Repairing my car after a crash

[warcalf]

Long story short, had a crash yesterday. Got something rubbing against my wheel (possibly a ball joint?) Anyway, I've reported it to my insurance, haven't made a claim and don't want to. However I do want to fix my car. I'm worried that if the third party claim say, next week have I put myself in a tricky position by getting a repair?

I asked my insurance provider this and they said I'm free to do as I please, but if a claim is made by the third party the procedure/investigation etc will have to go ahead as usual. However under the circumstances will likely go ahead as a 50/50, but their insurance could still try and put liability on me.

I've never been in this position before so I've no idea what to do, I don't want to claim as I am young, however I want my car back on the road. Do I get it fixed and just get on with my life, or leave it a week or so before doing anything?

[DJP]

Claim.

You are going to get reamed anyway, so you might as well get something back out of it.

[warcalf]

DJP said:

Claim.

You are going to get reamed anyway, so you might as well get something back out of it.

Surely not claiming will be better?

I'd have thought when it comes to insurance quotes in the future, having to clarify I've been in one accident that didn't get claimed for and went as a 50/50 would keep the quotes down more than an accident and a claim?

Plus, I know I can get my car sorted for less than my voluntary excess...

[yellowjack]

warcalf said:

...Plus, I know I can get my car sorted for less than my voluntary excess...

Well if it costs you less to repair at your own cost than to claim, then get it repaired yourself, for purely financial reasons. But sadly, if you have a third party claiming against you, I can't see your self-repair actually saving you any money at renewal time. It won't make a blind bit of difference I don't think. But then I'm not an insurance expert so all I've got to go on is gut feeling and past experience.

You've done the important bit though, which is reporting it to your insurer. Better that it comes from you than landing on their claims desk out of the blue from the third party's insurer, after all.

[StevenB]

If you don't claim for your car no excess is payable, even if the other party do claim against you. so if you can do a proper fix on your car for less, that's the way to go

[treeroy]

I dont understand. If you have hit someone else then you dont get to choose whether you make a claim. Whether you pay for your own repair or not won't affect your excess if you're at fault for hitting someone.

[anonymous-user]

warcalf said:

Surely not claiming will be better?

I'd have thought when it comes to insurance quotes in the future, having to clarify I've been in one accident that didn't get claimed for and went as a 50/50 would keep the quotes down more than an accident and a claim?

No, they won't care at all, that's not how it works. All they'll want to know is that it was an accident which wasn't non-fault. There isn't any concept of "50/50" being "less bad than 100% at fault", it's just at fault or not at fault.

Not a dig at you OP but I really wish this was more widely understood, as it would put a stop to a lot of the stupid pointless lying where someone is blatantly at fault but tries to make it partial fault on both parties - it makes no difference other than more inconvenience so why do it.

[Blue Oval84]

OP in my experience it will make no ods whether you claim or not now that you've told them. This is either going to be-

Involved in accident, recovery of costs not made from the other driver, no claim made = fault incident and may have a loading

OR

Involved in accident, recovery of costs not made from the other driver, claim made = fault incident and may have a loading

Either way, I doubt it'll make any odds. The only reason to fix it yourself now is if-

1) Your excess is more than, or the same as the cost of the repair (you only pay the excess if you claim for your own damage)
2) You think the insurers will write your car off but you'd rather avoid that by fixing yourself

Assuming the damage is more than your excess, and it sounds like it is, then just get it claimed for. At least you won't be kicking yourself if you pay to fix it and then the TP comes along and claims anyway.

[StevenB]

treeroy said:

I dont understand. If you have hit someone else then you dont get to choose whether you make a claim. Whether you pay for your own repair or not won't affect your excess if you're at fault for hitting someone.

The Excess is only payable on damage to your car, not the third party

[treeroy]

StevenB said:

The Excess is only payable on damage to your car, not the third party

yes but there will still be a claim on record when it comes insurance renewal time, which is what OP was concerned about.

[Decky_Q]

The wheel rubbing isn't a good sign, and unlikely to be just a ball joint, more likely bent wishbone. Where and how was the car hit, and what did it hit?

If it's similar money to get it fixed as pay the excess you may be better paying the excess and claiming for the repair, that way you wont have to revisit the job and keep replacing parts until it is fixed properly, suspension/steering can become a lot more costly than first meets the eye, and tracking will need done after each fix.

[Jim AK]

StevenB said:

The Excess is only payable on damage to your car, not the third party

3rd party can pursue you for their excess though can`t they?

[TwigtheWonderkid]

Jim AK said:

StevenB said:

The Excess is only payable on damage to your car, not the third party

3rd party can pursue you for their excess though can`t they?

OP's insurers will pay the tp's excess if OP is at fault, or 50% of their excess if he's 50% at fault. If OP doesn't claim for his own damage, it'll cost him nothing in excess.

[StevenB]

treeroy said:

yes but there will still be a claim on record when it comes insurance renewal time, which is what OP was concerned about.

You can't change the claim record, but you can reduce the cost to you (OP) now if the cost for you to repair the car is less than the excess

[warcalf]

• Update** (If anyone cares)

Accident almost a week ago and the other bloke hasn't claimed so I'm hoping he's chosen to sort it himself.

Rubbing noise was the plastic from the underside of the panel, pulled it back out with a krowbar and made it driveable. Bought a spare panel from a breaker the other day so fixing that on after a bit of paint work.

All seems dandy!