Insurance claim - what to do next

Page may contain affiliate links. Please see terms for details.

E55BOF

Hardcore MB Enthusiast
SUPPORTER
Joined
Mar 11, 2013
Messages
10,580
Location
South Bucks
Car
CLS63 SB, SLK55, Cooper S, Triumph Sprint (Bike not Dolly...),
Good morning all. I had a little accident in my '03 E55K estate yesterday...

I was driving along, minding my own business, at 65-70 mph or so on the A3290 dual carriageway out of Reading. Just about to go past a Transit tipper truck belonging to a demolition firm, loaded with what looked like scrap ducting, when a chunk of metal sheet flew off the load and landed on my car.
Fortunately, the driver stopped, and we exchanged details, and my wife took some pictures, mostly of the truck, but one of the driver holding the offending piece of metal, which he had retrieved from the road.

The load was strapped on, not covered with netting, so clearly it was an insecure load. I wouldn't want to put the driver's job in jeopardy, so did not call the police. I've been in touch with the firm, and it looks as though they will not try to avoid liability.

The screen took most of the impact; it is badly cracked and requires replacement. The bonnet is scratched, gouged and scuffed, and could be either panel-beaten, filled and sprayed, or replaced with a new one; my bodyshop advises that a new bonnet would be best. Apart from one tiny chip on the NSF wing, and a couple of tiny scuffs on the front edge of the roof above the screen, that is all the damage. No injuries were caused (no, not even whiplash...).

I will get the job done at my local bodyshop; they have quoted £2300, including an OE screen (very reasonably priced, they say) and a new bonnet.

I'm just about to send the estimate off to the truck's owners, but having spoken to them, it will probably be an insurance job. Paying for the repair is not a problem, so once the insurance firm has sent an assessor (I assume they will), will I prejudice my position in any way by just cracking on and getting the work done, and awaiting the insurance settlement in due course?
 
Other than informing them I won't need to trouble my insurers, I think, if the other side play ball...
 
Thankfully it's been many years since I've made a claim but from what I remember, the insurance company has to approve the repairs and will do this based on the assessor's report. The insurance company will then normally pay the garage direct and is unlikely to be writing you a cheque unless it is written off.

Find out when the assessor is coming and you could have a chat with him/her at the garage. You should be able to use the garage you want, but they (ins co.) may not warrant the repairs and may not provide a courtsey car if not taken to an 'approved repairer'.
 
Other than informing them I won't need to trouble my insurers, I think, if the other side play ball...

If the other side agree to pay, dI wouldn't bother telling your insurace, they will penalise you for it in the future
 
If the other side agree to pay, dI wouldn't bother telling your insurace, they will penalise you for it in the future

Careful - IIRC Insurers can refuse a claim and cancel your insurance if you do this.

I would inform the insurers, and query what effect this will have on future premiums - if the cost is to go up you must add this additional premium to your claim from the other party.
 
Find out when the assessor is coming and you could have a chat with him/her at the garage. You should be able to use the garage you want, but they (ins co.) may not warrant the repairs and may not provide a courtsey car if not taken to an 'approved repairer'.

The car will stay on my drive; it's quite drivable - the screen damage is low down on the near side. My bodyshop is reputable and well-established, and I can't see the assessor cavilling over the repair cost. The bodyshop will provide a courtesy heap if needed...

Careful - IIRC Insurers can refuse a claim and cancel your insurance if you do this. I would inform the insurers, and query what effect this will have on future premiums - if the cost is to go up you must add this additional premium to your claim from the other party.

Yes, I'll have to inform them, but not otherwise involve them, I hope.
 
What's the rest of the car like - rear arches, tailgate etc? Maybe worth seeing if your bodyshop would attend to those areas whilst the car is in if needed at a sensible price :)

Sorry to hear of the accident - fortunately sounds minor and glad that no-one was hurt.
 
Yes, I'll have to inform them, but not otherwise involve them, I hope.

Once you inform them then they are automatically involved.

However it gets settled after that your premiums will go up next year, and i dont see how you can claim that rise back from the third party. :confused:

Its upto you how you go about it, but maybe you should wait and see what the third party say about payment. If THEY want to go through insurance, or dont pay you, then get your insurance company involved.
 
