Someone tipped my car.

Toyotafanboi

Hi,

Yesterday someone reversed into my parked car. I was upstairs in my appartment at the time but my landlord seen it, stopped the woman and came and got me.

She appeared decent enough, she gave me her name address and number and i took her car make and reg. i gave her all the same details about me.

The front bumper is badly scuffed and sagging a little, the headlight is pushed back into the car and the clips are broken on it and the alignment of the bonnet/ front wing is very minorly upset.

Im a big fan of my car, i like to keep it right so i brought it to the main dealer who want "€x" amount to repair it and i got a written estimate. I called her back and got the whole "are you joking with that price" thing. Got another call this morning where her husband wants me to go to a garage he is a customer of.

I dont want any corners cut on my car etc, can I insist on the main dealer? Insurance companies are not involved. I am in bad need of my car this next few weeks so i dont want messing i just want it repaired and back on the road.

what should i do from here?

Anan1

First, forget about dealing directly with these people. Pass on all the details to your insurance company and have them take care of it for you.

Max Power1

Anan1 wrote: »

Forget about dealing directly with these people. Pass on all the details to her insurance company and have them take care of it for you.

Big difference

If the op passes to her own insurance, there will be an open claim recorded and this will affect renewal

smcelhinney

I would imagine you're well within your rights to want to have your car fixed by an authorised dealer.

Unfortunately, if there is a dispute, the only resolution is to involve insurance companies. If you dont mind me saying, it was a bit naive of you NOT to involve them at the outset given that you were obviously not at fault.

Anan1

Max Power1 wrote: »

Big difference

If the op passes to her own insurance, there will be an open claim recorded and this will affect renewal

The OP's car was unoccupied at the time of the accident, so liability is not an issue.

furtzy

You need to inform your insurance company if only just for their records. I personally wouldn't be just dealing with the third party. Your insurance company will get it assessed and you can then choose between their repairer or your own dealer once there is not a major price descrepancy which there normally wouldn't be. This wil not affect your NCB as they will recoup the price to fix off the third parties insurance company.

TheBody

I got that sh1te when a woman drove into my car. I don't think people realise how expensive it is to get work done on a car. If I were you op, I'd tell them that you have given them a quote and if they drag their heels, I'd tell them you will follow them for costs involved for not having a car, loss of earnings, etc. Every part of this mess is their fault. You are getting enough hassle as it is.

Toyotafanboi

See im reluctant to tell my insurance or involve them. i mean wouldn't that mean that i would have a claim recorded and lose my bonus with them? also if someone were to do a history check if i were to ever sell my car it would be recorded as damaged?

Only i'm new to the area i dont know who's a good indy and who isn't and there'd be nothing worse than getting back a botch job and having no comeback because its "settled". i would like toyota to do the work ideally. i also know the headlamp for my particular car isn't available in Ireland at least spurious because its a dreaded import.

I just dont know should i meet him today now and check out the garage he suggests or should i just stand my ground on the dealership.

The car is driveable/ useable just a bit ugly and the light is clearly out of focus.

Duggys Housemate

Shes liable. There is no penalty for you if someone reverses I to your parked car.

Kenny Logins

The Toyota dealer will just pass it on to a local indy anyway, no?

Blazer

Happened to a mate of mine who ran into the arse of someone.
Completely his fault and even though it was a 5mph tip he still had to cough up €1400 for the bumper replacement as he had hit the bumper bar on the other guys car.
No matter what the other party says..the person who's car was damaged can go to any garage they like and if the other person don't like it then go via insurance.

So in other words...you're quite entitled to use your own dealer for repairs and the other person has no say whatsoever in where you get it repaired.
PS.do not skimp out on repairs..when you go to sell your car salesman can spot any damage or repairs a mile away.
Better she pays up rather than you when you go to sell it or trade it in.

CJhaughey

I had the same situation last year, My wifes car was parked outside a school, a young guy came flying along and swerved to avoid a truck and crashed into my wifes car which was fortunately unoccupied.
Wing, headlight and bumper was the damage along with the incidentals inside.
He tried to dispute his liability claiming the insurance told him to say that it was badly parked.

