Should I Claim on Insurance?

[Artie Fufkin]

Hi everyone. I'm looking for some guidance please.

Let's say for the sake of argument that my daughter reversed into another car in a car park and caused a small amount of damage to it. Her car is unmarked. The car's owner has a local garage written estimate of £150 for the repair [£120 repair and £30 for bonnet badge].

I am assuming that if we were to get this person to claim on my daughter's insurance that her excess does not apply because daughter herself is not claiming? If the excess does apply, then we would certainly just pay up ourselves because the excess is £600 [daughter is 20].

Daughter is building up her first year of no claims at the moment and annual policy costs around £1200.

I suppose, if the repair went through insurance, she doesn't get a first year no claims discount on renewal but would the expected discount on this be more than the £160 she would pay out for the repair if she paid it herself?

And the other thing is, what if the estimate escalates on completion of the repair? I guess the other party could possibly hand us a bill of, say, over £200. We did specifically ask her to supply a quote but she said the garage supplied an estimate. On the other hand, by how much could an estimate of £130 be out?

Any advice please?

[mgmrw2003]

pay private.

Your excess alone will cost more than £130.

Just pay up, and make your daughter pay you back for her carelessness.

I speak as a child who did this, rather than a parent.

I stuffed fathers commuter car into a mate who was arsing around. Cost me £800 cash, which was less than the excess and insurance increas.

To claim for £130 you must be mad

[Blue Oval84]

If you claim for £130 you need your head looking at lol. It'll need declaring at for 3-5 years and will cost much more in the long run.

Your excess won't apply as your daughter isn't claiming, but even so, the loss of the NCB is gonna cost her big style.

[andy43]

If it costs £300 it's worth it.
Just pay it - the potential increase in premium doesn't bear thinking about.
Not to mention the potential of 4 whiplash claims from the 'occupants' of the car she hit.

[Artie Fufkin]

OK....thanks for the replies. Of course you're correct. What were we thinking?

We can stop this now so I don't look like a fool on here for the rest of the day. Please.

[mgmrw2003]

comes with experience mate.

Seriously would suggest you get YOUR DAUGHTER to pay it.

I know a few mates (and myself) have had this, even been made to walk around to the owners house, apologie and hand over our own money.

WE LEARNT OUR LESSON.

Couple of lasses who are "daddies little girl" had magic money wands waved, and they still have a cavillier attitude to car-park scrapes.

(one has a brand new 500 that daddy bought her at 22, and she uses it to bounce off other cars in car parks.... idiot).

Certainly teaches you to be more careful if a weeks wage has gone to someone for your mistake IMHO