Non-fault accident advice - "cash in lieu" offer
Discussion
Was driving along a main road and a dear old biddy came out of a carpark and clipped my rear corner- bumper came off on just the corner so assuming the bracket and one side mount will suffice , along with scratches and wheel arch dented in slightly. Had a chat with her insurance directly who advised options were to use their garage and get a courtesy car etc all sorted or organise myself and then have their engineer come out to assess etc.
As its an old car with with 120k on clock which will be used as daily driver till dead, would rather just get own garage to do the job cheap as no doubt their way will be overpriced, so they advised cash in lieu is something they do offer in this circumstance and will send a engineer out to assess.
Tempted to go for this ie get price of expected repair then get done cheap- anyone done this and recommend? or potential hassle for a few quid and just keep simple and get repaired properly.
As its an old car with with 120k on clock which will be used as daily driver till dead, would rather just get own garage to do the job cheap as no doubt their way will be overpriced, so they advised cash in lieu is something they do offer in this circumstance and will send a engineer out to assess.
Tempted to go for this ie get price of expected repair then get done cheap- anyone done this and recommend? or potential hassle for a few quid and just keep simple and get repaired properly.
I've taken cash in lieu a couple of times, it normally works out best for everybody.
Cost to insurance company for a full repair, hire car, etc. to get your car fixed would come in at hundreds (or thousands), but if they give you £400/£500 cash to get it sorted yourself (which you, and they know can be done cheaper), it works out cheaper for them. If you take the 'expensive' route, it'll only end up being added to premiums to balance the books.
For an older car, that you know you can repair cheaply, it's a good option.
Last time I did this was a few years ago, engineer came round, had a look, said book price of the car was £650, so he would offer £400. I said £550, he said £500, we shook on it. Job done. My old man sorted it out for me, cost a mornings work and a couple of bits, costing about £100. In all fairness, a proper repair would have easily cost £800+, so the insurance company got a good deal, and I got a good deal too, everybody happy!
Cost to insurance company for a full repair, hire car, etc. to get your car fixed would come in at hundreds (or thousands), but if they give you £400/£500 cash to get it sorted yourself (which you, and they know can be done cheaper), it works out cheaper for them. If you take the 'expensive' route, it'll only end up being added to premiums to balance the books.
For an older car, that you know you can repair cheaply, it's a good option.
Last time I did this was a few years ago, engineer came round, had a look, said book price of the car was £650, so he would offer £400. I said £550, he said £500, we shook on it. Job done. My old man sorted it out for me, cost a mornings work and a couple of bits, costing about £100. In all fairness, a proper repair would have easily cost £800+, so the insurance company got a good deal, and I got a good deal too, everybody happy!
As above ^^^ dealer prices for bumper, fitting kit, repair etc will be very high, so if you are not worried about having a full guarantee on the repair (or resale value) then by all means settle on a figure that allows you to get it knocked out and repaired with parts from a breaker and pocket the difference for your 'inconvenience'. Everyone happy. 
Many moons ago I had a major wallop in my Rover P5 which cost me about £3k and two months to put right (third party only insurance and "knock for knock" in the insurance company's eyes).
Car back on road and I took it to the pub for a pint (just the one!), when I heard a crash oustide. New learner driver, her mother had just stopped in the garage next door to buy some L plates, and told the girl to drive home. She got 15 yards off the forecourt before she redesigned my front wing. (This was exactly 5 hours after I got the car back on the road after the major smash, so rs was not a happy bunny
)
Girl in tears, mother offered to pay for the damage but could we do it "unoffically?" I got a quote from the body repairer who dealt with my smash (£578), sent it to the girl's mother and got a packet with £578 in used notes shortly afterwards.
I straightened the wing out myself and the filler/ paint etc cost me £21.
