To ask for car insurance claim advice?

[Spinkey]

Reposted because I posted in a forum with no traffic and got no responses, and I really need some advice please.

Basically I bumped a car and smashed the headlight, exchanged details, he said he would get a quote for repair and let me know. I’ve never had an accident before so thought that was the correct approach. I thought maybe £150 for a light so it wasn’t worth making a claim.

He’s got in touch with the quote and it’s more than expected. Apparently the bumper is dinted as well, which means the repair will cost four figures. My excess is £200 so obviously I replied and said it’s more than I can afford so it will need to go through insurance.

Anyway it turns out he has already had it done and paid for it. So he is very annoyed that I won’t refund him the cash. DH says we are fucked if I send the quote to my insurance and they won’t accept it or insist on a different garage. I’m chewing myself to bits with worry because I can’t possibly pay for it.

Don't panic. Ring your insurer. Tell them what's happened and let them deal with it, that's what you pay insurance for. I work in insurance fraud and we know the difference between fraud and ignorance. Tell them the truth and you will be okay

Always, always go through insurance even for the most minor of things. That's what it's for.

Just call your insurers and explain. It's the guy's fault for getting it repaired without your ok.

It's not a quote if he has already had it done. Did you agree to pay for the repair without being consulted about the cost first?

Also if it's only the damage to the other car you don't pay your excess - only payable if you are claiming for damage to your own car.

It's not your fault that they've gone ahead and had their car repaired - it's on them now if your insurers refuse to pay the full cost as the third party has taken away the chance for your insurers to inspect the damage to confirm they are happy it was all caused by this accident.

You certainly won't have to pay.

No. I thought he’d send me a price and I’d say yes that’s fine I’ll pay it because it’s less than my excess, or no I’ll have to claim because it’s too much.

He’s having you on. Speak to your insurer.

Ring your insurers.. Every time.

He’s going to be furious though. He lives nearby and he works with my uncle, I don’t want any bad blood or retaliation. I’m chewed to bits.

My car isn’t damaged apart from a scratch. The damage to the other car looked minor, the headlight glass was broken. I didn’t realise there was any damage to the bumper but I accept if he says there was, it appears on the quote and the receipt shows he paid for it. I’m worried my insurance won’t cover it because he’s gone ahead and had it done already.

You should have notified your insurance immediately. They won't look very favourably on you.

I thought if it cost less than the excess I would just pay in cash. Because that’s how pet insurance works, and that’s the only experience I have of claiming on insurance. My pet insurance excess is £100 so if the cost of treatment for my cat is under £100 I can’t claim, I just have to pay in cash.

I didn’t know I had to. I thought if the repair cost less than the excess I just paid it without claiming. Because that’s how pet insurance works.

It's your responsibility to read your policy documents.

Ugh. Also I’m a bit surprised about all the “notify your insurance about everything” posts. This will most likely mean your insurance costs will rise, as could be the case even if you weren’t to blame.
A wise poster stated above that you should now contact your insurers - they will know the difference between your genuinely not understanding how it worked, vs massive fraud. And that guy was a jackass to go ahead and get it repaired without consulting you.

If he needs to use the car he can hardly wait for the headlight to be repaired - it needs to be roadworthy for him. He could be stopped and fined by Police (unlikely but possible) for a broken headlight, and he needs to be able to see where he’s going.

op’s insurance should pay all other things being equal (like if op was genuinely to blame)

The difference here is that you are paying for repairs for someone elses car - not your own car/cat/house/whatever. There is just too much scope for you to be ripped off if you don't go through insurance. Yeah, you might save £50 by not going that way but equally you can end up in situations like this.

Also I’m a bit surprised about all the “notify your insurance about everything” posts. This will most likely mean your insurance costs will rise, as could be the case even if you weren’t to blame.
Thats why I thought you just sorted it out between you if it was only a few quid for a headlight or something. Because if you report it your insurance goes up, and it’s cheaper just to pay for it.

If he needs to use the car he can hardly wait for the headlight to be repaired - it needs to be roadworthy for him.
It was functional. The glass was cracked and a little bit had come out, but it worked fine. I actually thought he might just get a new glass and not even a whole headlight. My car had nothing but a scratch on the bumper which I covered with T/Cut. So I figured his car couldn’t possibly be that badly damaged? How could I hit him and damage his car but not mine? Anyway apparently it needed a whole headlight and a bumper as well because it was dinged.

Just ring your insurers and report the accident say you were going to pay cash but have decided to claim as it’s too expensive. Give his details and your insurers will contact him regarding reimbursement they may speak to the garage to validate the damage they have repaired. Your excess is only payable if you are claiming for your own damage with motor insurance. It isn’t uncommon for this to happen I worked in claims for years so don’t worry about it

You're meant to tell your insurers every time you have an accident. I have 24 hours to get in touch.

If you get in touch now you may find they refuse to pay and they could even cancel your policy.

He doesn't get to go ahead with repairs without your approval. You could have reasonably asked for 2 quotes before approval. He doesn't just get to decide what you are going to pay for. The only person to have done the wrong thing here is him. Hopefully you have good insurance and they deal with it for you.

The good news is that you don't have to pay the excess when it's damage to somebody else's car. The bad news is that they won't be overjoyed about him going ahead and getting it repaired without going through their channels. But they'll probably pay a fair chunk of it once he's jumped through the necessary hoops, and you've grovelled for being ignorant: you may have to top it up if they don't pay all of it.

He has provided two quotes, he said they were the same amount so he just got it done. He’s obviously gone ahead because like I said we’re vaguely acquainted through my uncle and he knows I’m honest. But I’m puzzled why he thinks I’d just fork out a four figure sum instead of claiming. If it was fifty quid for a new glass on the headlight (which is what I was hoping for) then fair enough I would pay it. But to send me a four figure bill and think I wouldn’t claim?

He shouldn’t have got the work done until he was sure either you would pay or or your insurers. You are obliged to inform your insurers if you have an accident but you don’t have to claim through them. I would do what the person upthread who works for an insurer has said i.e. call your insurers and tell them. I hope you took some pictures of the damage.

Chances are if he's got two quotes and they are the same then your insurers will just pay out. However, my point remains, he should not go ahead with work without your approval. Ultimately though, you are liable for the damage and unless you can show that some damage was pre existing and not as a result of the accident, you will have to pay. Just contact your insurers and ask them what they want to do. It really does depend on your insurers. They all operate differently. Just phone and explain, this is not an unusual issue.

99% of cars don't have a separate "glass" available for the headlight - that died out in the 1950s.