Sense checking a cash in lieu offer
Discussion
Hi all, quick ballpark estimate if possible to sense check any insurance offer when it comes.
A neighbour managed to scrape down the side of our 2015 M135i yesterday evening. Thankfully they worked out who owned the car and came to our door to apologise and exchange details. Their insurance company contacted me today and are talking to a cash settlement rather than a repair so it's not written off (high miles but high spec, think worth £8-9k) although I can't see this repair getting anywhere close?
Damage looks to be scuffing to the rear bumper, rear quarter and alloy with no warning lights and no real metal movement so these parts being repaired/replaced plus an alignment should see me good again.
Only headache is we're in S London so have the London tax to contend with. Some photos which hopefully show the full extent of the damage below.
A neighbour managed to scrape down the side of our 2015 M135i yesterday evening. Thankfully they worked out who owned the car and came to our door to apologise and exchange details. Their insurance company contacted me today and are talking to a cash settlement rather than a repair so it's not written off (high miles but high spec, think worth £8-9k) although I can't see this repair getting anywhere close?
Damage looks to be scuffing to the rear bumper, rear quarter and alloy with no warning lights and no real metal movement so these parts being repaired/replaced plus an alignment should see me good again.
Only headache is we're in S London so have the London tax to contend with. Some photos which hopefully show the full extent of the damage below.
Its going to need at least 2 wheels refurbed so it matches (unlikely anywhere will get a perfect colour match). But that bumper and quarter should be easily repairable.
I'd say a grand for a decent job? Could likely get it less than that but leaves a bit of fudge factor for any unexpected costs etc.
I'd say a grand for a decent job? Could likely get it less than that but leaves a bit of fudge factor for any unexpected costs etc.
Thanks, had been a good few years since I had to look at something like this - my gut was saying about £1500 based on being quoted £1k for similar damage (annoyingly matching but in the other side!) following a similar incident in 2019 that we never actually bothered getting repaired. Just didn't know how far costs had inflated, especially in the SE, since then.
It depends on your expectations, an insurance paid for job should be the whole rear bumper, the rear quarter which (I cant see from your photo) usually involves going over the top and down to the bottom of the A pillar, being a metallic and the damage to the arch being close to the rear door it needs a blend into the door to colour match, then it also needs the alloy repairing.
If you go to an insurance approved bodyshop with VAT etc its going to be £2K with your London geography.
If you want the cash in lieu and its your choice, you can probably live with a Smart repair on the bumper corner, there may be a swage line on the rear quarter that can be used rather than going over the A pillar? And the alloy can also be smart repaired. The blend into the door is little bit harder, being so little damage and a dark grey it could be possible not to have a edge to edge colour mismatch but that would come down to the skill of the painter.
If you go to an insurance approved bodyshop with VAT etc its going to be £2K with your London geography.
If you want the cash in lieu and its your choice, you can probably live with a Smart repair on the bumper corner, there may be a swage line on the rear quarter that can be used rather than going over the A pillar? And the alloy can also be smart repaired. The blend into the door is little bit harder, being so little damage and a dark grey it could be possible not to have a edge to edge colour mismatch but that would come down to the skill of the painter.
Some years ago I took a cash settlement from a bus company's accident management company for a scuff on front bumper, and a very slight press in of the trim around the wheel arch. It was £750+VAT.
What threw me a bit was they would only give me the ex-VAT amount unless I got it repaired and sent them the invoice.
It polished out enough, and the trim being pressed in wasn't noticeable, that I never got it repaired. Insurance added £50 (about 15%) when I told them at renewal.
What threw me a bit was they would only give me the ex-VAT amount unless I got it repaired and sent them the invoice.
It polished out enough, and the trim being pressed in wasn't noticeable, that I never got it repaired. Insurance added £50 (about 15%) when I told them at renewal.
Why do u suggest London tax? There's so much supply if you shop around prices will be competitive
I now live remote/rural and that's different where's there's limited supply and everyone is busy the prices are strong
Basic economics in my experience
I'm sure you can get that done for well under a bag of sand
I now live remote/rural and that's different where's there's limited supply and everyone is busy the prices are strong
Basic economics in my experience
I'm sure you can get that done for well under a bag of sand
Omg, get more quotes from smart repair, back street garages etc, what's the quote for, must be a new bumper and painting the whole side to blend the metallic etc or is there more damage we can't see?