I got a quote from a good independant panel beater and presented it to him, and gave him the option to settle it privately.
He wasn't having it and his mother whos name the car was insured under complained to me that I was asking him for a lot of money.
I replied that I was actually doing him a favour and that I would now proceed to put it straight through the insurance.
So it would have cost her a lot more than settling it privately.
3 weeks car hire etc etc(over xmas)

OP: I would inform your insurance that the accident has happened but that you are not claiming from your insurance.
Then I would contact her insurers and get their assessor on the case.
In the meantime get some quotes from some good panelbeaters so you know what to expect.

aristotle25

Get the car fixed in the dealer of your choice and tell your insurance company and dont deal directly with the 3rd party. Their insurance company will pay. Simple and no hassles.

TheBody

Don't feel guilty about it op. It's not like you are making money from this.

Toyotafanboi

So if i pass on her contact details to my insurer over the phone today, they will look after this, "represent me" so to speak from here on out, dealing with the other party?

if this in no way effects my claims history then this is what i'l do. do i need her insurance details to do this or can i just pass on her contact info?

Dr. Kenneth Noisewater

TheBody wrote: »

Don't feel guilty about it op. It's not like you are making money from this.

+1

There are plenty out there who would see this as an opportunity to make a few extra quid for themselves. All youre doing is looking to have your car restored to the condition it was in when you parked it. Get a job done that you know you'll be satisfied with and if that involves going to a main Toyota dealer then so be it.

Anan1

Toyotafanboi wrote: »

So if i pass on her contact details to my insurer over the phone today, they will look after this, "represent me" so to speak from here on out, dealing with the other party?

Exactly, that's what you pay them for.

Toyotafanboi wrote: »

if this in no way effects my claims history then this is what i'l do. do i need her insurance details to do this or can i just pass on her contact info?

Your insurance company will talk you through the whole process. You'll have the car properly repaired at an approved workshop of your choice, and you'll have a replacement car while your own is being repaired. Basically, they'll hold your hand through the whole thing.

norrie rugger

She hit your car. You gave her a chance to avoid insurance. They are dicking you around, wanting it "done" by a guy the husband knows.

Call your insurance company.

martomcg

Toyotafanboi wrote: »

So if i pass on her contact details to my insurer over the phone today, they will look after this, "represent me" so to speak from here on out, dealing with the other party?

if this in no way effects my claims history then this is what i'l do. do i need her insurance details to do this or can i just pass on her contact info?

Honestly I dont know why in a situation like this you dont just ring the insurance company and ask?

Just because you mention it on the phone doesnt mean you obliged to go down the insurance route. Ask your insurer if this in any way affects your policy - which it DOESN'T and then give the other drivers details.

If they're in anyway difficult over settling outside without involving either insurance company then fcuk them. Not your fault they cant drive!

Toyotafanboi

OK, rang my insurer and reported it anyway and i can expect a call back to pursue the claim shortly, it was pleasant enough.

I'm going to call the other party back now, press the subject of getting it repaired with toyota and if he still isn't keen i'l just say that i'd rather let Liberty handle it from here on out then.

EDIT : Thanks for all the help!

monkeypants

Toyotafanboi wrote: »

...my landlord seen it, stopped the woman and came and got me.

Corrrect me if I'm wrong, but was she trying to drive off?

Anan1

Toyotafanboi wrote: »

I'm going to call the other party back now, press the subject of getting it repaired with toyota and if he still isn't keen i'l just say that i'd rather let Liberty handle it from here on out then.

EDIT : Thanks for all the help!

Honestly, my advice is to have no further contact with the other party. Just let your insurance company do their job.

Media999

Anan1 wrote: »

Honestly, my advice is to have no further contact with the other party. Just let your insurance company do their job.

Yeah. Why would you contact them again?

They could be bloody anybody.

furtzy

Absolutely do not contact them again. Its in the hands of your insurer now

aujopimur

If you want a replacement car, you will have to go with a repairer recommended by the insurer.

CJhaughey

aujopimur wrote: »

If you want a replacement car, you will have to go with a repairer recommended by the insurer.

Why?
Ask the repairer that YOU choose if they can provide a vehicle while yours is being repaired.

