Rear bumper totalled

Be decent and let him pay, what's the problem with that, happened to me recently. I had to pay £120 as I caused a scratch in a bumper. Left handbrake off, doh!.

Why should he be decent, his neighbour wasn't decent when he didn't come and tell him he'd smacked his car, if he hadn't noticed it would the neighbour have got his repaired and never fessed up?

I will say that if your car is worth about £1400 then this will more than likely get written off as I would imagine just the bumper replacement, colour match and labour charged to an insurance company by a bodyshop would be over the threshold.
 
I really want to do that, and if things don't pan out with private quotes, I may still. At the moment though, the reality is that he's made me kind of feel that I'd be a right **** for going through the insurance.
Is he not the right **** for smashing into your car and doubly so for trying to get away with it.
Screw him, think only of yourself. Going insurance means minimum hassle.
 
Why should he be decent, his neighbour wasn't decent when he didn't come and tell him he'd smacked his car, if he hadn't noticed it would the neighbour have got his repaired and never fessed up?

I will say that if your car is worth about £1400 then this will more than likely get written off as I would imagine just the bumper replacement, colour match and labour charged to an insurance company by a bodyshop would be over the threshold.
In which case you'd buy it back, get it fixed and most likely be quids on. Literally the best outcome.
 
Ouch Liquid Entity, sorry to see that.

Well I've got good news. The neighbour admitted he did it! Totally surprised me.
And I've got it all recorded. He was very friendly and apologetic and gave me some story about a car coming towards him and how he tried to quickly park and then hit my car. Something like that, but I'm confident that's BS and he was probably drunk.

Anyway, he gave me his insurers name, Freeway insurance. I've never heard of them. Thing is, he was asking me if we can do it without the insurers involved and that he's happy to drive me to a place tomorrow that he's used before who are apparently good. He wants to avoid an insurance claim because he said his excess is £600.

I said to him that I think the damage to my car will be more than £600 and he didn't think so. But he has no idea really, he's not a mechanic.

So what's the best thing guys, do I call up my insurers today and do it that way or go with him and get a quote? Either way, it shouldn't cost me anything.


Haven't read the whole thread. But he only has to pay the £600 excess if he claims against his own vehicle. If only you claim against his policy then he has no excess to pay.

You'd be silly to go privately for that. Could have bent the boot floor... what if his body shop doesn't do a good job... what if he tries to worm out paying it and you've not told your insurance company...
 
Why should he be decent, his neighbour wasn't decent when he didn't come and tell him he'd smacked his car, if he hadn't noticed it would the neighbour have got his repaired and never fessed up?

I will say that if your car is worth about £1400 then this will more than likely get written off as I would imagine just the bumper replacement, colour match and labour charged to an insurance company by a bodyshop would be over the threshold.

Yeh I see what your saying, fair point.
 
He didn't come and tell you he crashed into your car, **** him and his excess. He doesn't deserve you to do him a favour.
 
Glad he fessed up
And you recorded it like advised

600 quid excess is because he has taxi insurance not just standard insurance like most people
As taxis do so many hours and mileage they are a higher risk therefore insurance is higher
As for calling the police last night on suspicion of he was drunk would have got
Nowhere as he had left the scene
And could have said he went indoors and had a few large drinks

If he hit your car at 7pm then clearly it would have been light and easy to see the damage looked like more than a scratch
Everything points to he had been drinking
Got zero tolerance for drink driving
Personally
So I would be going through insurance
Yeah it may cause bad feelings
But you have to pay the consequences of
Your actions
He's trying to make you feel guilty if you go the insurance route as you seem like
A decent person
 
Thanks guys for the advice.

I've just spoken on the phone to a mate. He's got a mechanic/bodywork guy that did repairs on his merc. He said it was very good, couldn't see the join so to speak. I'm taking the car tomorrow to meet my friend and then we're going to see the mechanic for a quote. He said his prices are very good and he'll be able to tell me exactly what needs doing. He said I should really go through the insurance, however, he reckoned that it will be written off through any of the insurers garages (he said any car worth £1400 with over £500 damage will be seen as a write off, I don't know if that's true) but that I should be able to persuade them to use his mechanic.

So firstly, if his mechanic quotes me say, £800, I'll ask my neighbour for the cash in advance. If he says no it's too much, then I'll say stuff it, I'm going through the insurance. And then I'll try and persuade them to let me use this mechanic.
 
