Rear ended....

[55andlosingit]

Hi all...out recently acquired 2017 yeti just got shunted by a teen-ager in a hurry....

His escort looks a mess, however, the yeti looks ok. Plastic washing up bowl bumper seems to have sprung back in one piece. Felt like quite a whack though, anybody know if there is anything likely to be damaged behind that or is there a substantial cross member. Do you think it's worth going to have it assessed or can we avoid the whole insurance rigmorole? 

Ta...

[Ootohere]

Welcome.

 

You do not need to have the Insurance arranging the car being assessed.  Go see a local body shop or garage / mechanic.

 

Take care about not involving your insurance because that teenagers friends or family might just persuade them to make a claim and then your insurers will be less than impressed. 

Was it their car, were they insured and do you have their details?

[Prezafab]

I wouldn't have thought that many teenagers would want to be claiming on their insurance and losing any no claims bonus they have. Their premium will sky-rocket from claiming early in their driving.

I would be more worried about a lack of insurance these days.

[Paul52]

For your own peace of mind I would say get a proper assessment for any damage - it's too late three months down the road to find out something not visible to you was damaged or put out of align.ment as then the cost of fixing it will be down to you. If it was 100% the teenager's fault -  not looking/driving too close - rear end shunt I'm inclined to agree with Prezafab and Rooted that not telling your insurer could cause you problems if there is hidden damage or, worse, there's damage and the teenager's hasn't got insurance. Others may be able to advise whether it's worth reporting to the police in case of the insurance issue. 

[Prezafab]

Another idea if you already have a relationship with a local garage is to call in and ask if they can put it up on a ramp for you for your to look at with the mechanic and torch. If it turns out just to be the bumper cover was pushed in (and out?), then no harm done. I've had 3 or 4 cars like this and had a smart repairer just blow it out to shape with some heat.

[Ootohere]

Lets not jump to conclusions about teenagers and what they do.  Or what they say or do at the time.     (We were all teenagers!)

They might have a Black Box, witnesses in a car or nearby apparently, or whiplash claims coming from the 3 passengers that were apparently in the car with them.

 

So it is for those insured and innocent and not wanting landed with a knock for knock because the car was someone else's. or on Trade Insurance or the likes, or not insured for the person driving.

[oldstan]

Surely the first thing anyone in this position would do would be to check the Motor Insurance Databas (MID).

 

If the teenager was insured then options are available as described above and if the teenager wasn't insured then a different course of action needs to be followed and the options and implications are a bit different.  I'd have thought that to be obvious. But the OP must surely know all this.

 

There can't be anyone who doesn't know that reporting any sort of incident or collision has repercussions for you come renewal time. Unless you get really lucky the moment your head pops up above the insurance company's  parapet the contents of your wallet will be in jeopardy. 

 

The above reference to post-accident discovery that witnesses appear from nowhere or that whiplash inexplicably afflicts one or more of the teenager's passengers  (whether or not the passengers were seemingly present at the time of the accident)  is to be borne in mind at all times.  Youtube will provide examples in case anyone is in any doubt,

 

It's possible the teenager is as honest as the day is long and that anyone advising or supporting them will tell him/her to do the right thing .... but there's a saying about pigs and their ability to engage in air travel..

 

I have a front facing camera on when driving, but not a rear facing one ... ideally we would all have one coz they can save all manner of arguments in such circumstances.

[MikeTheThinker]

16 hours ago, 55andlosingit said:

2017 yeti just got shunted by a teen-ager in a hurry

@J.R.may be able to offer advice as I know he has had to deal with rectifying rear-end damage to a Yeti.

[Urrell]

There is a substantial cross member bolted on behind the bumper, it has to be removed if fitting a tow-bar.

[55andlosingit]

Thanks all. Shall certainly take that on board. Been taken to a body shop today..... looks like bumper moulding needs replacing. The guy was apparently late for work and was looking right at a junction. Got his details. Shops flexible so he might just pay for it to avoid premium hikes. Thanks again 👍

[Carlodiesel]

3 hours ago, oldstan said:

I have a front facing camera on when driving, but not a rear facing one ... ideally we would all have one coz they can save all manner of arguments in such circumstances

Yes oldstan, dash cams  are a great idea.

We have both front & rear cams.

Wired my rear one into the wiper + circuit, so only comes on when ignition on.

Got a couple of Viofo's.

 

55andlosingit

Best of luck with your claim.

 

 

[J.R.]

No worries about whiplash scams if you were hit from behind, it will be him or his parents with that worry.

 

You have already now sought bodyshop advice, I did not see Mikes request for info till now, but for anyone else in the same situation the first thing to do is remove the boot carpet and spare wheel, if it won't come out then it speaks for itself 😃if it does then look at the boot floor to either side of it and the inside of the rear panel.

 

There is a very substantial impact beam behind the bumper, if the plastic bumper is removed it can be inspected but if the outer cover is only scuffed and the bootfloor straight then its likely to be fine, its very cheap to replace if it isn't, lots of good second hand ones available from towbar fitters.

 

I'm glad to hear that you are extending the option to the young man to not go through insurance, if you really cannot see any visible damage without careful scrutiny then why not make him an offer to recieve a reduced sum? A new bumper with prep, paint and fitting will be a lot of money, if he cannot afford it and has to go through insurance it will end up costing him many times that and your insurance will go up also, I know it shouldn't, you probably have protected NCB and its not your fault but just read around for what has happened to everybody else in that situation.

 

Your insurer like most others may hit you with a huge increase at renewal even without any knowledge of this accrochage but if no claim has been made or accident reported you will at least be free to shop around for a better quote.

Edited 15 January by J.R.

[Prezafab]

For those of you who remember hitting the insurance friendly age of 25 back in the day, when it became possible to insure yourself on anything remotely sporty... Spare a thought for the current 20 year olds:-

 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-67991154

[Ootohere]

Spare a thought for the 20 year old from Glasgow with a Mk3 Fabia that posted in the Insurance section that they are being quoted £6,000 for insurance.

 

Which puts that article in perspective and shows that 'Averages' mean nothing if you have very high highs and maybe some lower lows. 

[J.R.]

1 hour ago, Prezafab said:

For those of you who remember hitting the insurance friendly age of 25 back in the day, when it became possible to insure yourself on anything remotely sporty... Spare a thought for the current 20 year olds:-

 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-67991154

I'm sure 25 was and probably still is the age when the premiums finally stop being loaded due to age but in 1980 at the age of 21 I drove a Triumph Stag which cost £120 to insure, petrol was £1.60 per gallon and it did 16mpg with my showboating driving style so cost me 10p per mile which was a lot back then.

 

Its only in very recent years probably during the pandemic that fuel has once again cost me 10p per mile!!!!

 

My insurance now costs me around £130 a year I reckon, I dont know the exact figure or have it to hand but allowing for the exchange rate its around that figure.

[KiNeL]

If you read your policy carefully you'll likely find that you have a duty to inform the insurer of any ANY accident regardless of fault or lack of apparent damage to your own vehicle.

 

Who's to say that whomever ran into you doesn't suddenly decide to say that you reversed into them?