Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Protection built in.

Meet the Other Phone.
Protection built in.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

What should we do re car accident.

27 replies

Tinseltower · 30/01/2018 17:46

Hi, just wondering what would be best as me and my husband have opposing views.

DH had a minor car accident today. Minimal damage to other car but other driver has been quoted £450 approx to repair.

Our insurance is £850 per year as we have two non fault accidents recorded on it. Previously it was around 400. Now this fault claim would be added to it if we declare through insurance.

What would you recommend paying privately or through the insurance?

OP posts:
Birdsgottafly · 30/01/2018 17:53

Go online and do a insurance quote as if you have three non fault accidents and see what the price would be.

Personally i would (and have) pay privately.

DancingOnRainbows · 30/01/2018 18:00

It's risky not to go through insurance (almost got done over once myself). I can see why you don't want to though.

Tipsntoes · 30/01/2018 18:01

You need to tell the insurance company you've been involved in accident anyway. I'd do it "properly" through the insurance

Yogagirl123 · 30/01/2018 18:03

Go through the insurance OP, the other driver will probably take advantage otherwise. Insurance company will handle it all for you. You might live to regret it if you don’t.

Rosielily · 30/01/2018 18:03

Was the other driver in the car actually driving it at the time of the incident and were there any passengers? Just be careful that the can be no possible claim for whiplash injury which would have to go through your insurers which would then make a nonsense of paying for the minor damage yourselves

safariboot · 30/01/2018 18:04

As mentioned, the terms of your insurance almost certainly mean you have to tell them anyway. If you try and keep it secret and they find out, they'll use it as an excuse to deny claims in future.

GladAllOver · 30/01/2018 18:05

You MUST report it to your insurance company. It is a requirement of your policy.

safariboot · 30/01/2018 18:05

And then brand you an "insurance fraudster" which you'll have to disclose for the rest of your life, and you'll be lucky to get premiums that are only double what would normally be paid.

etap · 30/01/2018 18:06

Tell. Your. Insurance. Company.

Bluelady · 30/01/2018 18:08

I'd pay privately.

niccyb · 30/01/2018 18:09

You can always reimburse your insurance company if u go through your insurance. They usually negotiate with the other insurance company or garage for repair costs and will haggle if they do not feel the quote is justified.

GladAllOver · 30/01/2018 18:13

And then brand you an "insurance fraudster" which you'll have to disclose for the rest of your life
She won't need to disclose it. It will be recorded on the central insurance database that all the companies share, "Failed to report an accident."

NoqontroI · 30/01/2018 18:14

I would go through insurance personally just in case the other person comes back on you with a bigger bill of damage previously not noticed. And not telling may invalidate your insurance.

SandyDenny · 30/01/2018 18:18

I would make sure I had plenty of photos of the damage and details of everyone in the car and let my insurers know. You have no protection from the other driver trying to scam you in the future.

GladAllOver · 30/01/2018 18:22

This is a known scam. The other driver agrees to settle privately for a reasonable amount, then comes back later with a huge bill for further damage that the repair garage just discovered, or whiplash injury that has just been diagnosed, or both.

You have to pay up, because you can't tell the insurance company that the accident happened a couple of weeks ago and you were avoiding telling them. They will probably now refuse the claim and put it on your record.

Unicorn81 · 30/01/2018 18:27

Unfortunately it still needs to be declared to insuance. I had a similar incident and they logged it and told me it was up to me if i claim on ins (which i ended up doing as couldnt be arsed ringjng garages). My renewal wasnt bad at all but yeah check out quotes just so you are not surprised when you have to renew

peterpanwendy · 30/01/2018 18:31

Why pay for insurance if you won't use it? Was the accident your DH's fault?

ArsenicNLace · 30/01/2018 18:51

Why pay for insurance if you won't use it?

Because it's a legal requirement?? Confused

GreenTulips · 30/01/2018 18:59

You do have to report it and if there's a whiplash injury (I think they have 6 years to claim) it can cost you thousands and the insurance company will have all the records and bills witness statements etc so can offer some protection

You may well be uninsurable if you fail to declare an accident

GreenTulips · 30/01/2018 19:00

Oh and 2 non fault claims shouldn't have put your premium up - you need to check if they've given you you no claims discount back

sanesera · 30/01/2018 19:03

Hi OP I work in insurance claims.

Was the other driver in the car when the incident happened? If yes, I would advise you to report the incident to your insurance company for the following reasons:

  1. Personal injury claim. I would say 90% chance that he will go to personal injury solicitors for a claim. The solicitors will directly to your insurers anyway (details via Motor Insurance Database) and so you'll have more questions to answer on why you didn't report. Besides injury claims can be high and so best for insurers to pay.
  1. Hire costs. The third party will be well within their rights to hire a car for the duration theirs is in for repairs. You will be liable for this. If you report to your insurers, they can arrange hire for him and so can mitigate costs
  1. If it's a straightforward repair job with no hire and injury, you can pay your insurers back the outlay they would have paid for third party repairs. That way it will be like you have not claimed at all.

HTH

sanesera · 30/01/2018 19:05

Re your non fault claims, call and ask if they recovered from the third party. If they haven't, claim costs will still be on your file hence premiums going up.

peterpanwendy · 30/01/2018 19:26

@ArsenicNLace that was my point.. you have to have it so why not use it

GreenTulips · 30/01/2018 19:39

Personal injury claim. I would say 90% chance that he will go to personal injury solicitors for a claim

I've been in a recent accident which wasn't my fault and I've have numerous calls from their parties suggesting I make a claim - they promise the earth as far as payouts goes -

It was a tap and nobody was hurt

Jammysod · 30/01/2018 20:27

Not all insurance companies will let you pay back the claims costs... The one I work for (massive insurer) don't, so I'd double check this if it's something you would be interested in doing.

Someone reversed into our car last year. We got a quote & he paid it (£100ish).
We didn't add any injury or hire claim after we'd settled it. It wasn't reported to the insurer & they'll never know about it.

You might get lucky if you don't report it, but it's a risk.

If you do settle privately, make sure you take images of the damage & proof you have paid. Will protect you should they also try to claim through the insurance for the damage.

Swipe left for the next trending thread