I had exactly the same scenario 2 years ago, just 3 days into my E55 ownership.
A van reversed out of a side road into my nearside as I passed. He admitted liability on the spot and rang his insurer confirming this.
I informed my insurer and the following day the third parties insurance contacted me with an offer of full repair and a hire car.
I let them deal with everything and as it being a non fault accident for me, my insurance was unaffected and my no claims (protected) remained at the same level.

Keep your insurance company informed is my advise, and insist on your own bodyshop to the third parties insurance. They cannot stop you using your own bodyshop.
 
Be very careful with your insurance company.

I notified my insurer that my trailer had been stolen. They told me on the same call, that my trailer insurance had lapsed (whoops) my fault. So no insurance.

Four months later I go to renew with the same company. I get a massive hike in my premium. Why says I. Well you claimed for a stolen trailer, says they. But it wasn't insured, says I. No but you still made a claim and that is recorded as a claim, even though we never paid out and you never progressed it beyond a two minute telephone call.

It took weeks to get sorted, during which time I couldn't move companies as it showed up as a non-fault claim on the Insurance Data Base.
 
Once you inform them then they are automatically involved.

No they're not.

Your insurance company will normally quite happily sit off at the side and let you get on with making a claim against a 3rd party as long as there is no claim against you.
 
Your insurance company will normally quite happily sit off at the side and let you get on with making a claim against a 3rd party as long as there is no claim against you.

I'm sure they will, but assuming you have fully comp. cover you are paying for them to handle that for you!
 
Good morning all. I had a little accident in my '03 E55K estate yesterday...

I was driving along, minding my own business, at 65-70 mph or so on the A3290 dual carriageway out of Reading. Just about to go past a Transit tipper truck belonging to a demolition firm, loaded with what looked like scrap ducting, when a chunk of metal sheet flew off the load and landed on my car.
Fortunately, the driver stopped, and we exchanged details, and my wife took some pictures, mostly of the truck, but one of the driver holding the offending piece of metal, which he had retrieved from the road.

The load was strapped on, not covered with netting, so clearly it was an insecure load. I wouldn't want to put the driver's job in jeopardy, so did not call the police. I've been in touch with the firm, and it looks as though they will not try to avoid liability.

The screen took most of the impact; it is badly cracked and requires replacement. The bonnet is scratched, gouged and scuffed, and could be either panel-beaten, filled and sprayed, or replaced with a new one; my bodyshop advises that a new bonnet would be best. Apart from one tiny chip on the NSF wing, and a couple of tiny scuffs on the front edge of the roof above the screen, that is all the damage. No injuries were caused (no, not even whiplash...).

I will get the job done at my local bodyshop; they have quoted £2300, including an OE screen (very reasonably priced, they say) and a new bonnet.

I'm just about to send the estimate off to the truck's owners, but having spoken to them, it will probably be an insurance job. Paying for the repair is not a problem, so once the insurance firm has sent an assessor (I assume they will), will I prejudice my position in any way by just cracking on and getting the work done, and awaiting the insurance settlement in due course?

When I last claimed third party I was told that the bodyshop was allowed to strip parts, but should wait for the engineer to authorise actual repair work. If the bodyshop says the bonnet could be repaired then you really can expect the engineer to argue on this so best be careful.
 
The body shop state that they cannot guarantee a satisfactory repair without a new bonnet. I will be guided by them.
 
I'm sure they will, but assuming you have fully comp. cover you are paying for them to handle that for you!

This can be a mixed blessing in a clearcut no-fault.
 
Even if it wasn't your fault your premium will go up next year as you will be seen as a higher risk.
 
The body shop state that they cannot guarantee a satisfactory repair without a new bonnet. I will be guided by them.

That's fine - but you may need to argue with the engineer who may feel differently. That's my point really.
 
Point taken, David, but I'll leave it to the bodyshop to do any arguing needed, pro to pro; I'm not that fussed so long as the repair is good. I'm not all that a**lly-retentive about a bit of filler; it's only a twelve-year-old car when all's said and done.
 

Users who are viewing this thread

Back
Top Bottom