Toyotafanboi

monkeypants wrote: »

Corrrect me if I'm wrong, but was she trying to drive off?

The impression i got, but i dont know for sure. i think it is that she was just unaware that she had hit it, her car is much bigger than mine.

regardless cheers for the info. I called them again and stated where things were at and anyway they have paid for the repairs and my car is being repaired next monday morning

result.

aujopimur

CJhaughey wrote: »

Why?
Ask the repairer that YOU choose if they can provide a vehicle while yours is being repaired.

The insurer will only supply a replacement vehicle if yours is repaired by one of their approved repairers.

Wexfordian

Anan1 wrote: »

The OP's car was unoccupied at the time of the accident, so liability is not an issue.

Don't think liability is an issue. I was rear ended sitting at lights by a couple of lads who had been drinking. I made the mistake of going through my insurance to deal with the other one. At renewal time it was treated as an open claim and my NCB rolled back, even though liability wasn't even vaguely in doubt. NCB was reinstated at settlement, but they would not adjust that years premium. If I'd gone directly to their insurers it wouldn't have come up.

CJhaughey

aujopimur wrote: »

The insurer will only supply a replacement vehicle if yours is repaired by one of their approved repairers.

Not true.
Quinn insured the guy that crashed into my wifes parked car.
They covered the whole cost of car hire while it was being repaired at a local independent panelbeater of her choice.
They can try and push you towards their favourite repairers but you don't have to have it done by them.
You have the right to choose.
They have approved repairers because they get work done cheaper by them but it doesn't guarantee a good job for you, it just works in the favour of the insurance company.

slimjimmc

OP, for future reference if you're getting repairs non-insurance , there's little if any advantage in going to a main dealer for a crash repair. Dealers of any marque generally don't specialise in crash repairs and will just farm out the work to those that do i.e an independent body shop (sometimes that's just a guy working in a shed at home) and charge a nice % on top. It's not as if the repair will be any better through a dealership.

Toyotafanboi

slimjimmc wrote: »

OP, for future reference if you're getting repairs non-insurance , there's little if any advantage in going to a main dealer for a crash repair. Dealers of any marque generally don't specialise in crash repairs and will just farm out the work to those that do i.e an independent body shop (sometimes that's just a guy working in a shed at home) and charge a nice % on top. It's not as if the repair will be any better through a dealership.

Oh i usderstand that, i worked in the motor industry myself until a few years ago (not in the insurance area :pac:), it was mainly because i wanted genuine parts to be used as a lot of spurious parts in my experience particularly lamps etc can be very poor fitment sometimes.

coincidentally i do think the dealership in question actually did do in house bodywork.

Kopparberg Strawberry and Lime

I have to say on this that i would use a main dealer if i was in an accident that required some parts.

my car was only repaired a few months ago at dennings. bumper, bumper bar behind bumper, grill and headlight unit and they couldnt get it all to fit right.

right now the bumper is a lil off as in theres a clip that just wont keep it in and it went back to them but they cant cut it.

and dennings is an authorized repairer for Aviva, BMW, Honda etc. and couldnt get my civic right.

they also gave me a fecking muck replacement car. i dont recommend dennings for anyone reading.

so OP. i dont blame you for going to a main dealer. your entitled to have you car back the way it was etc.

Pkiernan

Toyotafanboi wrote: »

See im reluctant to tell my insurance or involve them. i mean wouldn't that mean that i would have a claim recorded and lose my bonus with them? also if someone were to do a history check if i were to ever sell my car it would be recorded as damaged?

Only i'm new to the area i dont know who's a good indy and who isn't and there'd be nothing worse than getting back a botch job and having no comeback because its "settled". i would like toyota to do the work ideally. i also know the headlamp for my particular car isn't available in Ireland at least spurious because its a dreaded import.

I just dont know should i meet him today now and check out the garage he suggests or should i just stand my ground on the dealership.

The car is driveable/ useable just a bit ugly and the light is clearly out of focus.

Dude, your dealing with some bitch who hit your car and drove off, and she tells you you're the unreasonable one!

Call your insurance company and let them deal with it.

If your premium goes up, sue the bitch in SCC for the difference in premiums.

