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.

 

[l5foye]

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.

I think you are very fortunate that the other party is willing to settle privately. That does not happen very often.

 

[jasonh]

You do have to make sure neither of you have told your insurance companies at all. Even if you settle it privately the accident will have been recorded if you call them and it will still show up on the system for future quotes.

 

[Will]

Or wait until after you’ve settled for the damage and the whiplash claim comes in…

 

[TeddyRuxpin]

Hi all

Today he sent me a quote that his main dealer gave him, which was obviously pretty high at £500 - £800 - I don’t know why he took it to a main dealer when his insurance company wouldn’t even do that.

It is not £800 with of damage - he just needs a pointless dent removal guy to come out and then a light polish and some new lacquer/sanding at most. A smart repair person could sort it on his driveway. I’d post pics but don’t want to breach privacy.

So, at £800 I might go through insurance after all as I don’t think my policies would go up THAT much...

I do have 3x insurance policies though, only one of them has NCB but I assume all three would go up regardless. So I’m trying to weigh up what’s best.

He did say he’d try to get some other quotes though so I need to formulate my response today… what better way to spend a Sunday!

Appreciate your comments

 

[W1ghty]

Hi all

Today he sent me a quote that his main dealer gave him, which was obviously pretty high at £500 - £800 - I don’t know why he took it to a main dealer when his insurance company wouldn’t even do that.

It is not £800 with of damage - he just needs a pointless dent removal guy to come out and then a light polish and some new lacquer/sanding at most. A smart repair person could sort it on his driveway. I’d post pics but don’t want to breach privacy.

So, at £800 I might go through insurance after all as I don’t think my policies would go up THAT much...

I do have 3x insurance policies though, only one of them has NCB but I assume all three would go up regardless. So I’m trying to weigh up what’s best.

He did say he’d try to get some other quotes though so I need to formulate my response today… what better way to spend a Sunday!

Appreciate your comments

Don’t insurance companies require you to inform them as soon as ? It’s now days later .
Surely this youngster is an idiot or being badly advised (main dealer quote ! Rather than as you say a smart repair on his drive )

 

[markjay]

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.

No, it will have no effect on his premium.

I am not giving him advice , but if I were, I would advise him to notify his own insurer (as he is obliged to do under the terms of his own policy), and let them know that it is notification-only, not a claim.

This may trigger a small premium increase for him, but that's unavoidable and unrelated to whether he then proceeds and claims against your policy, or settles with you privately.

If he decides to go thorough insurance, then he will submit a claim with your insurer against your policy, not against his own.

My guess is that by settling privately he hopes to avoid notifying his insurer altogether, but this will only work if you do not notify your own insurer either (or, at least, you do not provide them with details of the other car) because insurers do talk to each other. If he does that, then he's a very naughty boy because he must notify his own insurer of the event.

 

[TeddyRuxpin]

Actually, you’re wrong - in the real world, he will still have to tick the box that says that he has been involved in an accident in the past five years and as such, his premium will increase.

Neither of us have or will inform insurers so it’s not an issue. Why would I inform my insured if we’re settling it privately? That makes no sense. Perhaps I didn’t explain the situation clearly enough.

The impact/damage is extremely minor and he the one keen to settle it privately.

 

[markjay]

Actually, you’re wrong - in the real world, he will still have to tick the box that says that he has been involved in an accident in the past five years and as such, his premium will increase.

Neither of us have or will inform insurers so it’s not an issue. Why would I inform my insured if we’re settling it privately? That makes no sense. Perhaps I didn’t explain the situation clearly enough.

The impact/damage is extremely minor and he the one keen to settle it privately.

I don't think you fully understood my post:

No, it will have no effect on his premium.

...I would advise him to notify his own insurer... and let them know that it is notification-only, not a claim.

This may trigger a small premium increase for him, but that's unavoidable and unrelated to whether he then proceeds and claims against your policy, or settles with you privately.

What I was saying was that him making a claim against your policy as a no-fault party won't increase his premium.

What will trigger his premium increase is the notification to his insurer, I.e. regardless of whether he actually claims against your policy, or settles with you privately.

In short, as a no-fault party, the premium will be affected only by the notification, and not by the claim (whether submitted or not).

 

[markjay]

...Neither of us have or will inform insurers so it’s not an issue. Why would I inform my insured if we’re settling it privately? That makes no sense. Perhaps I didn’t explain the situation clearly enough.

The impact/damage is extremely minor and he the one keen to settle it privately.

It's a condition of your motor policy that you must inform your insurer about incidents that could give rise to a claim (whether a claim is made or not). You will also be asked about it at renewal time.

Obviously, on a practical level, if both you and the other party keep shtum, then neither your insurer nor his will ever know about it. But that's your decision.

 

[markjay]

BTW, the reason that you must report these incidents to the insurer, is that insurers are like the bookies, not like the courts.

Insurers are not interested in justice, they simply calculate risk and manage the 'betting' I.e. premiums. It's a dispassionate job.

If a driver is involved in many no-fault incidents, then that driver is considered statically to be a higher risk. It does not matter that the incidents were not the driver's fault. For example, the driver might be driving mostly on dangerous roads, or after closing time when intoxicated driver's take to the wheel - there could be many reasons. If the other party isn't insured or takes-off and can't be identified, then the no-fault driver will still get paid via his/her own policy.

In short, if a driver is involved in RTA incidents, the statical risk to the insurance is higher, and the premium will be higher. Right or Wrong doesn't come into it. That's why insurers insist on knowing about all incidents.

 

[TeddyRuxpin]

I’m aware of all the above, thanks