Glad he fessed up
And you recorded it like advised

600 quid excess is because he has taxi insurance not just standard insurance like most people
As taxis do so many hours and mileage they are a higher risk therefore insurance is higher
As for calling the police last night on suspicion of he was drunk would have got
Nowhere as he had left the scene
And could have said he went indoors and had a few large drinks

If he hit your car at 7pm then clearly it would have been light and easy to see the damage looked like more than a scratch
Everything points to he had been drinking
Got zero tolerance for drink driving
Personally
So I would be going through insurance
Yeah it may cause bad feelings
But you have to pay the consequences of
Your actions
He's trying to make you feel guilty if you go the insurance route as you seem like
A decent person

Thanks Mcnumpty, yes, I'm glad I recorded it in case he changes his mind and decides to deny, particularly if I tell him I'm going through insurance!
 
well i hope it works out but i think churchill will want one of there approved repairers to do the work, you can if you push them enough get your own repairer but you then will have delays with setting up vehicle inspections etc. also loan vehicles most companies now if written off will give you a loan vehicle for a minimum 7 days. as regards buying it back in the case of the write off again very much down to insures most wont let you or if they do will require the document so they can submit it as a write off. means jumping through hoops to get a new one and inspection unless very lucky.
unless its changed dramatically ,
vehicle goes to your garage
garage do estimate
garage may supply loan car if insurance agrees the costs
churchill then arrange for a assessor to go out to inspect the damage
if approved garage repairs
you sign for repairs upon collection
any problems with subsequent repair between you the garage with churchill in the middle.........

or/

phone churchill
they drop loan vehicle off
pick up your vehicle
take it to approved repairer
gets estimated
assessor either in house or by appointment authorises or writes off vehicle.
if authorised you get your vehicle repaired guaranteed usually valeted and returned when completed
you sign acceptance and loan vehicle is taken away

any problems covered under guarantee no major hassle.

i know which one i would prefer.
as said been a few years since my connections with insurance and yes it was with churchill lol.

by the way if written off use auto trader and print some comparable vehicles for prices (same make obviously and as close as possible to age and condition) sometimes a low offer starts and they need evidence to increase there offer but sometimes they surprise you with a very good first offer.

also if going to insurance i know it may sound stupid but take out any personal things erring on being cautious in case it doesnt come back. saves travelling miles for that nodding dog off the dashboard :)
 
oh and when i was working in the field they were trialling video estimating so authorising was very quick without being onsite.

one last point and i know some folk may disagree but dont be tempted with a no win no fee accident company althought i doubt you will be bothered in that way.

brother got caught that way a few years back and had a loan vehicle by a non approved garage all repairs done then got presented with a bill for hire charges as insurance company would not stump up for the car. he ended up paying a lot of money for a supposed free loan vehicle, because the no win no fee agreement had a clause that made him liable for it grrrrrr.
 
You've filled a report with the police correct? In which case you're on a system some where and therefore you'll need to inform your insurers for the next 5 years anyway, for a £100 excess just go with the insurance stuff your neighbour.
He was obviously trying to get away with it or drunk to not just come straight round and hold his hands up.
 
Thanks gc123 for the advice. I bought the car in April and insured it for £1400 so I should get that much in payment if they write it off?

You've filled a report with the police correct? In which case you're on a system some where and therefore you'll need to inform your insurers for the next 5 years anyway, for a £100 excess just go with the insurance stuff your neighbour.
He was obviously trying to get away with it or drunk to not just come straight round and hold his hands up.

Yes, filled a met police road incident form in yesterday.
If it goes through insurance, I shouldn't have to pay my excess since it'll be his insurers covering the cost, right?
 
well i hope it works out but i think churchill will want one of there approved repairers to do the work, you can if you push them enough get your own repairer but you then will have delays with setting up vehicle inspections etc. also loan vehicles most companies now if written off will give you a loan vehicle for a minimum 7 days. as regards buying it ...

I thought a sometimes discussed, 3rd way maybe appropriate ...
to avoid any write off scenario, that your insurance might suggest, you inform your insurance, but, deal directly with theirs,
let their assessor inspect the car, keeping it in your possession, get some approved qoutes, have them write you the check for the repairs, then get it fixed, where you want, or DIY.
 
Thanks gc123 for the advice. I bought the car in April and insured it for £1400 so I should get that much in payment if they write it off?

No, you’ll get what it’s current market worth is based on age, spec & mileage

Yes, filled a met police road incident form in yesterday.
If it goes through insurance, I shouldn't have to pay my excess since it'll be his insurers covering the cost, right?

Correct enough :)
 
Thanks gc123 for the advice. I bought the car in April and insured it for £1400 so I should get that much in payment if they write it off?



Yes, filled a met police road incident form in yesterday.
If it goes through insurance, I shouldn't have to pay my excess since it'll be his insurers covering the cost, right?
The insurance co. will try to lowball you on value if its a write off. You do not have to accept the offer and you can always buy the car back for a pittance and get it fixed with used parts where possible. It will need to be declared as a Cat N which may make a few companies baulk.
 
You should've told the police a guy you think is a drink driver has smashed into your motor and is now hiding in his house in an attempt to avoid you and sober up. They'd have been around in minutes.
 
If you do claim on his insurance your insurance goes up too when you have to declare a non fault claim for the next 5 years...been.there done that.

When you add up the extra cost of all 5 years you'll see its not worth it.
 
I had to declare a non fault in 2017 for some idiot drove in to my parked car in a services car park (don't have much luck with my parked car and other people) and I never saw any increase in my premiums, in fact it went down year on year
 
I had to declare a non fault in 2017 for some idiot drove in to my parked car in a services car park (don't have much luck with my parked car and other people) and I never saw any increase in my premiums, in fact it went down year on year

Mine didn't infact merlins could run a quick quote comparison now on a website, one with no claims one with a non fault claim and see
 
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