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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:
Widehorizen · 07/04/2017 23:41

nobetter I think you are muddling up the concepts of 'excess' and 'no clams discount'

No excess applies to 3rd party claims.

BadLad · 07/04/2017 23:41

Yes. The whole point of insurance being mandatory is that if you damage someone else's property with your car, or you injure them, you can't just turn round and say that you can't afford to compensate them. Your insurers will just pay up. Fully comprehensive cover is not mandatory, so insurers charge an excess on that.

Widehorizen · 07/04/2017 23:41

X post!

MoreThanUs · 07/04/2017 23:41

I'm pretty sure you pay excess either way.

Widehorizen · 07/04/2017 23:43

No, you don't. You're mistaken

loaferloveforyou · 07/04/2017 23:43

I think OP is more worried about paying the money then her coming back to say she hadn't paid for the damage.

This happened to me. I got the cash to get it sorted and signed a bit of paper to say that was the end of the matter. And it was.

Could you not hand her the money and get her to sign something saying you have paid?

Original poster
Badweekjustgotworse · 07/04/2017 23:45

wide i don't mind giving her the cash, I've offered it to her multiple times, but she's unnerved me by changing her mind so many times today that i wanted to leave it at the mechanics in an envelope so she couldn't say i hadn't given it to her. I was in the mechanics earlier trying to pay! I spoke to them and they were happy to write me a reciept for the cash and let her just pick it up but she wanted me to drop it directly to her... I just feel like Id be a sucker to do that since I don't know her from adam and she could be as shady as for all i know (and given the contact I've had so far Im inclined to cover my back)

OP posts:
loaferloveforyou · 07/04/2017 23:45

I don't know if it's the same but I went through insurance when I discovered damage to my car. Wanker driver just left my car mashed up for me to find. I lost my no claims years and had to pay the excess.

Might not be the same though as it was my insurance and didn't know who the wanker culprit was.

Original poster
Badweekjustgotworse · 07/04/2017 23:46

x posts

OP posts:
BadLad · 07/04/2017 23:52

I don't know if it's the same but I went through insurance when I discovered damage to my car. Wanker driver just left my car mashed up for me to find. I lost my no claims years and had to pay the excess.

You have to pay the excess if you claim from your insurers for damage to your own vehicle.

If your insurers have to pay out for damage you caused to another person's vehicle then you do not have to pay any excess. This is the case with the OP.

If the owner of the bike had claimed through her own insurers, then they might have had the bike repaired, for which the other driver would have had to pay the excess. This would then be claimed from the OP's insurers.

Widehorizen · 07/04/2017 23:54

If your insurance company is unable to recover their costs, then you will lose your NCB.

So if either the accident is your fault, or you're hit by unidentified/uninsured driver, or a cyclist/animal etc (who carry no insurance) then yes, you'll lose your Ncb

3rd party = no excess
Own vehicle =excess payable

Original poster
Badweekjustgotworse · 07/04/2017 23:55

badlad so if she claims against me rather than me putting a claim on my own insurance I'll have to pay an excess? (can you tell I've never had to claim for anything.. totally clueless)

OP posts:
notbankinonit · 07/04/2017 23:55

Strictly speaking, whether the claim goes through the insurance or not, you are supposed to inform your insurer of any accidents when you renew.
In this case I would go through the insurance. It's your fault. It's summat and nowt. Quite often your premium isn't affected as much as you think it will be. This person is going to be awkward and isn't to be trusted. That's what you pay your insurers for - let them deal with it.
Has the scooter owner even got insurance?

Original poster
Badweekjustgotworse · 07/04/2017 23:56

she's asking of my insurance details so I'll just stall and call them myself in the morning to raise the claim on my side in that case.

OP posts:
Widehorizen · 07/04/2017 23:56

Op, would you rather feel like a sucker for a few days, or pay significantly higher costs for all your motoring for about a decade?

Just take the money round, get her to sign a receipt and put it out of your mind.

Slarti · 07/04/2017 23:57

Has anyone questioned whether the OP would need to pay the excess if going through her insurance? I feel this is a point worth discussing.

Widehorizen · 07/04/2017 23:58

No, your insurance company will pay her excess, and you will pay it many times over in the form of higher insurance costs.

For years.

MammaTJ · 07/04/2017 23:59

If you go through insurance, she will have excess to pay, so she is being daft to push you to the point of doing that.

Maybe give her one last chance by pointing that out to her, if you are feeling charitable (which it doesn't sound like you are-understandably) then tell her to feel free to get nothing by going through the insurance, once she has paid the excess for a little bit of missing paint!

DoloresTheRunawayTrain · 07/04/2017 23:59

As she is currently unaware you have pictures of the damage I would not hesitate to send copies to the insurance company as it will help your case no end. Especially if she starts claiming for a load of unrelated items and stating the damage was more severe ie you pushed it over.

Widehorizen · 07/04/2017 23:59

bangs head on desk

It is a 3rd party claim, so no, OP will not be (immediately) out of pocket at all!

Original poster
Badweekjustgotworse · 07/04/2017 23:59

notbankin i did wonder that myself earlier when she was being weird about me wanting a receipt from the mechanics and she sent me a random text about not having her own bank account like I was being all posh and waving my credit card around in her face Hmm do people really pay for things like insurance in cash?

OP posts:
Widehorizen · 08/04/2017 00:00

No, the other driver won't pay the excess either. OP's insurers will pay it

BadLad · 08/04/2017 00:01

No, Badweek, you won't have to pay any excess. People who tell you that you will are wrong,

Your insurance might be more expensive next time you renew it. However, you can just give the other party your insurance details and tell them to contact your insurers. After that, the matter is between the bike owner and your insurers. You don't have to pay anything and if you receive any correspondence, you can just forward it to them.

That is, if you want to go down the route of going through your insurers. If you suspect, at all, that the other driver isn't completely honest, then I suggest you do.

But to reiterate my answer to your question, if you claim on your insurance for damage you caused to someone else, you do not have to pay excess.

notbankinonit · 08/04/2017 00:01

Don't engage any further with them. They want you on the back foot. This sort of scenario can all backfire with that sort. You will not pay an excess. Your premium may go up a little next time, depending whether you have protected no claims. I'd just ring my insurer tomorrow. It's really no biggie.

Original poster
Badweekjustgotworse · 08/04/2017 00:01

oh god I'm confused, would she have to pay the exccess on her insurance then? the amount for the respray isn't even in triple figures!!!

OP posts:
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