****ing Badger ran out on me tonight, surprisingly wasn't there when I went back though I dare say he's not happy right now. On getting home nor am I, the bumper is cracked 1/2 way up, DLR, fog light surround all mashed / missing. At the risk of stating what I assume is obvious this is going to total enough that it's a no brainer to claim on insurance?

 

16 years of driving I've never had to make an insurance claim, any advice on general process, things to do / avoid, any advice appreciated.

 

2010 FL Black VRS by the way.

I'd check the scrappy first. If you can get a replacement part in the right colour it'll be a lot cheaper, or speak to a bodyshop and see if you can get a ballpark figure from them. New bumper plus parts and painting will be well over your excess. Plus it'll knock your insurance up for a few years

As above weigh up the costs before calling your insurance company as even if you decide not to claim your insurance will go up next year due to higher perceived risk if they know you had a accident

Edited 2 September, 201510 yr by wiilydog

I have a rule of thumb. Anything under £500, just pay for it. Over £500, claim.

I might be tempted to up this to £600 or £650 now. Insurance cos are always going to get as much of their cash back as they can as they are running a business.

If you claim, it will cost you as much again or more over the years to come.......

Good luck getting your pride and joy sorted.

Cheers,

Dunc

I would agree with what has been said, if it can be repairs for a few hundred I would go that route. You might be able to find a replacement bumper from a scrappy and get someone to fit it for much less than the insurance will cost (specially depending on your excess)

 

The insurance companies are not thick, even if you have protected no-claims etc they still know you have had an accident in the last year so will bump up the price for a few years

Thanks for advice, any ideas on where to source a replacement genuine VRS bumper?

I hit a small deer when I owned a Mk 1 Octavia Estate. The repair involved replacing the front bumper and vents, the radiator, the condenser for the aircon, and removing a small dent from the front of the bonnet. This came to £1200 of which I paid a £200 excess. The repair could have been completed in around 3 days but took 5 weeks because the insurer kept on querying what needed replacing. Although I had a protected NCB the following year's insurance premium increased by 25%. The accident affected my insurance for the following 5 years, and my wife's car insurance as I was insured on her car too. In hindsight if I had known what the repair would cost I would have paid it myself.

Thanks for advice, any ideas on where to source a replacement genuine VRS bumper?

your best bet is to try the local scrapies. Your may well find one that is the same colour and is just a straight swap.  Getting a brand new one will be much more expensive and then will also need painting which may end up with it looking very shiny in comparison to the rest of the car (depending on how its been kept etc.

Been there, done that. Some n'er do well smashed all my front end while it was parked. New light, new resevoir, bumper + wing repair and respray etc.

 

Headlight from eBay £70 + £50 fitting, new resevoir, £120 fitted, bumper/wing repair and respray, £200 so cost me nearly £500. Just had to pay it and didn't even bother with insurance.    

Thanks again.

 

Stripped it all off today, need the bumper, running light and mount, could be worse. Emailed about 10 breaker sites hopefully something will turn up, assume it will have to be painted but that's OK.

 

Fingers crossed.