I would've thought a smart repair and live with the slight panel gap pinch at the bottom, £500 i'd aim for, then £75 for the wheel
Good luck
I would've thought a smart repair and live with the slight panel gap pinch at the bottom, £500 i'd aim for, then £75 for the wheel
Good luck
I run a bodyshop, 2.7K is not outrageous, thats an insurance quote price. I don't do insurance work, I do classic resto's, but I do day to day non insurance paintwork alongside to pay the bills.
The insurance market has created its own loop, only insurance approved bodyshops can work with them, but to be approved you have to work to standards that are bonkers, however, taking the insurance side out, thats still a massive repair, you say just put some filler on it, its only a small area etc, but you have to clear coat an entire panel and you have to blend the repair. The rear arch damage is too close to the rear door for a metallic paint blend, all day long the door has to be blended to match, also the rear quarter goes up and over the top of both the doors and down the A pillar, so all of that has to be clear coated and prepped and masked.
There are short cuts and if the customer wants to accept those shortcuts then the price is less, but if you go to a bodyshop and ask for a quote its going to be to approved standards.
I don't think you understand the cost of materials, gas, electricity, rent, business rates, insurance, waste disposal etc etc.
Personally I get to know the customer and offer different choices and explain the pros and cons of each option, is it a car to run the kids to school or is it your pride and joy etc, etc.
Happy to get the feedback, but 2.7k is dear, but reasonable for an insurance approved repair to that damage. But, having said that, I wouldn't pay it and my prices wouldn't be anywhere as high, but I don't have the overheads they do, but I do understand how and why they get to that price.
The insurance market has created its own loop, only insurance approved bodyshops can work with them, but to be approved you have to work to standards that are bonkers, however, taking the insurance side out, thats still a massive repair, you say just put some filler on it, its only a small area etc, but you have to clear coat an entire panel and you have to blend the repair. The rear arch damage is too close to the rear door for a metallic paint blend, all day long the door has to be blended to match, also the rear quarter goes up and over the top of both the doors and down the A pillar, so all of that has to be clear coated and prepped and masked.
There are short cuts and if the customer wants to accept those shortcuts then the price is less, but if you go to a bodyshop and ask for a quote its going to be to approved standards.
I don't think you understand the cost of materials, gas, electricity, rent, business rates, insurance, waste disposal etc etc.
Personally I get to know the customer and offer different choices and explain the pros and cons of each option, is it a car to run the kids to school or is it your pride and joy etc, etc.
Happy to get the feedback, but 2.7k is dear, but reasonable for an insurance approved repair to that damage. But, having said that, I wouldn't pay it and my prices wouldn't be anywhere as high, but I don't have the overheads they do, but I do understand how and why they get to that price.
Before they make an offer, I'd get the numbers on your side sorted, as that's what you'll be negotiating against.
Get the £2.7k quote itemised: bumper (repair or new), quarter, blending the door, wheel, alignment, VAT. That tells you whether they're quoting a new bumper and painting the whole side, which is what DaveF's describing, or a repair. Then get one or two more quotes, including a smart repairer for the bumper corner and the wheel. That gives you a range, not one number.
A few things I'd check before agreeing anything:
- If it has rear parking sensors, make sure they all still work. A cracked sensor holder or bracket behind a scuffed corner is easy to miss in photos and adds to the bill later.
- Look under the edge of the bumper and the arch liner for anything bent, and get the alignment checked if the wheel took a knock.
- As Sheepshanks found, ask whether the cash figure includes VAT or whether VAT is only paid against a repair invoice. It makes a big difference on a quote this size.
You don't have to take the first figure. If it comes in well under your quotes, send them the itemised quote and ask them to explain the gap. If you take the cash and don't fix it, keep the paperwork, because the next buyer or a future claim may ask about the old damage.
Get the £2.7k quote itemised: bumper (repair or new), quarter, blending the door, wheel, alignment, VAT. That tells you whether they're quoting a new bumper and painting the whole side, which is what DaveF's describing, or a repair. Then get one or two more quotes, including a smart repairer for the bumper corner and the wheel. That gives you a range, not one number.
A few things I'd check before agreeing anything:
- If it has rear parking sensors, make sure they all still work. A cracked sensor holder or bracket behind a scuffed corner is easy to miss in photos and adds to the bill later.
- Look under the edge of the bumper and the arch liner for anything bent, and get the alignment checked if the wheel took a knock.
- As Sheepshanks found, ask whether the cash figure includes VAT or whether VAT is only paid against a repair invoice. It makes a big difference on a quote this size.
You don't have to take the first figure. If it comes in well under your quotes, send them the itemised quote and ask them to explain the gap. If you take the cash and don't fix it, keep the paperwork, because the next buyer or a future claim may ask about the old damage.
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