Very minor accident, other person being an arse
Discussion
My 17 year old daughter accidently reversed her car into another a stationary car a few days ago. She left a short note, giving her name, address and phone number so that she could arrange for repairs if the owner wanted to.
The owner got in contact and is claiming major damage. They have subsequently got dealer quotes for damage to bumper and headlights!!
My daughter talked me through the accident, which was a 2mph low speed nudge which never touched the headlight or bumper. She has 3 witnesses who were in the car at the time and saw the damage.
Looking at the corresponding damage on my daughter's car, there is a slight rub in the paintwork that will probably polish out (I rubbed it with my finger and it was rubbing away).
I haven't arranged to see the damaged car yet, but highly suspect the owner is trying it on in the hope we'll pay up for other repairs (or he'll cash the money).
I intend to pay for the damage done (I guess this will be a dentmagic type quick fix), but won't stomach getting fleeced.
My feeling is that the other person is assuming that we'll just bend over and pay outside of insurance rather than take it to our insurance (he knows my daughter is a young driver). I am willing to take this to insurance and pay the extra premium as an expensive point of principle rather than let this guy get away with inflating his insurance claim.
Can the PH hivemind suggest good approaches for defusing this and stopping the owner being a dick.
Tldr;
My daughter had accident, did the right thing, now old books is trying it on.
The owner got in contact and is claiming major damage. They have subsequently got dealer quotes for damage to bumper and headlights!!
My daughter talked me through the accident, which was a 2mph low speed nudge which never touched the headlight or bumper. She has 3 witnesses who were in the car at the time and saw the damage.
Looking at the corresponding damage on my daughter's car, there is a slight rub in the paintwork that will probably polish out (I rubbed it with my finger and it was rubbing away).
I haven't arranged to see the damaged car yet, but highly suspect the owner is trying it on in the hope we'll pay up for other repairs (or he'll cash the money).
I intend to pay for the damage done (I guess this will be a dentmagic type quick fix), but won't stomach getting fleeced.
My feeling is that the other person is assuming that we'll just bend over and pay outside of insurance rather than take it to our insurance (he knows my daughter is a young driver). I am willing to take this to insurance and pay the extra premium as an expensive point of principle rather than let this guy get away with inflating his insurance claim.
Can the PH hivemind suggest good approaches for defusing this and stopping the owner being a dick.
Tldr;
My daughter had accident, did the right thing, now old books is trying it on.
Gott in himmel, it beggars belief that a 17 year old didn't take photos of the damage, they take pictures of f***ing EVERYTHING !!!!!!.and post on social medja.
Their food, their cats, their wobbly bottoms in leggings [ so I'm told ], their weird eyebrows.
The one time a photographic record would be paramount in its importance, they didnae bother.
Their food, their cats, their wobbly bottoms in leggings [ so I'm told ], their weird eyebrows.
The one time a photographic record would be paramount in its importance, they didnae bother.
Go and look at the damage claimed.
Take daughters car with you to assess if it is possible or impossible.
If it is impossible, ask if he wants to be sensible about it.
If it is possible (even if daughter is adamant she didn't cause it) then tell him it will go via Insurance, and daughters statement will make the insurers look twice at a big claim. Even so, they may still payout, but you will be forcing him to declare a no fault incident which MAY affect his future prices.
Seeing him in person you should be able to work out if he is a genuine type or a chancer and act accordingly ?
Take daughters car with you to assess if it is possible or impossible.
If it is impossible, ask if he wants to be sensible about it.
If it is possible (even if daughter is adamant she didn't cause it) then tell him it will go via Insurance, and daughters statement will make the insurers look twice at a big claim. Even so, they may still payout, but you will be forcing him to declare a no fault incident which MAY affect his future prices.
Seeing him in person you should be able to work out if he is a genuine type or a chancer and act accordingly ?
Thanks all, she didn't take photos 
she was in a flap at the time.
I spoke to the owner and he's already convinced himself that this accident did the damage. He was very defensive on the phone and quick to (a) accuse me of calling him a liar for challenging his view and (b) threatening to take it to insurance (it felt like a veiled threat : accept I'm right or suffer the insurance consequences!).
I won't get to see the car until next week (for various reasons), and can't believe that what sounds like a minor bump has caused that much damage.
I think he's already decided to go to insurance, but I'd like to think sense might prevail.
she was in a flap at the time.I spoke to the owner and he's already convinced himself that this accident did the damage. He was very defensive on the phone and quick to (a) accuse me of calling him a liar for challenging his view and (b) threatening to take it to insurance (it felt like a veiled threat : accept I'm right or suffer the insurance consequences!).
I won't get to see the car until next week (for various reasons), and can't believe that what sounds like a minor bump has caused that much damage.
I think he's already decided to go to insurance, but I'd like to think sense might prevail.
Mike335i said:
How so?
It won't be an exact science.But an owner of a new exec level merc/bmw/audi will be a different type to an owner of a 20 year old rustbucket etc. But people who buy new, or nearly new often (not always) fit into different types of people and choose vehicles accordingly.
Chances are it will be somewhere in the middle.
But it may help build a picture.
Coilspring said:
Mike335i said:
How so?
It won't be an exact science.But an owner of a new exec level merc/bmw/audi will be a different type to an owner of a 20 year old rustbucket etc. But people who buy new, or nearly new often (not always) fit into different types of people and choose vehicles accordingly.
Chances are it will be somewhere in the middle.
But it may help build a picture.
Initforthemoney said:
Coilspring said:
Mike335i said:
How so?
It won't be an exact science.But an owner of a new exec level merc/bmw/audi will be a different type to an owner of a 20 year old rustbucket etc. But people who buy new, or nearly new often (not always) fit into different types of people and choose vehicles accordingly.
Chances are it will be somewhere in the middle.
But it may help build a picture.
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