Claim in car insurance or pay out?

[Meltinthemiddle]

Basically my friend reversed into a parked car and damaged their bumper no marks to his own car. They swapped details but owner said he could probably polish it out etc at first glance (neither took photos) but has since been in contact saying they couldn't repair it and took it to the garage and was quoted £300. Would she be unreasonable to ask for more quotes? I think she will pay out as fairly new driver blso don't want premiums to go up. She didn't think the damage looked to bad but obviously didn't take photos. I've never been in this position so any advice would be great.

Bumpers are expensive. She'd still have to declare it as an accident whether she claims or not, or it could void her policy.

It might not be up to her, he can easily find out who he's insured with and claim directly through them if there is no reasonable dispute about who was at fault. He's already got a quote and he's going to have to take time off to get the repair done and presumably be without a car in the meantime, you can't expect him to keep faffing about getting more quotes until she sees one that she likes.

Oh really so she can't just pay for the bill privately without informing her insurance company?

She can pay his costs privately and many people wouldn't tell their insurer but really she's supposed to report it to them whether she's making a claim or not

Technically you're supposed to declare you've been involved in an accident but a non fault accident won't void your insurance and they wouldn't know unless she or the third party told them. Based on her being a new driver, I would just pay the third party's quote but make sure she keeps proof that the £300 is full and final settlement and that the matter will then be closed. And make sure she gets a copy of the quote.

She'll have to declare the accident regardless of whether she claims - I hope she's contacted her insurers? Technically she has to report within 24 hours.

@Meltinthemiddle

Oh really so she can't just pay for the bill privately without informing her insurance company?

Of course not!

Fair chance that her excess is around £300 anyway. She should snap his hand off and pay him sharpish before it ends up being a couple of grand (if it goes through insurance).

Fair chance that her excess is around £300 anyway.

No excess on third party claims

@Meltinthemiddle

Oh really so she can't just pay for the bill privately without informing her insurance company?

She can pay the costs privately, but by law she has to inform the insurers.

If she chooses not to, and he decides to chase the claim, she could be in a lot of trouble.

@Shade17

Fair chance that her excess is around £300 anyway.

No excess on third party claims

Over 30 years on the road and I never knew that. For reasons I won't say on here I really should have known this.😊

£300 is very reasonable. My Dh works in garage and average cost is £400-£500 to paint a panel (I.e. bumper or door). Personally I’d pay it without going through insurance.

Tell them to just pay the £300, their insurance will cost considerably more with a claim against it, even polishing a scratch out would cost that and to paint would be nearly double, people often underestimate the cost and time it takes to repair cars, it’s really not a diy job anymore