Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Flip

1 2 3

Original poster

Am I a total skinflint?

66 replies

toomuchtooold · 26/10/2018 14:34

A kid in DD's class grabbed the hood of her winter jacket and ripped it - not just the seam, the hood as well. We're in Germany where the kids all (it's not obligatory but almost everyone has it) pay 1 euro for accident and liability insurance, so I went into school to see if I could claim for her jacket on our insurance or on the insurance of the kid that grabbed her jacket. The class teacher found out about this and has now contacted the mum of the boy who's phoned me up and offered to pay for the jacket. I was like, great, thanks, shall we claim on the insurance? And she was like ach no it's not worth it for a "kleinigkeit" (like, a little thing) of 25 euros. (Sorry, that was long, but that's the punchline). I feel quite stingy now, but I don't think I could let 25 euros go! Am I a skinflint? Would you write off 25 euros rather than fill in an insurance form?

OP posts:

Twork · 26/10/2018 15:10

We had to sign a bit of paper to say we are responsible for a peice of equipment DS is borriwing from school. We were strongly encouraged to get insurance. We looked online and a replacement is less than £50. We'll just buy a new one if needed.

Jaxhog · 26/10/2018 15:11

What's the point of insurance if you don't claim? I'm betting she hasn't paid and doesn't want you to know SHE's the skinflint, not you!

Original poster

toomuchtooold · 26/10/2018 15:13

So you want her to pay it as some form of passive aggressive point?

I don't think trying to make an insurance issue out of a coat hood is going to be a tipping point in solving this problem.

The insurance is made for this sort of stuff. It's actually given as an example of something you can claim for, a ripped coat in the school playground. I know it's not going to be a tipping point for anything but at least if we end up having to complain it won't be like "you should have told us at the time". I also thought that "can I have an insurance form for my kid's coat please" would be bit less confrontational than "look what that toerag did to my daughter's jacket", which I suppose you can see as passive aggressive, but it's more to do with the fact that I find it hard to be convincingly assertive in German as it's not my first language.

OP posts:

Original poster

toomuchtooold · 26/10/2018 15:15

I do also resent having to pay another 25 quid for a jacket when the school's been in for like 5 weeks though...

OP posts:

Original poster

toomuchtooold · 26/10/2018 15:16

What's the point of insurance if you don't claim?

Well exactly, and it's one euro - the premium doesn't go up if you claim on it, so why wouldn't you?

OP posts:

Fiderer · 26/10/2018 15:19

I've never heard of that, we don't have it in Rheinland-Pfalz.

But if you have insurance, claim on it, I'd say. And €25 isn't a "Kleinigkeit".

Fluffycloudland77 · 26/10/2018 15:22

I wouldn’t write off £25.

Pinkblanket · 26/10/2018 15:24

I'm confused, is she saying that she will give you the money directly? And that you are surprised someone would do that rather than claim on the insurance?

TinklyLittleLaugh · 26/10/2018 15:25

Do you have a decent sewing repairs place locally? I think I'd price that up first if it would work.

PiperPublickOccurrences · 26/10/2018 15:26

Is there an excess on the insurance though? Could easily be higher than the value of the claim.

Original poster

toomuchtooold · 26/10/2018 15:43

I'm confused, is she saying that she will give you the money directly? And that you are surprised someone would do that rather than claim on the insurance?

Yes, that. She doesn't want to go through the insurance. If she'd dinged my car I would understand but the premium doesn't go up if you claim on it

OP posts:

ExplodedPeach · 26/10/2018 15:49

I'd assume she hadn't bothered with the insurance, but wanted to do the right thing by offering to pay for the coat.

I wouldn't bother getting insurance that covered stuff like a coat being ripped, as I can afford to take that risk. I only insure for stuff that I can't afford to pay for myself.

diddl · 26/10/2018 15:54

I don't think that not wanting to lose 25 Euros makes you a skinflint.

Maybe she doesn't have the insurance or would rather hand over the 25.

If you claim through the insurance, where does the money come from?

Rafflesway · 26/10/2018 15:54

This insurance sounds a great idea to me!

I don't think you are being a skinflint at all op! To me it's not just about the money but if mum has to pay then perhaps it may encourage her to have a somewhat sterner word with her DS about the way he behaves.🤞

BewareOfDragons · 26/10/2018 15:59

That's why you paid for insurance.

Claim of the jacket or accept the money from the mother. Maybe she'll have actual words with her son to get him to stop being so careless with other people's belongings.

BlueJava · 26/10/2018 16:14

I try not to write off anything - if there is a way to claim it I will. I am certainly not mean and try and be quite generous to family/friends but why give away money for a little effort would by my view.

UseditUpandWoreitOut · 26/10/2018 16:18

I would be having a word with the school about the rough 'play'.

Lunde · 26/10/2018 16:27

Is there a deductable on the insurance that means it isn't worth claiming for small amounts?

I don't really understand why you don't want her to pay - you went to the school to get compensation and the Mum has offered to pay.

Rebecca36 · 26/10/2018 16:31

£25 is a fair amount to a lot of people. The woman is nice to offer to buy another and I think you should accept her offer. However, if insurance is likely to pay off, why not take use because otherwise there's not much point in having the insurance.

Original poster

toomuchtooold · 29/10/2018 11:57

Quick update - we ran into the mum in town at the weekend and she said she'd discussed it with her husband and thought now that the best thing to do was to claim it on the insurance.

My faith in German stinginess care with money is restored

OP posts:

greendale17 · 29/10/2018 12:00

I would claim. £25 is alot

TaxCredits · 29/10/2018 12:03

If it took over 40 mins of my time start to finish and had any effect on premiums, I wouldn't bother claiming.

If it took less, and it didn't have any effect I would.

Basically, It's a time Vs money equation that is unique to individual circumstances.

TaxCredits · 29/10/2018 12:04

in the case of a £25/EUR claim

IamtheDevilsAvocado · 29/10/2018 12:06

I always consider... How long would it take me to earn this net?? Anything over an hour's work... I'd claim!

Ellisandra · 29/10/2018 12:12

I’d be far more scathing of a woman who had to run that past her husband then change her mind to his, than of a woman who thought “fuck it, can’t be asked with the paperwork - here’s £25”

Flip

1 2 3

Swipe left for the next trending thread