Bump in a hire car

[brrapp]

My son hired a car for a trip to Wales with a few friends. He nudged a car (nice looking old MR2) while parking and cracked one it's rear lights, light scuffing on the hire car bumper.
He left a note with his details and the guy has called him back looking for £80 for the light and £70 for a touch up to a scratch. Doesn't want to involve his insurance as it'll affect future premiums.

My son has to go through insurance as there's minor damage to the hire car so he'll already have to stump up £250 excess(young driver) so there's no point in not getting them to sort out the other guy at the same time, however he feels as he was entirely at fault and the other guy is being pretty reasonable he wants to do as the other guy has asked.

I say he should just go through insurance, he's already losing £250 excess, no point in being another £150 out of pocket. He feels he should take the hit and do as the other guy asked because it was entirely his fault and the other guy shouldn't be disadvantaged through no fault of his own.

PH advice please.

[Josho]

Seems a nice lad.

What's the damage on the hire car and do they know?

Smart repair both?

[HarryHill]

Sounds like a decent lad wanting to do the decent thing.

Fair play to him.

[carreauchompeur]

If you can, smart repair both. The car hire company will dick him over to the fullest extent of their Ts and Cs. and beyond.

[MitchT]

Give the third party the cash they're asking for and smart repair the hire car. Sorted.

[brrapp]

Hire car is a Citroen Cactus, damage is deep scuff to plastic bumper, can that be smart repaired? Its due to back to them tomorrow night.

[Rewe]

What a great lad! He knows right from wrong and his self pride can't be bought for £150!

Let him do the right thing by the MR2 owner and give him a sub for being a credit to you?

[Shaw Tarse]

brrapp said:

Hire car is a Citroen Cactus, damage is deep scuff to plastic bumper, can that be smart repaired? Its due to back to them tomorrow night.

Probably not given that it's bank holiday

[surveyor]

I would review the T&c. Unless he has taken out additional cover it's quite possible that the damage excess charge will be far higher than the deposit taken so far...

Some companies on finding damage will then automatically take the full excess...

[brrapp]

surveyor said:

I would review the T&c. Unless he has taken out additional cover it's quite possible that the damage excess charge will be far higher than the deposit taken so far...

Some companies on finding damage will then automatically take the full excess...

Standard excess was £1000 but he paid an extra £70 on the hire to reduce it to £250 max. He would have paid more to reduce it to zero but that wasn't an option as he's under 25. Lucky he got it down to £250, £70 well spent.

[carreauchompeur]

Very well spent indeed. Future purchase of third party excess cover also a good idea!

[TwigtheWonderkid]

If your son doesn't want to pay the tp personally, then he doesn't have to. That's why he had insurance. And as you say, there's damage to the hire car anyway. Just tell the MR2 owner nicely that it's a hire car so claim has to go thru insurance.

[Josho]

Are you local to Kent at all?

I