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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think she's the along the piss (car insurance claim)

102 replies

Badweekjustgotworse · 07/04/2017 17:56

Short version... backed into a scooter that was parked behind me reversing out of parking space (parked right up my arse didn't see it in mirrors)

Made contact but immediately stopped so it wasn't pushed over. There is a tiny amount of paint rubbed off, literally the size of a raisin.

Exchanged numbers, (the rider came out of shop I'd just left) they said they'd take it straight to the shop for quote and I said fine let me know...

Anyway, they called I spoke to the mechanic who told me price, I said fine let me get another quote for peace of mind etc.

Other guy said her quote was reasonable so I agreed to call round to her mechanic and pay him.

Called round, manager out, other guy said call back later so texted to say I'd tried to pay as promised but couldn't and would call round later.....

Then the fun starts

Scooter owner calls straight back to say they've changed their mind, don't want the paint touched up, want the entire panel replacing and it'll cost twice as much and they want cash delivered to them not the shop.

I said no, original quote to shop as I want a receipt, loads of nonsense in between and eventually they back down and go with original. I say I'll drop it up to shop but no they want it delivered to their house in cash Hmm I say no and want receipt. They then say they've spoken to the shop and if I leave the money there they'll take some of it off the fulll amount if she goes to collect it so clearly she just wants the money and not do the repair

I call the shop to verify, they say she's not called and they're happy to hold an envelope of cash for them and give me a receipt and won't take any of it!

I don't want to hand cash over to some randomer at their door as then I'm worried I get a call tomorrow saying that they want more, especially after they've already tried to change the goal posts more than once already, and I'd not have a leg to stand on as their way there's no witnesses or reciepts to prove money has exchanged hands?

Now they're being an arse though and saying they've told the shop not to accept anything from me and if I don't deliver cash to their house thy want to go through insurance

Once again, the patch of paint rubbed off is smaller than my little finger nail.....

Would I be totally unreasonable to just drop the cash round to the shop and text to say collect it or bog off? Or just suck up the excess and increase in premium next year to get them off my back?

OP posts:
Original poster
Badweekjustgotworse · 07/04/2017 17:57

Bloody hell thats long! Didn't want to drop feed.... may have gone overboard!

OP posts:
honeysucklejasmine · 07/04/2017 17:59

Go through insurance.

RedHelenB · 07/04/2017 17:59

If they are being like that you have no choice but to go through your insurance.

fannydaggerz · 07/04/2017 18:00

Go through the insurance for you're own piece of mind. Tell them what's happened up until now (I'm assuming you have records of correspondence between you two) you should be able to email that into someone.

LettuceMash · 07/04/2017 18:00

Call her bluff, say you've spoken to your insurance company who agree it just needs a respray.

Ask if she wants to get it booked in or not. No other options.

chickenowner · 07/04/2017 18:03

Go through the insurance.

Original poster
Badweekjustgotworse · 07/04/2017 18:09

Thought so... to be honest I don't want to deal with her anymore and it'd be worth the money it'll cost just to never have to hear from her again!

OP posts:
icelollycraving · 07/04/2017 18:10

Go through your insurance.

mando12345 · 07/04/2017 18:10

Go through the insurance, you hit the scooter however minor the damage. You'll have to suck up the excess.
I wouldn't give them the money direct at this stage, you are right you will have no proof you have paid them off.

Wishiwasmoiradingle2017 · 07/04/2017 18:12

Chancers. . Did you take pics?

Original poster
Badweekjustgotworse · 07/04/2017 18:14

Just hate the thought of being screwed over... clearly they just wanted as much cash as I'd be prepared to hand over and when I agreed to the first amount they upped the figure thinking I'd roll over and now I've dissed them at their game they're just being spiteful. I was literally stood with the cash in hand at the counter of the shop earlier and it would've been done and dusted if they hadn't got greedy.
Hope it comes back to bite them in the long grass (not feeling very charitable today!)

OP posts:
NonsensicalNonsense · 07/04/2017 20:51

Just blank her completely and deny it ever happened.

malmi · 07/04/2017 22:32

Going to go against the grain here. If you were happy with the original amount to cover the damage you caused, then you should have just paid it to her, got her to sign a receipt, and let that be the end of it. Whether she uses the money to actually repair her scooter or not is not your concern. It represents the decrease in value you have caused to her property.

