Rear ended this morning

DEVEREUX

So I was rear ended this morning...Tow bar took most of hit so no serious damage done. Guards attended scene witnessed this guy admiting liability.This guy pretty forward about not wanting to go through insurance.

So got quote this afternoon for repairs, rang mr. "liable" who is not happy with quote and proceeded to offer me his car while he goes and gets mine repaired somewhere?? (his car would be +4-5k more expensive than mine). Do i just stick with this quote and go through insurance...I've no time to be messing around.

Advice appreciated! Thanks.

pippip

Go to the insurance and proceed with the claim.

If its already getting messy imagine how bad it could all end up.

Zubeneschamali

DEVEREUX wrote: »

rang mr. "liable" who is not happy with quote

If it was me, I'd ring him back and tell him that he pays the quote for repairs or I call the insurance company.

Anan1

Go through your insurance, don't even speak to him again.

DEVEREUX

DEVEREUX wrote: »

So got quote this afternoon for repairs, rang mr. "liable" who is not happy with quote and proceeded to offer me his car while he goes and gets mine repaired somewhere?? (his car would be +4-5k more expensive than mine). Do i just stick with this quote and go through insurance...I've no time to be messing around.

Advice appreciated! Thanks.

Completely unacceptable, insurance is the only way now, AGS will submit the details they took if required. This lad had his chance and didn't take it.

no1beemerfan

Anan1 wrote: »

Go through your insurance, don't even speak to him again.

Best advice. I wouldn't let a total stranger take my car to "someone" to repair it. Ring your insurance co and pass on all the details you have and don't answer any calls from yer man.

PCPhoto

if he's trying to cut corners already .... you can be sure he'll try to dispute the crash (he's liable but doesn't have the money to pay out....but he must)

you could phone him and say you appreciate his offer but would not be comfortable taking his motor and would require a rental - if he's not willing to cover the cost...goto insurance company ...DO NOT PASS "GO" DO NOT COLLECT 200.

Caliden

You tried doing the guy a favour, which you werent obliged to do, and he didn't accept the price.
He had his chance so just ring your insurance company and let them deal with it through the normal channels.

db

I had a similar situation to your's a couple of years ago. I decided to get my car repaired by the crash repair place selected by the other party to help save his costs. I was promised a replacement car while mine was off the road, the job would be finished perfectly etc.

When I dropped my car there was no replacement available so the garage dropped me to work, the only problem was I had to wait around and get a lift back later. The car wasn't properly finished but I had to take it back as I had no other way of getting home. The quality of the repair was also very poor.

If you go down this road you will have turned your back on the insurance route. You will have no comeback for poorly completed repairs and believe me when you are stood in a car repair workshop not happy with your car, there is not a lot you can do about it.

Plenty of people here will say "think how you would feel if you were in his shoes" - don't. This is your car and he ran into the back of you so he is fully responsible. Either pick your own repair company that you trust to do a good job or go through insurance, who will make sure the job is completed to their satisfaction.

Reloc8

If it was me, I'd get a couple of quotes at least, just in fairness to make sure no one is getting ripped off, from places I'm happy with.

Give him the options as between those quotes.

If he's not happy, you have your alternative remedy of going through insurance.

Do not get into this nonsense of driving his car etc. etc.

Make sure that either the money is paid up front or that the repair people are crystal clear that he is the paying client for invoicing etc.

coylemj

Reloc8 wrote: »

If it was me, I'd get a couple of quotes at least, just in fairness to make sure no one is getting ripped off, from places I'm happy with.

Give him the options as between those quotes.

If he's not happy, you have your alternative remedy of going through insurance.

Do not get into this nonsense of driving his car etc. etc.

Make sure that either the money is paid up front or that the repair people are crystal clear that he is the paying client for invoicing etc.

+1

Remember that 'mr. liable' is doing what most insurance companies do - not accept the first or only quote. Get a couple of quotes, tell the prospective repair shops the bill is being picked up by an individual, not an insurance company and that should keep the price down. I would agree that you should not give your car over to a garage selected by him, that's just asking for a patch-up cheapo job, he has no incentive to make sure that the job is 100% kosher so will cut corners to get the cheapest possible repair.

If he accepts one of the estimates give him a deadline to produce the cash after which you will write to his insurance company and lodge a formal claim.

You did make a note of his insurance details from the insurance disc on his windscreen? All you need is the name of the insurance company and his reg. no.

Caliden

coylemj wrote: »

+1

Remember that 'mr. liable' is doing what most insurance companies do - not accept the first or only quote. Get a couple of quotes, tell the prospective repair shops the bill is being picked up by an individual, not an insurance company and that should keep the price down. I would agree that you should not give your car over to a garage selected by him, that's just asking for a patch-up cheapo job, he has no incentive to make sure that the job is 100% kosher so will cut corners to get the cheapest possible repair.

