Parking bump - "Culprit" wants to specify bodyshop!

[2SkodaFamily]

A week or so ago, some woman reversed her Galaxy into the back of the wife's Citigo, scraping paint off the rear bumper. Despite the car being white, and parked directly under a streetlamp, the culprit got out and said to my wife "oh, people don't usually park there" as if that was an excuse.

 

She wanted to pay for it rather than us go through the insurance.

 

We took it to the local "insurance approved" repairer - Broach Hill in Hutton Cranswick - and they quoted (IIRC) around £250 to respray the bumper. My wife informed the other driver by text.

 

Got a reply last week saying could we go to a "smaller" bodyshop nearby as that would be cheaper?!?! My initial reaction was "*******s to that, we'll go through insurance then" but SWMBO wanted to at least go over there and get a quote. My misgivings were based on if they mess the repair up we have no comeback at all.

 

Anyway, went over there on Saturday morning, and it was closed. Basically it's a corrugated tin shed! No flippin way are they doing it!! We sent them a text on Saturday saying that I'm not happy going to a non-approved repairer. No reply as yet.

 

I will give them till Tues 25th to reply, then give them 7 days notice that I'm going to the insurance if they don't agree to using Broach Hill.

 

The bloody nerve of some people!!! 

[2SkodaFamily]

On second thoughts, bugger the 7 days notice. I think we'll just go through the insurance.

[Ally_bassman]

My personal opinion would be to go through your insurance regardless.

 

Its not worth the hassle or risk to yourself.

 

At the end of the day, it's why we have insurance!? She shouldn't have reversed into your Citigo.

[ChrisKnottIns]

Whatever you decide, it would be worth telling your insurer ASAP so they don't question the excessive delay.

[2SkodaFamily]

Whatever you decide, it would be worth telling your insurer ASAP so they don't question the excessive delay.

 

Good point. Will they mind if we accept payment from the other party after we've told them?

[ChrisKnottIns]

Tell them you're just notifying them for information purposes at this stage but that a claim may ensue.

[MickA]

Won't they log this as an incident though?

 

Have read this could affect your renewal quote/price even though no claim was ever made.

[2SkodaFamily]

Won't they log this as an incident though?

 

Have read this could affect your renewal quote/price even though no claim was ever made.

That's what I was thinking?

[Aspman]

Won't they log this as an incident though?

 

Have read this could affect your renewal quote/price even though no claim was ever made.

 

Yes. Doesn't matter if the insurance pays out or not, it's still logged as a 'claim' and can affect renewals.

[ChrisKnottIns]

You still have a duty to disclose it to your insurer - it's part of the contract I'm afraid. You'd have to disclose it if you switched to a different insurer when they ask 'have you had any accidents, regardless of fault, in the last X years?'

[MickA]

So the OP better inform the insurance, and the culprit as well.

 

 

Not being pedantic, but what about the driver who drives off and you are left with scratched door or bumper. Let's say a smart repair would sort this, or touch up of some sort.

It may cost a few pounds or say £100+, if this happened more than once a year and you pay out of your own pocket for a repair, or even do it yourself, do you still inform your insurance company?

It's your car, your money, your misfortune, no one else to blame and after all insurance excess prevents small claims being made.

[J306TD]

I would use Broach Hill. They are the best in that area. Don't let them fob you off unless they have something to hide

Sent from my Galaxy S5

[expostmanpat]

Tin sheds are often better than plate glass, they operate on word of mouth rather than insurance refferals on massivelly inflated mark ups.

[Rustynuts]

So the OP better inform the insurance, and the culprit as well.

 

 

Not being pedantic, but what about the driver who drives off and you are left with scratched door or bumper. Let's say a smart repair would sort this, or touch up of some sort.

It may cost a few pounds or say £100+, if this happened more than once a year and you pay out of your own pocket for a repair, or even do it yourself, do you still inform your insurance company?

It's your car, your money, your misfortune, no one else to blame and after all insurance excess prevents small claims being made.

 

 

There's a big difference between a minor repair to a parking scratch and a mutually convenient settlement / agreement between two parties following an accident. Certainly in the case in this thread there has been an accident and there will also be a claim (albeit a non fault claim) which must be notified to your current and future insurers. Simply because if you fail to notify them, they'll already know about the claim anyway and you not telling them will simply mean that next time there's a need for you to make a claim, you'll just get hit with a letter saying you failed to disclose relevant information and your claim has been refused.

[B33fy]

I hope what happened to me doesn't happen to you... was hit whilst parked, sitting in car eating McDonalds, engine off etc etc, car reversed into me, driver admitted fault, then when it came to claiming they said that I was moving... no witnesses or any other way of challenging the lies, so ended paying for the damage myself. Wouldn't surprise me if their insurance company advised this approach.

