Mx5 damage: insurance claim - not my fault - but should I just pay myself?

[MikeInWimbledon]

I don't understand insurance claims. I've driven three quarters of a million miles without needing to make a claim. I lead a simples life

My wife's cheap (£2,500) MX5 was hit while parked, with damage being restricted to the passenger door.

The driver accepts full responsibility and wants to proceed with an insurance claim to pay for it (Direct Line). Direct Line have told us that their client, the driver, accepts full responsibility.

Simples? But is there a downside to me in letting them process the repair? Despite them admitting liability, can I lose no-claims liability,
can I have a problem due to my insurance excess, or
through increased premiums going forward?

A new door and paint blending is the most likely insurance outcome with a cost of £1500.

A recommended panel beater could repair the door for less than £500.

"What does the team think?" Just do it? It's simples?

 

[whitenemesis]

If Direct Line accept 100% liability then you will have nothing to pay. Your insurers will be made aware and you may incur a premium increase next year but there's nothing you can do regarding that. You will not loose NCB.
I'd let the third party insurer deal with the repairs. You'll have some sort of warranty on what's done.

 

[AMGeed]

I had a similar scenario a few years back when a van driver hit me. He admitted blame and his insurance company contacted me to arrange the repair and a hire car.
I informed my insurance company who were not interested as the third party insurance was covering everything and their client was at fault.
Your excess has no bearing on any claim as its the third party at fault.

My NCB remained the same and not a penny increase on my premium the following year.
You do however have to declare a non fault accident when applying for insurance every year for 4/5 years. Whether that loads your premium with a different company I am unsure.

 

[markjay]

As Whitenemesid and AMGeed said.

Additionally, you will find that Direct Line will be very proactive and try to get this resolved for you asap, because the worst case scenario for them is that you will employ the services of an accident management company who will make them pay also for like-for-like rental car while yours is being repaired, plus any other reasonable expenses you may have incurred as result of the accident such as taxi fares or compensation for your time for writing to the insurer etc etc.

And there's nothing stopping you from requesting that the repair will be carried out by a garage of your own choosing, or by your local Mazda dealer, if you are unhappy with the garage appointed by Direct Line.

All this at zero cost to yourself.

 

[John]

Insurance is there to put you back in the same situation you were prior to the accident.

It only gets messy when the fault is disputed.

 

[MikeInWimbledon]

Thanks for the advice, folks. Much appreciated.

 

[QUTSELL]

Insurance is there to put you back in the same situation you were prior to the accident.

It only gets messy when the fault is disputed.

Not so in our case,we were not able to re`place our car written off

 

[leef44]

Direct Line does seem to be on the ball with this one. By not involving your own insurance company, it is cheaper for them and more efficient (less parties to deal with).

Your insurance premium will be impacted over the course of the next few years as a result of a non-fault claim. However there are some insurance companies which only ask for incidents within the last 3 years. That includes Direct Line and Admiral (I'm going from experience from a year ago, so hopefully that hasn't changed)

 

[AMGeed]

Your insurance premium will be impacted over the course of the next few years as a result of a non-fault claim. incidents within the last 3 years.

That isn't what I found with Hastings Direct. I stayed with them at renewal, declared the non fault accident, and my premium remained the same within a couple of ££

I have since done online quotes both withholding the accident info, and declaring it....no change.

 

[leef44]

That isn't what I found with Hastings Direct. I stayed with them at renewal, declared the non fault accident, and my premium remained the same within a couple of ££

I have since done online quotes both withholding the accident info, and declaring it....no change.

That's interesting to note. Thanks for that.

 

[John]

Not so in our case,we were not able to re`place our car written off

It's supposed to...

Of course they take the piss and offer you less for any written-off car and you need to fight tooth and nail to get the appropriate value, unless you have an agreed value.

 

[AMGeed]

That's interesting to note. Thanks for that.

Obviously I can only relate to my own experience and couldn't say that is what will happen with every other non fault claim made.
Its a minefield out there with insurance.

 

[Alex225]

I’ve had a couple of non-fault claims in my time and neither have affected my premium. Certainly no loss of NCB.

That said, I can’t speak of every insurer but considering premiums go up regardless, as a new customer with an insurer it shouldn’t make a difference.

 

[BTB 500]

You should never lose NCD from a non-fault accident as you've not made a claim on your policy. But as mentioned you will have to declare it in future when asked "have you had any accidents or claims in the last x years" - you'll then have the opportunity to say that it was no-fault and the other party paid the total cost (note - this will apply to any other policy your wife is on as well, e.g. as a named driver). Normally this won't count against you in terms of increasing the premium, but rarely it can. I once had to change the insurance on my SL after my wife had a single no fault accident in her own car as it did put the cost up.