As long as you can get the money out of the other party all well and good, but I have heard tale of arrangements like these that have gone tits up
Car back on road and I took it to the pub for a pint (just the one!), when I heard a crash oustide. New learner driver, her mother had just stopped in the garage next door to buy some L plates, and told the girl to drive home. She got 15 yards off the forecourt before she redesigned my front wing. (This was exactly 5 hours after I got the car back on the road after the major smash, so rs was not a happy bunny
)Girl in tears, mother offered to pay for the damage but could we do it "unoffically?" I got a quote from the body repairer who dealt with my smash (£578), sent it to the girl's mother and got a packet with £578 in used notes shortly afterwards.
I straightened the wing out myself and the filler/ paint etc cost me £21.
As long as you can get the money out of the other party all well and good, but I have heard tale of arrangements like these that have gone tits up
Robert060379 said:
If this is to be accepted as "full and final setlement" don't. That's why we have insurance in the first place. Stick to it.
Why? In OP's case increase in future premiums far outweigh effort involved in getting cheap, local repair. And if it suits both parties, all well and good.peterguk M500 said:
Robert060379 said:
If this is to be accepted as "full and final setlement" don't. That's why we have insurance in the first place. Stick to it.
Why? In OP's case increase in future premiums far outweigh effort involved in getting cheap, local repair. And if it suits both parties, all well and good.Quick silver said:
peterguk M500 said:
Robert060379 said:
If this is to be accepted as "full and final setlement" don't. That's why we have insurance in the first place. Stick to it.
Why? In OP's case increase in future premiums far outweigh effort involved in getting cheap, local repair. And if it suits both parties, all well and good.Many of Robert's posts don't stand the test of scrutiny
In one case a cash sum was handed over only for the second party to change their mind later on and demand it went to court. As there was no legally binding writen record of the money changing hands the first party lost the cash and had a claim made agaist her including a personal injury claim (total bs but insurance companies expect it these days so don't argue) for £7,500 with the damage that the second party said could easilly be repared being enough for the insurance company to write the car off (no photos were taken at the time and instead of just a wing, both doors got damaged as well by the time the assesors arrived) the total payout was a little over £14,000 making the woman in question have to sell her car (the one she had owned, restored and cherished for 18 years) because she could no longer afford to drive it (the car now sits in my lock up waiting for me to give it back to her, I bought it of the chap she sold it to).
Quick silver said:
or the OP could cut the old dear some slack
Its not the old dear who will get the slack though is it ? unless you propose he just takes the whole thing on the chin and does not get her or her insurance to pay him anything.She hit his car, he needs some FAIR recompense for the hassle and damage, cash from the insurance company sounds the best in this case.
Robert060379 said:
In one case a cash sum was handed over only for the second party to change their mind later on and demand it went to court.
You haven't actually read the OP's post have you? He is still claiming from the other parties insurance, but getting cash to do the repair himself rather than the insurers paying stupidly inflated dealer prices.Don't tell me; this exact same thing happened to you after the Prime Minister drove his car into the back of yours, denied it and the president of the ACPO backed up his story?
Mr2Mike said:
Robert060379 said:
In one case a cash sum was handed over only for the second party to change their mind later on and demand it went to court.
You haven't actually read the OP's post have you? He is still claiming from the other parties insurance, but getting cash to do the repair himself rather than the insurers paying stupidly inflated dealer prices.Don't tell me; this exact same thing happened to you after the Prime Minister drove his car into the back of yours, denied it and the president of the ACPO backed up his story?
I've heard of both parties agreeing to "sort it out" themselves to avoid inflated insurance premiums later, but if your dealing directly with her insurance company, surely you'll still have a "claim" against you further down the line, and if so what's the point of going the cheap option.
Just done this with my Cavalier, someone reversed into it and accepted liability (once I'd proved it with CCTV footage 
). Car was only worth £400 and i was concerned that when they sent an engineer they'd want to right it off (never been through this process before).
Engineer was a really nice bloke and I explained I didn't really want to lose the car or go through the hassle of re MOT'ing it. He suggest a cash settlement so I showed him a quote I'd got for repair £250 and he said he would recommend a cash settlement. Two days later get a call to offer £280 which I accept and two days after that I got a cheque.
