Can i be forced to go through insurance after bump

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Tue 10 Aug 2010 23:32
Can i be forced to go through insurance after bump - RattyRyan

Hi. I bumped a girls car in an the work car park, with my engine not even on might i add, was trying to push back so i could get at the engine. In any case i bumped some girl n/s wing on her 02 polo.

I have from the start stated that i would pay for the damage i had caused rather than go through insurance. So after advice on here, and her stating it would cost £600 to repair from her friend or fathers garage i asked her to provide me with 3 independent written quotes as the damage clearly doesnt cost £600. I have had quotes of £280 for a new wing bearing in mind it was a dent with minimal scratches that could be repaired from the photos i have shown garages.

So she has replied, in text (she is vicky pollard type), "well y shud i go out of my way when u hit my car i have provided u with a garage who is willing to do it and also told u i have his number if that aint good enough ill go threw your insruance so ill need your policy number please"

To which i replied that i am following the correct procedure and would wish she does the same also.

Her reply "Hangon don't try and turn this around its your falt so if i wanna notifi your insurance i will its to much hassle to wait for the money so i will go threw insurance its safer and no dikin about"

Her exact texts might i add. So i was wondering, can she claim through insurance when i asked her to provide me with the written quotations and said i will pay because i don't want to go through insurance.

Also if it does go to insurance will the claim go ahead if i state she wants to go to her fathers or friends garage, clearly trying to pull a fast one. And if i state that she is trying to claim for more than the damage i caused and provide photos ? As there are scratches on the wing from previous which is physically impossible for my car to have caused during the bump.

Many Thanks in advance for any replies.

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Wed 11 Aug 2010 08:58
Can i be forced to go through insurance after bump - Vitesse6

Lets hope her or her father don't read this forum - describing her as vicky pollard type isn't going to encourage them to be helpful to you anymore.

You have damaged her property, and you ought to be as nice as possible to her if you want her co-operation.

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Wed 11 Aug 2010 09:46
Can i be forced to go through insurance after bump - WellKnownSid

By the sound of it you were not on the Queen's highway, so I doubt your insurance company will have any interest at all, however they'll probably take a note and use it against you come renewal!

You did however damage her car, and quite rightly she is wondering why she should go to the trouble of getting three quotes when it sounds like her father owns a garage and she did nothing wrong! I'd second the 'be nice' approach!

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Fri 13 Aug 2010 12:10
Can i be forced to go through insurance after bump - LucyBC
She is under a duty to "mitigate" her losses which means she must be put back to where she was with an "acceptable standard" repair as cheaply as possible. Otherwise she is liable for the additional costs. So if you can find a garage that will do the repair for £280 and she puts in a bill for £600 then she would need to stand the £320 herself. Furthermore insurance companies are notoriously careful when they see particularly high bills from garages owned by the claimant's relatives.

This is probably one of the few cases when you want your insurer to "manage" your accident but you need to make it clear from the outset that you want to "self insure" - ie pay for the repairs yourself and not claim on the policy.

The chances are they will put her into one of their authorised repairers - or at least get them to quote. If the bill is lower then you can pay it and she has no argument.

Dealing with it in this way should not affect your no claims discount but you may be quoted a slightly higher premium at renewal because you have had an accident.
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