Had a small bump.

[Nickelson23]

Firstly my apologises if this is the wrong section.

Managed to have a van run into the back of me today. I was going around a roundabout to the local tesco, and the back end of the car slide out a little roughly before the junction of the vechicle. The car span in the direction of the roundabout and I managed to keep control of the vechicle by taking my foot of the gas. I wasnt going fast just hit abit of snow plus the roads hadn't been gritted. The said vechicle set of and hit into the back of me as I was traveling in the direction of my exit. He must of entered the roundabout as I was sliding. I took his details and gave him mine. He was in a company vechicle and stated he wasnt obliged to give me his name, however after much pressure by me he gave me an alleged first name. He later rang me off his phone and hesitated when he gave his name which makes me think it isnt his name. He also claimed that when I ring his company they will probably offer me cash rather than take this insurance route. The damage to my vechicle is minimal just a cracked rear bumper of which the cost will be more or less equivelant to my excess. What do you recommend I do ?. Im a little shaken up as this is my first accident. Will this be percieved as his fault ? Thanks

[saaby93]

sounds like he wants to sort it out for cash rather than trouble his work or insurance
How much is a bumper?

[Harpo]

Sounds very much like he wasn't insured to drive that van. Or maybe he wasn't authorised by the company. It seems like he was being evasive.
Your car may have damage not noticable until the bumper is removed.
If it was his fault then I wouldn't hesitate in using your Insurance company.

[saaby93]

Harpo said:

Sounds very much like he wasn't insured to drive that van. Or maybe he wasn't authorised by the company. It seems like he was being evasive.
Your car may have damage not noticable until the bumper is removed.
If it was his fault then I wouldn't hesitate in using your Insurance company.

What would that gain the OP?
A few years increased insurance for a bumper he could repair himself for not very much?

[streaky]

Speak to them ... don't write - Streaky

[jazzyjeff]

saaby93 said:

Harpo said:

Sounds very much like he wasn't insured to drive that van. Or maybe he wasn't authorised by the company. It seems like he was being evasive.
Your car may have damage not noticable until the bumper is removed.
If it was his fault then I wouldn't hesitate in using your Insurance company.

What would that gain the OP?
A few years increased insurance for a bumper he could repair himself for not very much?

Why not just scrap all insurance altogether and have everyone repair their own vehicles?

JJ

[Meoricin]

jazzyjeff said:

saaby93 said:

Harpo said:

Sounds very much like he wasn't insured to drive that van. Or maybe he wasn't authorised by the company. It seems like he was being evasive.
Your car may have damage not noticable until the bumper is removed.
If it was his fault then I wouldn't hesitate in using your Insurance company.

What would that gain the OP?
A few years increased insurance for a bumper he could repair himself for not very much?

Why not just scrap all insurance altogether and have everyone repair their own vehicles?

JJ

Insurance isn't there for these little scrapes - it's there for accidents where you can't afford to repair it yourself. People claiming for small accidents/minor damage are one of the reasons why premiums are as high as they are.

[mercfunder]

jazzyjeff said:

saaby93 said:

Harpo said:

Sounds very much like he wasn't insured to drive that van. Or maybe he wasn't authorised by the company. It seems like he was being evasive.
Your car may have damage not noticable until the bumper is removed.
If it was his fault then I wouldn't hesitate in using your Insurance company.

What would that gain the OP?
A few years increased insurance for a bumper he could repair himself for not very much?

Why not just scrap all insurance altogether and have everyone repair their own vehicles?

JJ

You thank your lucky stars that you have insurance if you are ever involved in a serious personal injury claim, the bill could run to millions.
The problem is everybody claims for tiny little dents etc, and the body repair shops now dream up whatever number they want when it is an insurance job, hence a simple repair which should be cheap costs a fortune, and we all end up paying more.

[Nickelson23]

Rang the company this morning and they have informed their insurance, so obviously want to go the the route of insurance quite strange considering there is no damage to the other partys vechicle. Just hope they are not claiming injury and trying to dispute liability with me.