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Original poster

Hit parked car

52 replies

BlueBox81 · 10/07/2023 14:10

I hit a parked car in a car park this morning. There is a scratch on my and their car. I left my details and they have called me. They have said they are a private taxi (true their licence was displayed on the windscreen) and that they are not allowed to work with scratches on their car. They said they don't want to go through insurance (I guess because of the time it would take) they will get a quote and they want me to pay them directly (not the garage). I feel uneasy about this. Any advice on what I should do? Thanks

OP posts:
AmITooOldToDoThis · 10/07/2023 14:10

Insurance.

PurpleBananaSmoothie · 10/07/2023 14:11

Always go through your insurance. Don’t pay them directly.

iknowwhymummysporridgewascold · 10/07/2023 14:11

Agree with PPs always go through insurance

BodenCardiganNot · 10/07/2023 14:12

They said they don't want to go through insurance (I guess because of the time it would take) they will get a quote and they want me to pay them directly (not the garage)

I think it's your decision as to how to proceed - not theirs.

Bromptotoo · 10/07/2023 14:13

I wouldn't worry too much provided you've agreed the amount, seen the repair invoice and made crystal clear, in writing, that the sum is full/final etc.

Make sure you've got details of his taxi plate.

Thebigblueballoon · 10/07/2023 14:14

Nope. If I agreed to deal with it privately, I’d want to be dealing with the garage directly re any quote and payment.

SindyisbetterthanBarbie · 10/07/2023 14:16

This sounds like a bad idea

teaandtoastwithmarmite · 10/07/2023 14:17

We did it once and it was pretty straightforward. My husband got a call from the garage and went there and paid it. I'd never do it again though and I did let my insurance know

Clarachuff · 10/07/2023 14:19

Insurance. Always

SedentaryCat · 10/07/2023 14:19

I'd deal directly with the garage or go through the insurance. How soon before he starts suffering whiplash or other aches and pains when he tries to work. Even if he wasn't in the car when you hit it....

Switcher · 10/07/2023 14:37

I've done it before but the owner was right there when my daughter opened her door and dented the other car. Very lucky it was an old honda jazz and the lovely lady only wanted £80 for it! I think I did pay the garage directly though.

Original poster
BlueBox81 · 10/07/2023 14:38

Thanks for all of your responses. I think I will wait and see what the cost of repair is to both cars before I make a final decision. Even if I do decide to pay up, I will let my insurance company know. I've just looked at my excess and it's £350 compulsory and £250 voluntary, so is quite a lot. If I do pay rather than go through insurance, I will make sure I see the quote and say that I want to pay the garage directly.
If I drew up a private settlement agreement to get them to sign. e.g. saying they acknowledge this is full and final settlement and agree not to pursue me for any further damages at a later date, would this have any legs?

OP posts:
Alarae · 10/07/2023 14:40

I did this- was in a Tesco express car park and the wind pulled my drivers door from my hand and right into their wing mirror! There was a passenger in the car and when the driver came back we exchanged emails/phone numbers.

It was an older BMW so they took it to a local garage who sourced a second hand wing mirror and fitted in. The garage emailed the invoice to me and I paid them directly.

I felt awful at the time. I think the fact I was heavily pregnant though meant they were quite sympathetic to me!

LobsterCrab · 10/07/2023 14:44

It can work out cheaper to pay directly rather than go through your insurance as it doesn't affect your no claims discount. But you get to decide - not him.

LadyJ2023 · 10/07/2023 14:45

If they wanted to go thru insurance then I would but all the times accidents apart from 1 have happened in our family quotes were got and an amount exchanged and that was that. Its not uncommon to do this with a fair person because it ups both your insurances and no claims disappears etc so in the 5 cases in our family twice we got money of the persons who dented our car after we got quote at local garage and twice one of them mine we paid persons same way. In fact just 2 weeks ago a woman knocked mirror off my brothers left a note. He rang all amiable and she gave him the agreed amount 2 days later thus saving her insurance and his.

Puckthemagicdragon · 10/07/2023 14:45

Depends how much. Few hundred, with confirmation in writing, worth it to avoid hitting your insurance premiums

MadeForThis · 10/07/2023 15:05

Sounds like they are going to hit you with a bill for being unable to work too. I would be very careful.

Treecreature · 10/07/2023 15:18

MadeForThis · 10/07/2023 15:05

Sounds like they are going to hit you with a bill for being unable to work too. I would be very careful.

Exactly this. Are you going to pay for a vehicle to use while theirs is in the garage? Go through insurance, that's what you've got it for.

AmITooOldToDoThis · 10/07/2023 15:20

I've just looked at my excess and it's £350 compulsory and £250 voluntary, so is quite a lot.

you only pay that if they’re paying for repairs to your car.

AmITooOldToDoThis · 10/07/2023 15:20

LobsterCrab · 10/07/2023 14:44

It can work out cheaper to pay directly rather than go through your insurance as it doesn't affect your no claims discount. But you get to decide - not him.

Almost certainly outside of the terms the OP agreed to when taking out the insurance.

Original poster
BlueBox81 · 10/07/2023 15:39

Treecreature · 10/07/2023 15:18

Exactly this. Are you going to pay for a vehicle to use while theirs is in the garage? Go through insurance, that's what you've got it for.

Show quote history

This is what I'm also worried about, that he is going to ask me to pay for a courtesy car or hit me with a bill for his loss of earnings for the time that his car is in the garage.
What a nightmare! I'm so angry with myself!

OP posts:
Roussette · 10/07/2023 15:41

@BlueBox81

Whatever you do, do not tell your insurance co, unless you are going to go through them. You do not have to tell them. If you do, they will up your premium anyway, just by knowing.
So you will pay a raised premium, even though you don't use them for any repairs.

LorraineInSpain · 10/07/2023 15:42

Roussette · 10/07/2023 15:41

@BlueBox81

Whatever you do, do not tell your insurance co, unless you are going to go through them. You do not have to tell them. If you do, they will up your premium anyway, just by knowing.
So you will pay a raised premium, even though you don't use them for any repairs.

You have to tell your insurance company if you are involved in an accident whether there is a claim or not.

WaxhamSeals · 10/07/2023 15:43

I hit a taxi once and the driver asked me to pay direct rather than through insurance.

I refused & asked to swap insurance details.
The driver never contacted me again. I presumed that this meant he didn’t have any insurance himself, or that he only had ordinary insurance and not a taxi policy

Roussette · 10/07/2023 15:44

LorraineInSpain · 10/07/2023 15:42

You have to tell your insurance company if you are involved in an accident whether there is a claim or not.

Show quote history

For a scratch? I don't think so. It's hardly a big accident.

I reversed my DH's car into a post, not mega damage, bit of a dent, we had it repaired, didn't tell the insurance co.