Your nuts if you don't do this right.

justshane

Get onto your insurance company asap. About a year ago i was sitting at traffic lights when a young girl (19 guess) drove into the back of me. She was apolagetic and crying and her 98 fiat punto was grand. My 99 Corolla didnt look too bad but the bumper was off and looked like clips where broke. She was a L driver so i decided id just go to my local garage and get it priced. It turned out it cost 1400 to fix, and with the car been only worth bout 2,000 i rang the girl and told her it was grand i wouldn't bother getting it fixed. BUT lately i've seen her driving around in a 05 Lexus so i feel pretty hard done by.

toc2012

A few years back a girl hit my parked car and walked off but a third party had seen it, and left a note with his number witnessing the act, she obviously seen him do this and left her own note, saying " hit your car sorry no real damage done " her car was parked beside mine when i got to my car, she had gone to cinema, i got a quote for it to be fixed (€1300) and her mother said there was no way i hell they would pay for my " heap of crap " to be fixed, (my car was a two week old punto hers was a 15 year old corolla) so i rang my insurance company, and because i had a witness and she left a note admitting she hit my car it was fixed within a week. (her insurance company paid)
Long story short
Go to the insurance company

jupiler_beer

Hi Op,

Sorry to hear about the damage to your car.

1) As per any insurance agreement you are compelled to inform them about any accident. In this case you are only letting them know that you had an accident and not looking for them to follow up with the third party insurance on your behalf.
2) If you need for your insurance company to follow up then you may loose your No Claims Bonus but this would be dependant on your insurance policy.
3) Where you are not in the wrong and the third party has admitted liability. Then you are entitled to have your car repaired either through panel work or by having panels replaced with new panels. I would recommend that new panels be replaced. The third party insurance assessor may deem that new panels are not required that panel work would suffice. DO NOT BE BULLIED as you are entitled to have them replaced. I was in this scenario and when I mentioned I would take it to court, they couldn't sign the check fast enough.
4) What ever other costs you occur, due to having to get your car repaired. a) loss of earnings due to time off work in order to bring car to garage etc b) hire of car. You are entitled to claim these back, car hire would only cover you for a similar car to your own.

Its good to highlight this at time of incident, especially number 4 as you could claim car hire from time of incident till time of repair.

Also from your initial post, you did not mention that ye exchanged insurance details. Going forward, this is critical. Thus I would suggest you would carry a pen and notepad in the car. Also camera phones are great for capturing pic's of incidents, make sure it's a good camera though.

Finally I would advise if you were ever hurt from a accident, DO NOT RUSH into settling as back injuries can materialise after a period of time.

Hope the above helps!

norrie rugger

Someone should name this thread "TBH Type thread: 2"

Anan1

Wexfordian wrote: »

Don't think liability is an issue. I was rear ended sitting at lights by a couple of lads who had been drinking. I made the mistake of going through my insurance to deal with the other one. At renewal time it was treated as an open claim and my NCB rolled back, even though liability wasn't even vaguely in doubt. NCB was reinstated at settlement, but they would not adjust that years premium. If I'd gone directly to their insurers it wouldn't have come up.

I can only speak for my own experience, but I had a similar case a few years back where someone came through a stop sign and wrote off my car. I wanted to change ins cos shortly afterwards, and my insurer (FBD) provided a letter stating that, although the case was still open, liability was not an issue and that I could be treated as having a full NCB.

Toyotafanboi

hey all, lots of interesting reading here.

As i said last night, she has paid for the repair anyway so i'm happy. my insurer hasn't yet called to follow up with a claim like they said they would, so i suppose its still being processed or whatever so i'm just going to give them a call and let them know that she paid and that i dont want to follow this up and hopefully my no claims remains untouched.

Anan1

How did she pay you?

looksee

On the other hand...a couple of years ago someone ran gently into the back of my car, slightest impact, not enough to do more than very minimal damage. Woman very apologetic and accepted liability.

I went to main dealer who gave me a quote for a new bumper, fair enough, but also said that the chassis was crumpled and quoted for that to be repaired too.

I gave the quote to the woman who said it was too much, I agreed with her and went to my normal serviceman who said the chassis was fine, it just needed a bumper, which he ordered and fitted for around €400.