I am pleased as punch, no hassle and I'm going to repair it myself. Also got some money left over as compensation for the hassle, so it's all good in my book.
Wasn't going to bother TBH, but why should I just accept it because I have an old car?? That and the fact that the person that did it denied it until the police became involved even though i confronted her politely first let her know I had proof she'd done it.
). Car was only worth £400 and i was concerned that when they sent an engineer they'd want to right it off (never been through this process before).Engineer was a really nice bloke and I explained I didn't really want to lose the car or go through the hassle of re MOT'ing it. He suggest a cash settlement so I showed him a quote I'd got for repair £250 and he said he would recommend a cash settlement. Two days later get a call to offer £280 which I accept and two days after that I got a cheque.
I am pleased as punch, no hassle and I'm going to repair it myself. Also got some money left over as compensation for the hassle, so it's all good in my book.
Wasn't going to bother TBH, but why should I just accept it because I have an old car?? That and the fact that the person that did it denied it until the police became involved even though i confronted her politely first let her know I had proof she'd done it.
Edited by markswebpages on Monday 17th August 10:15
Many thanks for all the replies- the old dear didnt get out of the car after parking up which i though was strange, turns out she was on phone to insurance immediately 
or would have accepted a small sum- plus her car came off worse so she probably would need to go via insurance (fog broken, headlight broken, grill out, bonnet dented, possibly wing- good old crumple zones).
waiting on the engineer to get in touch and will get quotes too, called the dealer and the Audi back bumper replacement is 295 + vat, £20 for bracket and £20 ish for one side mount, plus paint. plus wheel arch repair so assuming they will want to do cash in lie, but if too low an offer than Audi bodyshop will have a nice earner and I will have a courtesy car for a few days!
(can i push like for like ie sporty and air con etc if they offer a basic model micra?)
or would have accepted a small sum- plus her car came off worse so she probably would need to go via insurance (fog broken, headlight broken, grill out, bonnet dented, possibly wing- good old crumple zones).waiting on the engineer to get in touch and will get quotes too, called the dealer and the Audi back bumper replacement is 295 + vat, £20 for bracket and £20 ish for one side mount, plus paint. plus wheel arch repair so assuming they will want to do cash in lie, but if too low an offer than Audi bodyshop will have a nice earner and I will have a courtesy car for a few days!
(can i push like for like ie sporty and air con etc if they offer a basic model micra?)
Getragdogleg said:
Quick silver said:
or the OP could cut the old dear some slack
Its not the old dear who will get the slack though is it ? unless you propose he just takes the whole thing on the chin and does not get her or her insurance to pay him anything.She hit his car, he needs some FAIR recompense for the hassle and damage, cash from the insurance company sounds the best in this case.
amir_j said:
(can i push like for like ie sporty and air con etc if they offer a basic model micra?)
Probably not if you don't have a courtesy car upgrade/enhanced on your policy already, I don't think all insurance company have the option but with a courtesy car upgrade you'll oftern get something closer to the spec/size of your car, Quick silver said:
Getragdogleg said:
Quick silver said:
or the OP could cut the old dear some slack
Its not the old dear who will get the slack though is it ? unless you propose he just takes the whole thing on the chin and does not get her or her insurance to pay him anything.She hit his car, he needs some FAIR recompense for the hassle and damage, cash from the insurance company sounds the best in this case.
The car rides on customised Bilstein imported from the USA and has various other mods. And inside audio is presented well by Nakamichi etc.The rear bumper is from another model in the same range and was a pain to source and has just had 4 brand new Eagle Asymetrics a month ago...and so on!
Its a good car and will last to 200k I reckon- was referring to its Glass's value.
And tit for tat? my back bumper is currently held on one side by tape and the lining around the back is out by the light, in addition my wheel arch is dented closer to the tyre- work needs doing and was caused by someone else so you want me to deal with it out of own pocket? thats crazy talk!
Edited by amir_j on Monday 17th August 15:22
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