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Original poster

car bump - what would you do?

28 replies

paolosgirl · 29/01/2005 16:51

A young lad has just bumped my brand new car in a car park - he was very apologetic and upset, gave me all his insurance details, and I got a witness.
Damage is minor - I've suggested to dh that I call the lad, suggest I get a quote for the damage, and if it's less than his excess (I suspect it will be, knowing how much they charge teenage lads) then he can pay direct. Dh says NO WAY - it's to go through the insurance.
What would you do?

OP posts:
Casmie · 29/01/2005 16:52

Hmm... assuming no-one was in your car so unlikely to be a later injury issue... I'd probably go for paying direct too. I'm not sure how that stands legally though?

Original poster
paolosgirl · 29/01/2005 16:53

Ds and I were in the car at the time - we were sationary, and the lad was trying to park in the space next to us.

OP posts:
templa · 29/01/2005 16:54

i might be able to help fix you damage for a low price

templa · 29/01/2005 16:56

hopefull the yong lad wont have to pay much

Casmie · 29/01/2005 16:56

But not a big enough whack that whiplash for either party would be likely?

Also check terms & conditions of your car insurance - would you have to inform them of every incident anyway?

sallystrawberry · 29/01/2005 16:57

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Casmie · 29/01/2005 16:58

Also if it's really really new, then it'd be best for you to get the repair done at the dealer so as to keep value.

I really sympathise, though. A few years back now, we had our Polo six days before a minicab driver decided to plough into the side of us at a set of traffic lights - was horrible

amynnixmum · 29/01/2005 17:01

Could you perhaps get a quote from your dealership for the cost of the repairs and give the lad the choice of either giving you the cash himself now before you have the repairs done or letting it go through his insurance.

Original poster
paolosgirl · 29/01/2005 17:01

Sally, that's a good point. I guess I thought that because he seemed so decent and handed over the insurance documents within being asked that he would not do the dirty. I'm probably being very naive.

OP posts:
Original poster
paolosgirl · 29/01/2005 17:02

Mine's a Polo too - only had it a couple of months. The point about the dealership is a good one....

OP posts:
sallystrawberry · 29/01/2005 17:06

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster
paolosgirl · 29/01/2005 17:54

Thanks for all your advice. Dh is not budging - says the lad should not have been driving a souped up car if he can't park it, and wants it all to go through the insurance. I sense a lively debate coming!

OP posts:
biglips · 29/01/2005 18:23

have you his car reg?

SofiaAmes · 30/01/2005 00:55

Paolosgirl, giving him the option of doing it in cash would be doing something nice for him, and I'm always in favor of doing nice things. In addition, insurance companies in the uk are terribly slow (in my experience as compared to american insurance companies) and even though it was his fault it could take months (and several estimates) to get the paperwork processed and money out of the insurance company. If the lad is honest, it would be much quicker to do it directly. And if he does turn out to be a flake you can put it through the insurance.

JulieF · 30/01/2005 00:58

A similar thing happened to me, except I was trying to squeeze past on double parked cars and broke someones wing mirror. I was grateful that the other driver allowed me to settle it privately.

I take it your dh is a perfect driver who never puts a foot wrong?!

charlie01 · 30/01/2005 01:02

Got a feeling it's illegal not to report an accident to your insurers?

I had an accident (not my fault) and the other driver didn't stop. Got their reg but wasn't certain it was right. Turned out that if I reported it but the reg wasn't correct I would have to pay the excess and lose my no claims. Seemed very unfair. I didn't report it and it cost me £300 to repair it.

I personally would defo go through the insurance companies though, too risky otherwise.

Gwenick · 30/01/2005 01:05

I'd go with the suggestion of asking him to pay upfront - and if he refuses then take it through insurance.

secur · 30/01/2005 01:13

Message withdrawn

Gwenick · 30/01/2005 01:17

or what you can do is inform you insurance people - but also contact him and see if he'll pay upfront,

If he agrees just call them back and tell them you won't be making the claim - we did that and it didn't affect our no claims bonus at all.

bobbybob · 30/01/2005 07:22

But you see the reason that the premiums are high for lads is that they do have these crashes. By allowing him to pay direct his insurer hasn't got a true cost of insuring him and so the premiums are not fairly distributed between people.

It's lovely that he was nice, but it's just easier all around if you play by the rules. He could get in trouble for not reporting the crash to his insurance company. If he was in another accident, even not his fault and they found out they could decline his claim.

In other words I don't think you would be doing him a favour.

starlover · 30/01/2005 09:18

you can both report the accident to your insurance companies without actually having to make a claim.

agree with the people who have said it will be MUCH easier and faster to settle it direct... am speaking from awful personal experience here!!!

I would want him to pay the money up front though to make sure you get it

biglips · 30/01/2005 15:53

I WORK IN MOTOR CLAIMS INSURANCE...

yeah, its important that you need to report it as "information only" and it wont affect your insurance premiums or no claims discounts. get a quote and see the young lad, who hit your car, if he is willing to pay up. if he does then he pay for it then once everything is done and youre happy, you need to call your insurance and tell them that everything is paid for (if you dont tell them they will keep your claim open until they get a confirmation off you to close it). if he cant pay it coz its costs too much, then you need to ring his insurance and MAKE SURE you have his correct reg and see whether he had reported it and see whether the lad admitted liability and if he does admit liability then you can claim thru his insurance and you dont pay ANYTHING (meaning excess and it wont affect your insurance coz youre not claiming thru your insurance).

If he does not admitted liability (as the lad might change his story around and try and blame you) then you will have to claim thru your insurance, and have to pay your excess (even though you werent at fault) and it will affect your no claims discounts coz youre claiming thru your insurance. ONCE he admitted liability (it may be couple of days but poss be weeks) then when you get your excess back and also your no claims discounts too (for every claim you make you lose 2 yrs)..... hopefully you have got Uninsured Loss Recovery (ULR) at the time when you had the accident, as your insurance will arrange a solicitor on your behalf to get your excess back and also any loss of earnings, whiplash, etc.. if you havent got it, then you will have to contact the lads insurance yourself and get your excess, etc back or you arrange your own solicitors privately

hope everything will be ok though !

WestCountryLass · 30/01/2005 21:16

I would give him the chance to settle direct and if he messes you around you have his details to make a claim.

Original poster
paolosgirl · 30/01/2005 21:21

I'm going to take the car to the VW dealership tomorrow (also have a flat tyre now - it's not been my weekend), get an estimate for the repair, then contact the lad directly and see what he wants to do. The damage really is minor, but it's my brand new car . Hopefully the fact that I've got a witness will mean he's less likely to try and wriggle out of it.
Someone went in to the side of DH recently, and then pulled a fast one, so DH is very wary of not going through the insurance.

OP posts:
essbee · 30/01/2005 21:32

Message withdrawn