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To claim or not to claim

782 views 17 replies 15 participants last post by  Joewatson2200 
#1 ·
Just on my way back from work and a lady decides to try and squeeze past a van blocking her side of the road, hits my RS as she passes by a narrow road and bend.

She has dented the front driver's wing just above the wheel arch, some scrapes on her car.

She was reluctant to exchange details, but did as soon as i she noticed the dash cam in my car.

Now I've calmed down, I'm debating whether to claim or just have it repaired myself. I have 12y NCB and just annoyed that my premium will go up now as a result.

Sensible side of me says to claim and let insurers sort it out and take the hit (legal responsibility and all).

Thoughts?
 
#2 ·
Though one, best guess a decent body shop will want £300 to £500 for just one panel. Then even if your protected your renewal will be more ( I know it shouldn't be but it seems to) . Also if goes though a Ford body shop there will be record and they will try to knock you down o trade in, if/when you change the car.

Like I say I would be the same as yo 50/50.
 
#6 · (Edited by Moderator)
i had a similar situation many yrs ago in my es cos, the other guy paid cash once id shown him the quote,saved a lot of messing ,it was only a couple of hundred,suppose it depends on her insurance situation as well.maybe worth asking her? another idea is to get a mint cond replacement wing from a breaker and swap it over yourself and ask her to pay for the wing
 
#7 ·
Add up the amount you have given the insurance companies over that 12 years, without ever claiming, essentially giving them free money.

As said, insurance is there to be used in events like this, so get something back from them, no point spending, what could be hundreds if not more of your own money to get the car fixed, just for the sake of maybe or maybe not an increase in premium.
 
#9 · (Edited by Moderator)
From what your saying your indicating that the collision was the fault of the other driver, so this is where your insurance co. will claim from, so you shouldn't loose NCD if as described it's the other drivers fault. And your Dash cam footage will confirm !
You won't lose your NCD as a result of a non fault accident, but that isn't to say you won't be paying more on renewal. There is data to prove that people involved in a non fault accident, have a high probability ability of having another accident in the next few years where they are at fault. Sounds stupid, I know, but insurance companies use data like that to determine the risk you pose to them. When you search for renewal quotes, they ask questions in different ways and this gives a clue as to whether the insurance company will penalise you for a non fault accident. If they ask if you have had an accident in the last 5yrs, they will likely be penalised. If however they ask if you have claimed on your insurance in the last 5yrs, you won't be penalised.

In answer to the OP, if the paint isn't broken, can a dent man remove the dent? If it can, the woman may rather pay £100 or whatever the cost to you, to have it fixed rather than pay her excess which will probably be higher and also lose her NCD.
 
#10 ·
You won't lose your NCD as a result of a non fault accident, but that isn't to say you won't be paying more on renewal. There is data to prove that people involved in a non fault accident, have a high probability ability of having another accident in the next few years where they are at fault. Sounds stupid, I know, but insurance companies use data like that to determine the risk you pose to them. When you search for renewal quotes, they ask questions in different ways and this gives a clue as to whether the insurance company will penalise you for a non fault accident. If they ask if you have had an accident in the last 5yrs, they will likely be penalised. If however they ask if you have claimed on your insurance in the last 5yrs, you won't be penalised.
Yes, so when it comes to renewal time and your premium has been hiked up, then time to shop around and go elsewhere !
 
#12 ·
As said you still have to declare a non fault accident and this will put your insurance up next year (unfairly i know)I it were me i'd get a quote and approuch her with it and see what she wants to do. If it's a few £100 then she might be inclined but if she wants to go insurance route then let them sort it. Your insurance might be a touch more expensive next year but not on the level of what the repair cost will be if you suck it up yourself
 
#13 · (Edited by Moderator)
You won't lose your NCD as a result of a non fault accident, but that isn't to say you won't be paying more on renewal. There is data to prove that people involved in a non fault accident, have a high probability ability of having another accident in the next few years where they are at fault. Sounds stupid, I know, but insurance companies use data like that to determine the risk you pose to them. When you search for renewal quotes, they ask questions in different ways and this gives a clue as to whether the insurance company will penalise you for a non fault accident. If they ask if you have had an accident in the last 5yrs, they will likely be penalised. If however they ask if you have claimed on your insurance in the last 5yrs, you won't be penalised.

In answer to the OP, if the paint isn't broken, can a dent man remove the dent? If it can, the woman may rather pay £100 or whatever the cost to you, to have it fixed rather than pay her excess which will probably be higher and also lose her NCD.
Exactly this, I had a guy slide into the back of my stationary car at a set of red traffic lights in the late 90s, I had been stopped for a while, handbrake engaged and waiting for the lights when I spotted a small VW pickup brakes locked up sliding across the greasy road towards my car. Non fault for me but my renewal went up because "statistically I was more likely to be involved in another accident having been in one." I asked a few pointed questions at the time including do the insurers try to reclaim my additional renewal costs from the party at fault seeing as unless they'd run into me I wouldn't have been on the wrong side of the statistics. Interestingly they agreed it seemed a reasonable question but nobody had asked before. Needless to say there was no process to achieve this and it did not go any further.
 
#17 ·
Cheers for the comments all. I've decided to make a claim with insurers, supplied dash cam footage and photos. I have protected no claims, and have requested to use my own bodyshop/repairer. I'll take the insurance renewal hit.

Just waiting on a few quotes to come through. Just annoying, had the RS nearly two years, not a scrape, ding or anything, and literally 5mins from my house I meet this silly person in a vauxhall meriva, who totally misjudged the space.
 
#18 ·
Somebody crashed into the back of my RS in the summer while I was sitting still in traffic. They claimed liability and it went through their insurance.

I'm getting quotes as I type this, and despite my NCD still being 14 years, because I was 'involved' in an accident all the quotes i've had so far are very unfairly high in comparison to this year...

Seems whatever you choose you are going to lose in most cases :(
 
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