A month ago I had a very slight accident. I backed out of a parking bay and into a car that had stopped behind me (my fault, no doubt about it). We examined the damage to the other vehicle (which was seven years old) and I had caused a small crease in the lip of the wheel arch. The other driver claimed that I had caused scratching on the front N/S skirt, which I did not dispute at the time but with retrospect could not have been the result of the impact. I gave my details (but not insurance) to the other driver and accepted liability. I asked him to get a quote for repair and indicated that I might pay directly rather than through insurance.

He contacted me two days later and said the quote for repair was £700. This figure seemed high given the very limited damage and was beyond what I was prepared to pay. I then put the matter in the hands of my insurers. However we now seem to have a claims management company involved and suggestions of hire cars (the other vehicle was a Jaguar, albeit an elderly X-Type) and practically a new body shell. How can I insist that my insurers properly fight this?