If he accepts one of the estimates give him a deadline to produce the cash after which you will write to his insurance company and lodge a formal claim.

You did make a note of his insurance details from the insurance disc on his windscreen? All you need is the name of the insurance company and his reg. no.

Seems like alot of work for someone the OP doesn't even know?

coylemj

Caliden wrote: »

Seems like alot of work for someone the OP doesn't even know?

It doesn't cost anything to get an estimate and anyway if he submits a claim, the other guy's insurance company will probably send out an assessor who (to justify his services) will probably say that the damage won't cost as much to fix as is on the OP's estimate so even if the OP doesn't get a second estimate, the likelihood is that he'll have to go back to the original repair shop and ask them to accept the work for a lower price than their original estimate which by the way they will be expecting to happen anyway, every estimate for an insurance job includes a bit of fat in the expectation that the insurance company will push the price down a bit.

db

coylemj wrote: »

It doesn't cost anything to get an estimate and anyway if he submits a claim, the other guy's insurance company will probably send out an assessor who (to justify his services) will probably say that the damage won't cost as much to fix as is on the OP's estimate so even if the OP doesn't get a second estimate, the likelihood is that he'll have to go back to the original repair shop and ask them to accept the work for a lower price than their original estimate which by the way they will be expecting to happen anyway, every estimate for an insurance job includes a bit of fat in the expectation that the insurance company will push the price down a bit.

If it goes through the insurance, the insurance co will nominate the repair shop (or give a choice of 2 or 3) and they will take care of all negotiations on price etc. Also, most of the larger repair shops will charge for a detailed quote that they will stand over, an estimate is just that and the price may change later depending on whether further damage is uncovered.

aero2k

DEVEREUX wrote: »

So I was rear ended this morning...Tow bar took most of hit so no serious damage done. Guards attended scene witnessed this guy admiting liability.This guy pretty forward about not wanting to go through insurance.

So got quote this afternoon for repairs, rang mr. "liable" who is not happy with quote and proceeded to offer me his car while he goes and gets mine repaired somewhere?? (his car would be +4-5k more expensive than mine). Do i just stick with this quote and go through insurance...I've no time to be messing around.

Advice appreciated! Thanks.

OP the bit in bold concerns me. The tow bar may have taken the impact and so you haven't got a smashed bumper etc, but there could be a whole pile of damage that is not obvious and may be expensive. Towbars are usually fitted to parts of the chassis that are very strong but designed to crumple in a collision. If these have been crumpled and you have anuther shunt, instead of the chassis absorbing the impact you will!

I'm not trying to scare you or make you spend a ton of money. I had a rear end shunt and was quoted €1,500-€2,500 despite the fact that there was no visible damage to the car other than the towbar being a bit closer to the rear bumper. I had a look underneath with the car up on a hoist and the damage was clearly visible. The other party's insurance assessor was happy to confirm the damage and they paid up no problem.

Have the car looked at by someone you trust.

Wetbench4

Thread Title of the week!!:D:P

alias no.9

coylemj wrote: »

+1

Remember that 'mr. liable' is doing what most insurance companies do - not accept the first or only quote. Get a couple of quotes...

No they don't, at least not always. Insurance companies have approved repair shops, it is only if you refuse to use one of these, that quotes may be necessary before insurance will proceed.

W.Shakes-Beer

Something similar happened me 2 years ago.

Guy took liability, didn't want to go through insurance, wanted his "mate" to fix my car.

I went through insurance and never heard from the mallet head again.

Our man in Havana

Always go thru the insurance. Less hassle.

DEVEREUX

Thanks for input everyone.

The plot thickens....I have mislaid mr. liable insurance details, but have his reg phone and address. Will the guards sort me out with name of insurance company as i'd probably draw a blank from "mr. liable" when I ring him back this evening.

Our man in Havana

Yes they will.

cadaliac

Get more than one qoute. For your own sake.

My situation a few years back, I rear ended someone else and we all went through my insurance. My insurance company recomended a reapir shop that did a sh1t job. I recon the insurance assessor was tied in with the repair shop.
I had to bring the car back twice.

Get a few qoutes and go with the people you are comfortable with. I can see where "mr liable" is comming from but do not get involved.
Fair enough, if he accepts a price of one of your qoutes.
If he doesn't, or starts whining, go straight to your insurance company.

Reloc8

Caliden wrote: »

Seems like alot of work for someone the OP doesn't even know?

Yeah but the car gets fixed, and much quicker than otherwise. Going through the insurance is worse for both parties albeit that the OP will end up with the same outcome either way.