The main dealer had given me a quote on garage headed paper. I wished since that I had pursued it someway, but I didn't.

ABajaninCork

Your NCB wouldn't have been touched anyway!! Several other posters have told you the same thing.

There is NO liability on your part as your car was stationary. The third party admitted liability. So THEY pay YOUR damages - to fix the car, provide alternative means of transport, loss of wages, etc.

OP - I'll be honest. The other party already tried to kick off about the bill. And yet you were nice enough to let them pay and bypass the insurance. How confident are you that the car will be fixed satisfactorily, and that the bill will be paid? What happens if it isn't?? I would've handed the whole lot over to the insurance and tell them to sort it out.

I've been in that situation. Fortunately I saw and caught the guy who did it and promptly called the Gards. When I got home, I immediately reported the accident to my insurers. I covered my back in other words.

Toyotafanboi

Anan1 wrote: »

How did she pay you?

ABajaninCork wrote: »

OP - I'll be honest. The other party already tried to kick off about the bill. And yet you were nice enough to let them pay and bypass the insurance. How confident are you that the car will be fixed satisfactorily, and that the bill will be paid? What happens if it isn't?? I would've handed the whole lot over to the insurance and tell them to sort it out.

They went with the garage of my choice and paid the garage directly, cash and then got the garage to arrange a date and time to do the work with me.

The job appears very straightforward, i mean it was a low impact thing, nobody said they suspect there might be hidden structural damage etc its just cosmetics. I did briefly consider how would i be sure of the quality of the job myself but i can only asume a genuine large garage wont want to put their name to a shoddy job.

Anan1

Toyotafanboi wrote: »

They went with the garage of my choice and paid the garage directly, cash and then got the garage to arrange a date and time to do the work with me.

The job appears very straightforward, i mean it was a low impact thing, nobody said they suspect there might be hidden structural damage etc its just cosmetics. I did briefly consider how would i be sure of the quality of the job myself but i can only asume a genuine large garage wont want to put their name to a shoddy job.

What happens if the garage remove the bumper and find the damage to be more extensive than they had thought?

seagull

Remember that you can also get the insurer to pay compensation for the depreciation in value of your car due to the accident. Typically they pay 10% of the value of the repairs.

ABajaninCork

Toyotafanboi wrote: »

They went with the garage of my choice and paid the garage directly, cash and then got the garage to arrange a date and time to do the work with me.

The job appears very straightforward, i mean it was a low impact thing, nobody said they suspect there might be hidden structural damage etc its just cosmetics. I did briefly consider how would i be sure of the quality of the job myself but i can only asume a genuine large garage wont want to put their name to a shoddy job.

That's fair enough OP. If you're happy to proceed on that basis. But how do you know it was low impact? You weren't there. Mine was only a minor scrape, but the damage was 2k!!!!!

And another thing - Is the repair guaranteed? The garage was paid cash - right??

It might turn out OK. But am worried you seem to be very laid back about the whole thing. Mind it doesn't bite you on the arse!!

Toyotafanboi

Anan1 wrote: »

What happens if the garage remove the bumper and find the damage to be more extensive than they had thought?

ABajaninCork wrote: »

That's fair enough OP. If you're happy to proceed on that basis. But how do you know it was low impact? You weren't there. Mine was only a minor scrape, but the damage was 2k!!!!!

And another thing - Is the repair guaranteed? The garage was paid cash - right??

It might turn out OK. But am worried you seem to be very laid back about the whole thing. Mind it doesn't bite you on the arse!!

Honestly that wouldn't be ideal if extra damage was found obviously but i dont think that that will happen. i am reasonably certain that that will be the case and everything will be straightforward, and im happy to proceed on that risk, as i said i have worked in that field and have a rough-ish idea what i'm looking at. And to add to that my car is only a 1998 and although i cherish it, if the damage was to make it into 4 figures through structural damage i'm sure it would just be written off anyway.

Max Power1

Anan1 wrote: »

The OP's car was unoccupied at the time of the accident, so liability is not an issue.

Doesnt matter
An open claim is an open claim until its resolved. If theres an open claim it affects renewal.