Dealing with repairs for an ‘at fault’ insurance claim

[TeddyRuxpin]

Hi, if you have a minor scrape and you’re at fault, obviously the other party will claim through their insurance company, and my insurance will cover that.

But with regards to the damage to my car, it just needs a new numberplate holder, the honeycomb section of the front bumper, and some paint correction/a small respray if you want perfection.

If it were left up to me, I would just replace the number plate holder and honeycomb section and either leave the paint damage for a while or get it repaired at a local paint shop that’s done some work in the past for me.

Given that I’m likely to lose my no claims anyway, should I just let my insurance pay to fix my car, or is there any advantage to not claiming to fix my car?

How does the insurance company view it?

Thanks

 

[MrGreedy]

My guess would be any claim, from 1p to £100k, makes little difference.

Mrs Greedy, who crashes something almost yearly plus racks up penalty points, seems to have £300 insurnace. Yet it's cheaper for me to put her as crashoholic on my policy than me alone with 20 years no claims and never a point on my licence.

 

[MrGreedy]

In fact, scratch that..It's worse.
I understand if you notify of receiving a collision, where you are not at fault because the car was parked on the street, and receive zero damage, you premium will still go up. As evidence by a recent thread by a member on here within the last couple of months.

So doesn't even need to be 1p!

 

[TeddyRuxpin]

Right, but if I am at fault, it doesn’t benefit me in any way for me not to claim for the damage to my own car, is that correct?

 

[TeddyRuxpin]

In fact, scratch that..It's worse.
I understand if you notify of receiving a collision, where you are not at fault because the car was parked on the street, and receive zero damage, you premium will still go up. As evidence by a recent thread by a member on here within the last couple of months.

So doesn't even need to be 1p!

I’m considering sending the other guy a text and offering to pay for his repairs out of my own pocket, as he is a young driver with his first car and it could save both of us from our premiums going up, even if he isn’t a fault. But it probably just doesn’t make any sense financially.

 

[MrGreedy]

Right, but if I am at fault, it doesn’t benefit me in any way for me not to claim for the damage to my own car, is that correct?

I don't know for sure. But my guess would be no. That even notification of a zero fault zero claim event, the damage is done. I'd be inclined to 'fill my boots' at this point.

Maybe some people with specific claim or underwriting experience can offer further insight. By my general experience is, if insurance companies can find a small reason to ream you, they will, and a big reason makes little difference to the small reason.

 

[Doodle]

In fact, scratch that..It's worse.
I understand if you notify of receiving a collision, where you are not at fault because the car was parked on the street, and receive zero damage, you premium will still go up. As evidence by a recent thread by a member on here within the last couple of months.

So doesn't even need to be 1p!

This. Many moons ago, the comedy Lolvo got caught up in someone else's accident, they pulled out of a minor road straight into the side of an oncoming vehicle, spun it across the road into the Corsa in front of me which was waiting to turn down said road (and I was waiting for them to move out the way). Because they didn't have any brakes on, they got shoved back onto the nose of the S70 which was steadfastly immovable.

Zero tangible damage to me (it was a £400 Volvo that looked like it had spent its entire life in Paris), but because the back of the Corsa got stoved in as well as the front, I was deemed to be involved.

 

[Will]

Hi, if you have a minor scrape and you’re at fault, obviously the other party will claim through their insurance company, and my insurance will cover that.

But with regards to the damage to my car, it just needs a new numberplate holder, the honeycomb section of the front bumper, and some paint correction/a small respray if you want perfection.

If it were left up to me, I would just replace the number plate holder and honeycomb section and either leave the paint damage for a while or get it repaired at a local paint shop that’s done some work in the past for me.

Given that I’m likely to lose my no claims anyway, should I just let my insurance pay to fix my car, or is there any advantage to not claiming to fix my car?

How does the insurance company view it?

Thanks

Right, but if I am at fault, it doesn’t benefit me in any way for me not to claim for the damage to my own car, is that correct?

Won’t you have to pay your excess if you’re claiming from your own insurance policy though?

Depends on how much you think the damage to your car will cost to repair (or whether it’s written off)

 

[TeddyRuxpin]

I received a phone call this morning from the guy, he was friendly enough and asked to settle it privately. As mentioned, it will increase his premium to if he does a claim and he’s a brand-new driver, so I guess neither of us want that. We’ll have to see what the quotes are like that he gets, hopefully they are sensible

And you’re totally right that I’d have to pay the excess for my car repairs, which is not worth doing as I can repair it myself cheaply. I forgot about the access, thank you.