Original poster
Badweekjustgotworse · 07/04/2017 22:47

malmi - i know but i just didn't think that would be the end of it. With no official receipt or unbiased witnesses to me handing over cash whats not to say she wouldn't turn round and start asking for more... essentially she's already done that today, she's changed the goal posts twice and even the guy in the shop alluded to the fact that she's less than delightful so i have no faith it wouldn't go tits up going that off book.

nonsense - she has none of my details other than number so technically i could but I wouldn't feel right doing that.

wish - yeah i took pictures, she didn't. wish I texted her the image straight after and circled the damage and made it clear that was ll we were talking about, god knows what shell try to claim for if we go through the insurance

OP posts:
Original poster
Badweekjustgotworse · 07/04/2017 22:50

just realised the thread title makes NO sense... obviously meant she's taking the piss Confused

OP posts:
NoBetterName · 07/04/2017 23:10

Go through your insurance. You damaged her property, so you'll have to pay the excess and she may still quote for a new panel but you won't have to deal directly with her. Damage can never be assessed accurately at the scene because you don't know what (less easily visible) structural damage has been caused, which requires assessment by a mechanic.

Denying it ever happened is just scummy behaviour. Someone caused damage to my motorbike once when it was parked up. The delightful individual obviously didn't admit it, but it set me back several hundred pounds to put right even though the paint damage was a few scratches on the tank, a bent clutch lever, a few more scratches on the engine casing (impossible to replace), bent gear lever and a week after, the indicator fell off, having been loosened by the damage. However, to the casual observer, it was probably a few minor scratches which they couldn't even be bothered to admit.

Original poster
Badweekjustgotworse · 07/04/2017 23:17

nobetter i haven't once said i deny causing the damage, i just wouldnt. sorry you had a shitty time with your bike, bent clutch lever sounds horrible.

I spoke to her mechanic yesterday who was the one who gave the original quote after she'd brought the bike in so can't see how she's decided now after i agreed to pay that amount why the work has increased in scale and cost.

meh, insurance it is, not worth the hassle.

OP posts:
BadLad · 07/04/2017 23:22

Go through your insurance. You damaged her property, so you'll have to pay the excess

Excess is presumably only if the OP was claiming for damage to her own car. If she damages another car, her insurers will just pay the whole amount. Of course, renewing insurance will be more expensive.

NoBetterName · 07/04/2017 23:23

Badweek, the comment re: denying it happened was based on another poster suggesting that you should do exactly that.

I was simply expressing an opinion that I think that is a pretty shitty way to behave towards someone.

I have sympathy with you, I really do, but if you don't want to deal directly with her, you need to go via your insurance.

NoBetterName · 07/04/2017 23:25

BadLad, either way, I think you get the gist of what I was saying.

BadLad · 07/04/2017 23:31

I don't get it, I'm afraid.

I'm making the point that there won't be any excess to pay towards the repair of the bike - the insurance company will pay all of it.

Original poster
Badweekjustgotworse · 07/04/2017 23:35

gotcha nobetter sorry for being defensive, I'm just miffed that I've tried to be accommodating and do the right thing and she's taking the piss.

badlad no there's no damage to my car at all so Ill not be claiming anything, so does that mean i won't have to pay the excess? thats good news, at least its just the increase in premium, and if it doesn't go up by more than 100 and i can shop around the following year i guess its a far cleaner deal than having to spend another day dealing with her. At one point this afternoon my 2 yr old came over and said, 'mummy you're too busy please come play with me' because id been on the phone to motor bike shops and spray painters a.nd texting her back all feckin afternoon

OP posts:
NoBetterName · 07/04/2017 23:38

BadLad, op would have a claim against her name, which would be registered on the motor insurance database. When she renews her insurance, the premium will go up because she had an "at fault" claim.

The point is that in the long run, she would loose her excess and have an at fault claim against her, so she'd pay for that indirectly anyway in increased premiums.

Widehorizen · 07/04/2017 23:39

No, the excess only applies to damage to your own vehicle. A 3rd party claim would be paid in full.

FWIW, I don't think she's BU in wanting the cash rather than the repair. You've caused damage to her property and you ought o compensate her.

Up to her what she chooses to spend it on.

By going through the insurance, you're just cutting off your nose to spite your face IMO - the increase in premium/loss of NCB will cause you significant pain for many years to come.

NoBetterName · 07/04/2017 23:40

*ncb not excess. It's been a long week....