To refuse to pay for this and go through insurance instead?

[ReacherSaidNothing]

DH hit someone else's car when he was driving home on Sunday, he admits he's at fault with this. The person in front braked suddenly and he swerved to avoid them and scraped their back bumper, his car has a big bash just behind the passenger front light.

The person he hit asked that they don't go through insurance, DH said he might agree to this and started looking at quotes for the damage to his car. So far he has had a quote for £1700 and a second for £1800, he then told me two days ago that the passenger side door won't open since the accident. So on top of the damage to his own car, he still has to also pay to fix the damage to the other driver's car but who knows how much that'll be, they've still not been in touch to say what they've been quoted for it.

We had no idea how much this would cost to fix but tbh we don't have this kind of money atm, we recently moved house and had to pay £12k unexpectedly to fix hidden problems so there is nothing left in the bank so to speak. We could maybe borrow off relatives but I don't see why we should when we have car insurance. DH has 12 years protected NCD and the excess would be £350. He's not keen to go through insurance in case his premiums go up massively, his last annual premium was £459. I've said that if he borrows off family to pay for this then he can pay them back himself. I'm a FT student working a part time job, I have no money to pay anyone back anything. What would you do in this situation?

Go through insurance. Failure to inform them May invalidate his insurance. Insurance exists to lessen the financial pain of these incidents. It makes sense to use it. I’d also be suspicious of their reasoning. Are they insured?

Definitely go through insurance

This is one for the insurance.

Thanks for replying, I really don't know if they're insured or not. But if they're not at fault, would it affect their insurance? Or would they not be entitled to have it fixed by DH insurer if they aren't insured themselves?

Did they not give their insurance details when you swapped info?

Apparently not. DH called me to ask for his insurance details (I organised the insurance for both our cars) but when he got home he said they didn't want to go through the insurance. I asked if he got their number plate and he said yes.

Always always go via insurance.. That's what you have or for... Anything else leaves you wide open....

It's a red flag that the person he hit asked not to go through insurance.

Because your dh has admitted fault (although it's unclear why the person suddenly braked, possibly suggesting a cash for crash scenario).

Is the other person not insured?

In your dh's position (presumably he has a phone number for the other person), I'd send them a text saying that the repairs are already extremely expensive and on top of the repairs to their car, this is completely unaffordable and he needs to go through insurance. Say that unless they reply within 24 hours, he's going to contact his insurer.

Yes the premiums will go up. Quite a lot. They all are. Ours was hiked even though our accident was non fault.

Phone your insurance company and tell them what happened, provide a the 3rd party name and address and car reg. After the incident you shouldn't really talk to the 3rd party, that's what you pay the insurance company for.

I don't this you should even admit liability at the roadside. Just exchange details.

He needs to go through insurance. Even if you don’t make a claim you’re still supposed to inform them of any accidents. What happens if the other driver suddenly “develops” whiplash, is he going to pay for that as well. Yes insurance will go up but he needs to tell them anyway.

You need to ring your insurers. Tell them what happened. Tell them the make and model of car and registration and say what road it happened on. Also say they don't want to go through insurance. Sorry HE needs to do this.

I did all this when I rolled into the car in front. They hadn't phoned the insurers, mine said I'd done the right thing. Nothing ever came of it.

Unfortunately that was foolish on his part, he should have gotten their details regardless. I’d be worried they just aren’t insured. You absolutely should go through your insurance though.

I would worry the other person is going to come with whiplash, personal injury etc etc (fake) and there will be trouble if your dh agrees no insurer.

I think insurer is necessary. No insurer is when 2 cars hit slightly in a carpark and the repair bill is like £200. Not £2000+++

When you go to the insurer, I would disclose the fact that the other car braked sharply and you are concerned about cash for crash fraud.

The insurer can tell immediately from the number plate whether the other vehicle is insured.

And the will tell you yes or no

Insurance - ex insurance company employee here

This has 'dodgy AF' written all over it

Though it actually doesn't matter if the other party isn't insured, not for this situation, as your DH was at fault

If they insist on staying outside of insurance, I'd report to the police as they're likely hiding something

This is a scam ring non regent police and they will give you a crime ref no, then you report to insurance.

I would say definitely go through insurance - that’s what it’s for.

I don’t know for sure, but I have heard that premiums go up after an accident regardless of whether you are at fault or not (obviously more so if you are at fault). So that might be why the other party is suggesting it.

Even if you don’t go through insurance I think you still have to report the accident anyway.

If there is a protected NCD then I would definitely go through insurance. Discount may still be less or lost, but don’t underestimate the value of having professionals dealing with this.
Otherwise, what’s stopping them making a subsequent personal injury claim? With insurance claim legal matters like that would generally be covered.

Yes it still will affect their insurance even though it wasn’t their fault. And yes their insurance premium will go up regardless. And the other driver driver still has to pay their excess in the meantime

Definitely call your insurers. Motor insurance is my job and paying people direct is a big NO .. also not your problem if they aren't insured so don't worry about that .

You are getting good advice here.
Go through insurance and don't communicate with the other party.

The other driver won't have to pay an excess as your husbands insurers can get their car repaired

We didn't have to pay our excess when we had a no fault claim. They waived it. So the other driver might not have to.

But yes it will affect both sets of insurance.

The red flag is that they don't want insurers, having braked for no reason. Weird weird weird. I'd get the insurers involved.

I've had a look at his policy and as long as he only makes one claim in a 12 month period, then his 12 years NCD is protected. Insurance is due to renew in December, I finish uni shortly and can go up to FT hours in my job while I wait to start my new career properly so if the premium does go up massively, i guess we can take the hit better.

Cash for crash scam? Is other driver insured and likely to pursue a damages claim?