'Door'ed another car: Insurance question

[anonymous-user]

The initial message was deleted from this topic on 14 November 2022 at 09:33

[JP18]

Speak to your insurer first, they’ll want a report from you on what happened.

[bozzy.]

I agree with the above. Just notify your insurer.

The repair doesn’t sound excessive to me. Sounds like it will be a new door skin as you wouldn’t want the door being kippered up on a fairly new car. Bear in mind it will need to be repaired right to keep the manufacturers anti corrosion warranty intact. Also bear in mind the vehicle may be subject to a finance agreement.

[donkmeister]

I'll get a lot of flak for even asking this, but is it actually your liability, and would your insurance cover your exposure? Yes, it's the correct, sporting spirit and I would hope if my door gets dented it's by someone with your scruples, however...
Recently on here someone's car got smacked by someone who claimed to have blacked out, and he had to just suck it up as the cause of the accident wasn't negligence.
If an unexpected gust of wind took the door, where's the negligence?

[LosingGrip]

donkmeister said:

I'll get a lot of flak for even asking this, but is it actually your liability, and would your insurance cover your exposure? Yes, it's the correct, sporting spirit and I would hope if my door gets dented it's by someone with your scruples, however...
Recently on here someone's car got smacked by someone who claimed to have blacked out, and he had to just suck it up as the cause of the accident wasn't negligence.
If an unexpected gust of wind took the door, where's the negligence?

You could reasonably expect a door to swing open when its windy. If you have no history of blacking out, are you expected to never to drive in case you have one?

[Bumblebee7]

Is the paintwork damaged? If not you could suggest finding a PDR company who would be able to do it for far less.

[andburg]

AFAIK you and your insurer are not liable for your passenger's activities and it surpises me that insurers willingly accept these claims.

Might be worth looking into other avenues, personal liability through home insurance or other services rather than claiming on your car insurance.

I had this a few years back when a passenger in my car did the same but he was a work colleague not a family member at fault so not 100% the same.

[Old Merc]

OP, will you have to pay excess ? will you loose any no claims discount? If so this may end up costing you the £800 repair bill.

As you have been such an honest guy try and get round the other owner, Offer him £500 cash to get the repair done. Say going through insurance will cost BOTH of you money and loads of hassle.

[TwigtheWonderkid]

Old Merc said:

OP, will you have to pay excess ? will you loose any no claims discount? If so this may end up costing you the £800 repair bill.

Of course he won't have to pay the excess, because he's not claiming for his own damage, just tp damage. And it's lose, not loose.

[TwigtheWonderkid]

andburg said:

AFAIK you and your insurer are not liable for your passenger's activities and it surpises me that insurers willingly accept these claims.

The OP wants his insurers to accept the claim!!! His wife caused the damage. Because she was negligent. If they didn't accept the claim, the tp will just sue his wife, and the OP and his wife will have to pay up anyway. He could do that now if he wanted to. But he doesn't!!!

[Second Best]

Think it's worth commending the OP for his honesty, a nice show of character these days.

My first thought would be to ask the third party to get two other quotes - the idea being, they can pick whichever quote they want, but if one quote is £1200, and the other two are £600, then there's scope for discussion there.

Should all the quotes be outside your comfortable settlement, just ring your insurance company and explain you've had a minor incident where the third party has sought damages and you're just looking to settle. Depending on the TP's insurance company it might be very straightforward, or if they play silly buggers than at least you can palm it off onto your insurance company.

Good luck.

[KungFuPanda]

andburg said:

AFAIK you and your insurer are not liable for your passenger's activities and it surpises me that insurers willingly accept these claims.

Might be worth looking into other avenues, personal liability through home insurance or other services rather than claiming on your car insurance.

I had this a few years back when a passenger in my car did the same but he was a work colleague not a family member at fault so not 100% the same.

You don't know very much then.

The insurer will be liable for the negligent acts of the passenger.

