To be upset someone hit my car whilst parked today

[JaceLancs]

Whilst our shopping today at a local retail park someone ran into my car
I returned to find a neat pile of trim and bumper bits left next to it.
Fair play in that they left a note, was also caught on cctv (the car park security people were very helpful)
They didn't leave an address or phone number though, just their reg no and insurance company, said they admitted full liability and told me to claim on their insurance
So what's my issue?
I rang insurance company who now want to write it off!
I'm very attached to it, I suspect they will offer me very little money as its 12 years old - however I've had it nearly 10 years and know exactly what it's foibles are, what work has been done, for example new clutch and gearbox, recon to engine - and it's just passed mot with very little work
I am sure the repairs could be done v cheaply if I ask around, mostly cosmetic
I would've much rather settled this privately
Worst of all why can't people be more careful!!!!
Someone else hit it whilst parked a few months ago, left no details and no one had seen anything so had to have it repaired myself
Not sure if I'm just unlucky - but it has been hit whilst parked 5-6 times
I've been driving 30 years and managed to avoid these types of careless accidents

I'm in the same position in that we have a 16 year old car and if it were bumped we know it would be written off as its worth very little financially.

You could get them to write it off then buy it back

I asked them about that and they said it might be an option but couldn't guarantee it - I wouldn't want to take that risk
Also if they write it off I'm not entitled to a hire car in the meantime
I wish I'd not reported it now and sucked up the repair cost myself

Think I might wait and see what the assessor says tomorrow
Does anyone who works in insurance know if I will then have the option to cancel the claim and sort out the repair myself?

Yes, you can.

This is why i park as far away from the shops as possible. Other people are twats.

Sorry to hear about this OP. I have a (financially worthless) 18 y.o car that I'm very attached to. Like you, I feel that I know its repair history, foibles etc and I would be livid if this happened to me. No advice but you have my sympathies.

That's annoying. It's a shame they couldn't give you the option of not going through the insurance.

I'll ask about my options when it's been assessed - I don't mind spending a little bit to make it look less scruffy
Thankfully it's still drive able as my job is designated essential car user, and I live in a fairly rural location - no buses evenings or Sunday's and not that many during the other periods

It's not a small car - so you should be able to see it!
The other vehicle was one of these large mpv type things with bull bars (apparently)
It was very busy today with Xmas shoppers so didn't have the option to park somewhere more isolated

Buy it back off the insurance and have it repaired. I don't blame you wanting to keep it, better the devil you know and if you've done all those bits to it, it's well worth keeping.
Make sure they offer you a fair pay out (look on eBay / auto trader for comparable cars that you'd replace it with)- you can haggle.
They may give you the offer of a cat c or cat d. Cat c will cost you less to buy it back but it will be worth less to sell on. Cat d may cost you more but will be worth more when you sell it.

Having said all that I had a car that someone wrote off and they just let me keep it no cost to me.

Take lots of photos of the damage so when you come to sell it you can show people it wasn't badly hurt.

It was very busy today with Xmas shoppers

Should be banned.

It's definitely worth asking the assessor how much they'd want for it if you bought it back (if it's still at your property you'll get it cheaper - possibly even for free, as it'll cost them upwards of £100 to have it collected from your address and taken to the scrapyard - which is normally what happens with older cars) Basically, you'd be buying it from them instead of the scrapdealer. Even if you bought it from them you'd still also get some money back from them and could then get the car fixed yourself (if it's a commonly found car like a Ford, Vauxhall, VW etc you can get a bumper from a salvage yard for £30, lights for £10 etc.) It will then be recorded on the write off register (commonly known as V-car) which will adversely affect its value should you come to sell it or part exchange it, however the fact that you know your car and the work that's been done to it means it can still be financially viable for you to repair it. You may need to have a vehicle inspection done depending on which category the assessor places it in - he can tell you more about this.

A colleague of mine was in a similar situation to you, someone dented his car door, rendering the car (a 15 year old Nissan Sunny) a write off. The insurance company paid him out about £550 for the car and let him buy it back for £60. He ran it for another two years and didn't even bother fixing the dented door!

Hope it works out for you.

"Take lots of photos of the damage so when you come to sell it you can show people it wasn't badly hurt."

Very good advice from Nicole. I wouldn't be put off buying a written off car if the price was right and I knew the damage.

Be aware that if you buy it back you'll have to declare it as a category d or c wrote off on your insurance, which makes it much harder and more expensive to insure.

On another note, if you have legal cover on your insurance you can hire a car yourself and make a claim for the expenses through your legal cover, I did and was successful. You have to 'mitigate your losses' e.g pick a cheap hire car.

Thanks for all help and tips
I took photos today - but will take some extra ones tomorrow
Lights aren't damaged its a vw and should be able to get rest of parts for about £70 - I can live with the scrapes and dents if I have to - they even managed to put a gouge across the alloy wheel
I do have full legal cover so will investigate hire car whilst being repaired (hopefully) if it's only for a brief period doesn't matter if it's only something quite small

Get two quotes yourself and ask for the minimum so the car isn't written off, then submit to insurance and say you want your local garage (aka cheapest quite) to repair it

Quote not quite

It is very annoying (have had 2 cars written off by insurance companies in similar circumstances over the years) but I'd just be glad that they left their details and you'll get a replacement without having to lose your NCD, if I'm honest. Sadly, not everyone stops, or leaves their details, or at least their true details. At the end of the day, a car is just a means from getting from a to b

I am glad they left some of their details - unlike the one a few months ago
Restored my faith in humanity somewhat
I would rather have settled privately though - and could have saved the other person some money too

Similar thing happened to me a year ago.

You need to phone up 'the engineer'. The person who decides the car is a write-off.

Ask what your options are. You don't have to accept the write off.

I was given 3 choices...

1- write off. We give you £600 for it. Your insurance goes up, and you have to get a new car.

2- write off, but you can get it fixed at your garage. We will take off the excess and give you £300 to get it mended. Then you have to take it for a new MoT and a VIC. At your own expense.

3- we will pay up to £500 for your garage to fix it. No write off, but we will need to see proof of the repairs.

My garage found a second hand light and fixed the bumper for £500. It passed anothe MoT and I am still happy driving it.

Obviously, this won't apply for any structural damage! But for cosmetic bumps and trim, it should be mendable.

It can't hurt to ask...

Message me if you want any more info.

At the end of the day, a car is just a means from getting from a to b

For some, perhaps.

Not sure if I'm just unlucky - but it has been hit whilst parked 5-6 times
Either unlucky or parking terribly.

You're lucky OP. My car was hit by a drunk driver and now there's a stand off between insurance companies. I've been told to a) Claim off my own insurance (£325 excess and lose no claims bonus) or b) Pay for it myself and don't claim off insurance at all!

I feel your pain though!

A woman hit my car while I was parked, kids and dog were inside, she was in pieces, very upset...tbh I just thought it's a bloody car, thankfully no one was hurt.