[vindaloo]

A week or so ago, some woman reversed her Galaxy into the back of the wife's Citigo, scraping paint off the rear bumper. Despite the car being white, and parked directly under a streetlamp, the culprit got out and said to my wife "oh, people don't usually park there" as if that was an excuse.

 

She wanted to pay for it rather than us go through the insurance.

 

We took it to the local "insurance approved" repairer - Broach Hill in Hutton Cranswick - and they quoted (IIRC) around £250 to respray the bumper. My wife informed the other driver by text.

 

Got a reply last week saying could we go to a "smaller" bodyshop nearby as that would be cheaper?!?! My initial reaction was "*******s to that, we'll go through insurance then" but SWMBO wanted to at least go over there and get a quote. My misgivings were based on if they mess the repair up we have no comeback at all.

 

Anyway, went over there on Saturday morning, and it was closed. Basically it's a corrugated tin shed! No flippin way are they doing it!! We sent them a text on Saturday saying that I'm not happy going to a non-approved repairer. No reply as yet.

 

I will give them till Tues 25th to reply, then give them 7 days notice that I'm going to the insurance if they don't agree to using Broach Hill.

 

The bloody nerve of some people!!! 

 

 

I see the hand of the other driver's SO here, or a relative (dad maybe who remembers car fixing prices from his youth). These days £250 to make the problem go away is peanuts.

 

As far as the Citigo is concerned, if it was a simple parking swipe, it's unlikely to have done any hidden damage. Still best to get the bits off and check/seal it though, whilst the bumper is being painted.

[ChrisKnottIns]

...when it came to claiming they said that I was moving... no witnesses or any other way of challenging the lies, so ended paying for the damage myself. Wouldn't surprise me if their insurance company advised this approach.

 

I've never heard of a case of an insurance company advising a client to lie about what happened at an accident to avoid liability. I know people don't like insurers but that's taking it too far.

[B33fy]

I've never heard of a case of an insurance company advising a client to lie about what happened at an accident to avoid liability. I know people don't like insurers but that's taking it too far.

 

There's no like or dislike here... when I was hit on the wednessday the driver admitted liability I was then called on the saturday by my accident management company stating their insurance company was disputing the circumstances as mentioned previously and did I have any witness's... make of it what you will.

[ChrisKnottIns]

The company would dispute the circumstances based on their client's version of events clashing with yours.

[BossFox]

There's no like or dislike here... when I was hit on the wednessday the driver admitted liability I was then called on the saturday by my accident management company stating their insurance company was disputing the circumstances as mentioned previously and did I have any witness's... make of it what you will.

 

Not unusual B33fy.

People feel bad and say sorry at the time.

Then go away, talk to their mates and figure out a way of not having an "at fault" claim on thier policy.

Doing the decent thing isn't in a lot of people's minds after they've left the scene of the accident.

[Coops]

Not unusual B33fy.

People feel bad and say sorry at the time.

Then go away, talk to their mates and figure out a way of not having an "at fault" claim on thier policy.

Doing the decent thing isn't in a lot of people's minds after they've left the scene of the accident.

 

I'm sure that we inform our drivers NOT to indicate either way on the liability for that exact reason.

[BossFox]

I'm sure that we inform our drivers NOT to indicate either way on the liability for that exact reason.

 

We wait and look at the camera footage.

If we are at fault we admit it ASAP, reduces the payouts.

[Coops]

We wait and look at the camera footage.

If we are at fault we admit it ASAP, reduces the payouts.

 

Your footage is perhaps more readily available than ours, but yes we do the same. Our footage can take some time to pull back as it's managed remotely along with the telematics (in cab, front facing and rear facing)

[Diesel Estate]

 No good being honest!

 

Hi All

 

1  On one Sunday morning going to Sainsbury’s; I had a hit and run on my old Fabia 1.9TDI 105 bhp estate by a Range Rover from his toe bar.  No damage to his car but £500 to mine.  I photographed his number plate and gave him my details but he then did a runner without giving me his details.  Followed him on snow and ice but lost him as it was a Range Rover.  Eventually took him to small claims court but as no witnesses, he lied which was evident to the magistrate, she was done up like a Cheshire Cat and ruled in his favour.  No doubt due to lack of evidence.

 

 

2 Later on, on same day going home slide into a stationary Nissan Vanette van at traffic lights and being honest admitted it.  The driver said more damage to yours than mine as I was going only a few miles per hour.  Rang him on Monday night to give details, he changed his attitude claiming loads of damage.  My insurance company paid out £1600 for nothing and they would not let me see the Engineer's report on his vehicle.  Then he claimed for whiplash but my insurance company rang me and hopefully did not payout for false claim.

 

 

 

Conclusion

 

True but sad, do not be honest if no witnesses!  Sounds bad but you can get away with it as from my experiences and others above

Edited 15 January, 2015 by Diesel Estate

[StevesTruck]

I had someone drive in the back of my trailer, apologise, say they hadn't seen it, then claim £1500 off my insurance. My insurance (gladiator) paid out without question.