year Angry).

Ahem, apologies for the rant.....

Emus · 09/02/2015 08:55

Sounds to me like he has fixed it but is seeing it as an opportunity to make some money from you. Who uses the word Compensation?! Very odd. I agree with others. Call his bluff. Tell him you are happy to sort this out between you but you would like to see photos and have two quotes from two local garages. If he cannot provide this then you will go down the insurance route to sort this out. Good luck OP. X

HairyOrk · 09/02/2015 09:06

Go through insurance and show them his messages

PrimalLass · 09/02/2015 09:23

I'm sorry but just because the traffic was heavier doesn't excuse being so close to someone you run into the back of them when they stall.

Nonsense. If they stop with no brake lights and no warning.

Hobbes8 · 09/02/2015 09:30

I had something similar last year when I hit a parked car. Entirely my fault and I didn't dispute that, but they wanted £800 cash. I went through my insurance and haven't heard anything back, so I assume they've settled. There was no excess to pay as no damage to my car. The owners of the car were quite intimidating on the phone and threatened to call the police,but I just let them bluster.

I posted on here about it and got lots of replies about how much damage a small bump can cause. Annoyingly expensive for a small mistake, but that's what we have insurance for.

Siarie · 09/02/2015 09:37

I expect he is just trying it on and would just go through the insurance (depending on my excess).

But it is worth noting damage from slow speed impact can be quite expensive. I've seen whole front bumpers cracked costing £400 to repair as the whole front grill has to come off (at low speed e.g crawling traffic).

Does sound like he's trying it on though, I expect it you say "let's just go through insurance" and wait he won't.

HairyOrk · 09/02/2015 13:59

If it was an expensive repair, he wouldn't be asking for £100.

Nomama · 09/02/2015 14:07

Tell him you to put in a claim. Then forward every communication to your insurance....

He is taking the mickey.

tb · 09/02/2015 14:37

Apart from the minimum legal cover, most taxi companies self-insure. It's cheaper that way and they save shedloads of ipt.

My uncle used to have 10 of the buggers, and that was all he ever insured for as it saved him money.

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