[Brads67]

donkmeister said:

I'll get a lot of flak for even asking this, but is it actually your liability, and would your insurance cover your exposure? Yes, it's the correct, sporting spirit and I would hope if my door gets dented it's by someone with your scruples, however...
Recently on here someone's car got smacked by someone who claimed to have blacked out, and he had to just suck it up as the cause of the accident wasn't negligence.
If an unexpected gust of wind took the door, where's the negligence?

You want to be very very careful about claiming to have blacked out. It opens up a whole new world of insewerance company shafting.not to mention license revoking..

[andburg]

KungFuPanda said:

andburg said:

AFAIK you and your insurer are not liable for your passenger's activities and it surpises me that insurers willingly accept these claims.

Might be worth looking into other avenues, personal liability through home insurance or other services rather than claiming on your car insurance.

I had this a few years back when a passenger in my car did the same but he was a work colleague not a family member at fault so not 100% the same.

You don't know very much then.

The insurer will be liable for the negligent acts of the passenger.

Guess i got lucky then, my passenger claimed against his home insurance policy meaning i didnt have to register anything.
If I'd claimed and it had gone against me, even if he then paid off the cost to the insurer i'd have been left with increased premiums

[Fish]

If the paint isn't broken and it isn't on a crease a paintless dent removal company will do that for about £100-£150 while they wait..

Much Much better than painting.

[jondude]

Fish said:

If the paint isn't broken and it isn't on a crease a paintless dent removal company will do that for about £100-£150 while they wait..

Much Much better than painting.

Added to this the fact the OP can and should imo remind the other party that he (the OP) has been very noble here - I am sure many of us have come back to damaged cars where the culprit has done a runner.

So the other party could also try to be a tad more helpful and consider getting quotes from alternative places, too.

If he insists on (as it sounds) original parts and original main dealer service then let it go through the insurers....but perhaps politely point out this gives you BOTH an insurance accident record, the need to mention it and it affect quotes for 3-5 years AND put you both at risk of higher renewals - yes, even the innocent other party.

Yes, the other party is under no obligation to help and has every right to demand a top repair.

But as someone who did come back to a hit and run damaged car, if I had the OP waiting for me and willing to help as here, I would be so grateful I'd do all I could to keep costs down for everybody.

[LeoSayer]

Brads67 said:

donkmeister said:

I'll get a lot of flak for even asking this, but is it actually your liability, and would your insurance cover your exposure? Yes, it's the correct, sporting spirit and I would hope if my door gets dented it's by someone with your scruples, however...
Recently on here someone's car got smacked by someone who claimed to have blacked out, and he had to just suck it up as the cause of the accident wasn't negligence.
If an unexpected gust of wind took the door, where's the negligence?

You want to be very very careful about claiming to have blacked out. It opens up a whole new world of insewerance company shafting.not to mention license revoking..

The point was that the OP said the wind took the door, so the OP might not be liable.

[Ed/L152]

LeoSayer said:

Brads67 said:

donkmeister said:

I'll get a lot of flak for even asking this, but is it actually your liability, and would your insurance cover your exposure? Yes, it's the correct, sporting spirit and I would hope if my door gets dented it's by someone with your scruples, however...
Recently on here someone's car got smacked by someone who claimed to have blacked out, and he had to just suck it up as the cause of the accident wasn't negligence.
If an unexpected gust of wind took the door, where's the negligence?

You want to be very very careful about claiming to have blacked out. It opens up a whole new world of insewerance company shafting.not to mention license revoking..

The point was that the OP said the wind took the door, so the OP might not be liable.

Conversely, if the door was held properly the wind wouldn't have taken it, if the door wasn't held properly then the passenger was negligent.

[Durzel]

Second Best said:

Think it's worth commending the OP for his honesty, a nice show of character these days.

+1

[EazyDuz]

Wind is an act of God. I'd deny any liability. If you parked your car with the handbrake firmly on and a tornado shoved it into someone elses car is that your fault?
No so why is wind your fault but a tornado isnt.