Accident - Repairs Needed

[Merc999]

Hi all,

I drive an Audi A-class and have been in an accident where I went into the back of a 4x4. It’s damaged the grill, badge and slightly displaced the bumper and bonnet. I have tried resetting the active bonnet but I’m not sure it has locked back into place properly as the ‘Active Bonnet Malfunction’ light has come on, and the bonnet itself does not close fully.

Has anyone had this sort of experience and did you have to go through insurance or were you able to find a standard garage that can fix these issues? I want to avoid going through insurance as much as possible to avoid getting stung by them when I have to renew.

Any help with this would be appreciated, thanks!

 

[clk320x]

I drive an Audi A-class

 

[whitenemesis]

I want to avoid going through insurance

This is what you pay the premiums for, surely?
In any case you are obliged to inform your insurer of any accidents, even if you don't claim. What is the third party damage, are they going through insurance?

 

[grober]

You mean an AUDI A1 ??
The active bonnet isn't working possibly because you have damaged a pedestrian collision sensor on the front bumper assembly. A new one may have to be coded to the car if it needs replacing.

 

[bob6600]

I did think Audi A1 but then why join a Mercedes forum and post it? Surely Mercedes A Class?

 

[zipdip]

Well these Active Bonnet contraptions are very sensitive and fragile,most are just a long plastic tube filled with fibre optic cables and it does not take very much to set them off or damage them,if it has to be replaced they can easily be £1500 plus vat,the actual value of these is in my opinion unproven,the aim is to fire off the two rear bonnet hinges so the rear of the bonnet pops up ,so the poor pedestrian once hit by your car does not hit the windscreen but is launched with the aid of the said windscreen up and over the car into unknown territory,possibly under a 18 wheel truck,as whitenemesis has said best go through your insurance,arn't those A1's made of aluminum ,any damage needs a specialist repairer,plus as pointed out the 4x4 in front will have some minor damage.

 

[grober]

Try this site for parts
Audi A1 > VAG ETKA Online > Nemiga.com
Don't think the A1 is anything but a rebodied VW Polo/Golf floorpan and made of pressed steel.

 

[Bellow]

I did think Audi A1 but then why join a Mercedes forum and post it? Surely Mercedes A Class?

His aim is lousy - as witnessed by driving into something.

 

[zipdip]

Bit of mind slip from me there,of course it was the A2 that was mostly aluminum.

 

[Merc999]

Hi all, thanks for the info on this. And yes it was a typo, I meant Merc A-class, not Audi

 

[T5R+]

Apt username.

 

[Meldrew2]

The other driver will almost certainly go through insurance, and if the claim includes injury (whiplash or similar) it's almost certain...

 

[whitenemesis]

The other driver will almost certainly go through insurance, and if the claim includes injury (whiplash or similar) it's almost certain...

In which case the OP's insurers will be notified ...

 

[219]

In which case the OP's insurers will be notified ...

I know that is the practice, but short of a test case it verges on unlawful in these days of GDPR . No third party should contact someone’s insurer without obtaining their permission first . The claim is against the driver , and it is their option whether or not to invoke insurance.
This is quite separate from the contractual obligation to inform one’s insurers of an incident.

 

[Stratman]

As far as I know you give your permission when you take out your insurance. The small print* (for which you tick a box saying you have read and agree to it) includes the sharing of information.

*Education - when you read the small print
Experience - when you don't.

 

[219]

As far as I know you give your permission when you take out your insurance. The small print* (for which you tick a box saying you have read and agree to it) includes the sharing of information.

*Education - when you read the small print
Experience - when you don't.

You might give your permission for your insurer to share information with others , but you DO NOT and CANNOT extend that to giving third party insurers carte Blanche to use your personal data in a manner which may be detrimental to you .

This is a blatant breach of GDPR ( hurrah for being a member of the EU ) and just itching to be taken to ECHR .

As I stated before , insurance claims are against a person, and we all still have the right to decide whether we wish to deal with it ourselves, or involve insurers .

Allowing them to capitulate and settle a claim without our knowledge is very dangerous.

Such matters are exactly why the unfair contracts act was drawn up .

 

[whitenemesis]

Allowing them to capitulate and settle a claim without our knowledge is very dangerous

That's not what was said. The insurers will share claim and accident data. The OP's insurers will be aware he has been involved in an accident but hasn't informed them. That's in breach of the contract condition and they may refuse a future claim or, if again not disclosed at renewal, cover. Once refused cover it may become very difficult and/or expensive to get cover with any other insurers.

 

[markjay]

His insurer will contact your insurer - they share access to databases and have all the info they need from the VRM.

Said that... when my other car was written off because a third party crashed into it, the police officer at the scene handed me a hand-written note with the other driver's name and mobile phone number (which I didn't actually use because his insurer settled the claim simply based on the VRM and date of the accident).

 

[Deletedmember130310]

Hi all,

I drive an Audi A-class and have been in an accident where I went into the back of a 4x4. It’s damaged the grill, badge and slightly displaced the bumper and bonnet. I have tried resetting the active bonnet but I’m not sure it has locked back into place properly as the ‘Active Bonnet Malfunction’ light has come on, and the bonnet itself does not close fully.

Has anyone had this sort of experience and did you have to go through insurance or were you able to find a standard garage that can fix these issues? I want to avoid going through insurance as much as possible to avoid getting stung by them when I have to renew.

Any help with this would be appreciated, thanks!

you will pay far far more to repair it yourself than any increase in insurance premium - which will increase anyway because you have told your insurer about your incident haven'y you....if you haven't, I hope the 3rd party doesn't come back in several months with a whiplash claim

 

[Deletedmember130310]

You might give your permission for your insurer to share information with others , but you DO NOT and CANNOT extend that to giving third party insurers carte Blanche to use your personal data in a manner which may be detrimental to you .

This is a blatant breach of GDPR ( hurrah for being a member of the EU ) and just itching to be taken to ECHR .

.

I don't see how it is a GDPR issue - details of all policies and insured vehicles are entered onto the central MIB database as a matter of course. The 3rd party's insurer will contact your insurer via the details on the MIB - they aren't using your personal data