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Hi All - this is not speeding but about insurance, but this seems like maybe the best forum to get a good answer.
Recently I managed to reverse into a neigbours car, putting a major scrape into his rear bumper and possibly breaking a clip as the end has pushed a bit over the metalwork. I get on well with my neighbours so I was happy to tell him, he went off and got some quotes and it's £600+. My insurance excess is £250 so I'm going that route, and he will get a good repair. I'm sure my premium will go up a bit next year (the NCB is protected) but not by anything like £350.
My question is about my own car. It was much less damaged and most of it polished out, but there are some slightly-visible scratches on the rear bumper and a few tiny bits of paint missing. If there was no insurance claim I'd touch it in myself and live with it, but as theres a claim... basically, can I can my car properly fixed as part of the same claim, and if so will that put premiums up more as the cost to the insurance company will be higher? Thanks for any info you can give.
Recently I managed to reverse into a neigbours car, putting a major scrape into his rear bumper and possibly breaking a clip as the end has pushed a bit over the metalwork. I get on well with my neighbours so I was happy to tell him, he went off and got some quotes and it's £600+. My insurance excess is £250 so I'm going that route, and he will get a good repair. I'm sure my premium will go up a bit next year (the NCB is protected) but not by anything like £350.
My question is about my own car. It was much less damaged and most of it polished out, but there are some slightly-visible scratches on the rear bumper and a few tiny bits of paint missing. If there was no insurance claim I'd touch it in myself and live with it, but as theres a claim... basically, can I can my car properly fixed as part of the same claim, and if so will that put premiums up more as the cost to the insurance company will be higher? Thanks for any info you can give.
You won't pay any excess if the claim is limited to the third party. They will pay his £600 in full.
The £250 excess is on your own damage only, so factor that in before making your decision. But if it's over £250, you may as well claim for it. It'll not make future premiums any worse, you'll have just had one fault claim.
The £250 excess is on your own damage only, so factor that in before making your decision. But if it's over £250, you may as well claim for it. It'll not make future premiums any worse, you'll have just had one fault claim.
TwigtheWonderkid said:
You won't pay any excess if the claim is limited to the third party. They will pay his £600 in full.
Wow, I didn't know that, and they didn't tell me when I rang them about it. I dont think the damage to my car is worth £250 so will leave it and just put some touch-up paint on the tiny chips. Thanks 
Edit - I'm £250 better off than I thought I was! But they say that the premium will go up by a percentage, not related to the cost of the claim, which seems odd.
Edited by spangle82 on Wednesday 24th July 12:23
TwigtheWonderkid said:
Cost of the claim is largely meaningless in calculating future risk. You run up the back of someone, you aren't a better driver for hitting a Fiesta and not a Ferrari. The level of stupidity is the same.
Unfortunately perfection and the human race don't go together.Ive backed out of that drive about 7500 times without a problem. I blame the false alarm from the bonnet 'pedestrian sensor' which went off just at the critical moment which meant I looked at the warning that sprang up on the dashboard and not the wing mirror. Must sue the EU for making my car have pedestrian sensors... and talking of sensors, the rear parking sensors didnt go off, perhaps overridden by the (false) warning? Anyway, worse things happen at sea!
spangle82 said:
TwigtheWonderkid said:
Cost of the claim is largely meaningless in calculating future risk. You run up the back of someone, you aren't a better driver for hitting a Fiesta and not a Ferrari. The level of stupidity is the same.
Unfortunately perfection and the human race don't go together.Ive backed out of that drive about 7500 times without a problem. I blame the false alarm from the bonnet 'pedestrian sensor' which went off just at the critical moment which meant I looked at the warning that sprang up on the dashboard and not the wing mirror. Must sue the EU for making my car have pedestrian sensors... and talking of sensors, the rear parking sensors didnt go off, perhaps overridden by the (false) warning? Anyway, worse things happen at sea!
t happens, that's why you have insurance 
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