Another Car Hit Today Thread - Advice Needed Please

aido 1976

I was driving through a car park today (in my 2006 passat) and another car
(2000 polo) reversed sharply out of a parking space, and ploughed right into the side of my car.
Causing some substancial damage to both the front and rear passenger doors and God knows what under lying damage.
But what appears to be little damage to the polo, in saying that the polo is in fairly poor condition anyway and it is hard to tell previous damage to new. (one of the front tyres was even flat and the person just drove off without even noticing - after details where exchanged) I would go so far as to say it wasnt even roadworthy.

I have got the other drivers details - Whom has admit liability
I have reported the accident and provided all details to my insurance company, who say they will get back to me tomorrow.
I have reported the accident to the guards in person and have to produce my insurance policy within 10 days, (that will be done tomorrow)

My questions are,
Do I have to contact the other persons insurance company, or dos my insurance company take care of that. (I am a little sceptical of this persons insurance as he was very cagey about his details and at one point offered me €100 to get my car fixed and then offered to take my car away an get it fixed Like that was going o happen :rolleyes: )

If and I hope he is properly insured, am I entitled to have my car repaired at a garage of my choice and not some garage that is so called approved by the other persons insurance company. I have looked up the approved crash repairers for his insurance company and they are not very known to me, I would prefer to take my car to a main dealer for repair and not have some isopon and spray job.

Lastly, Obviously I will be wanting a replacement car while mine is in being repaired, but I have read on here, that the other persons insurance company will do their best to get away with offering a Punto or Panta as a suitable replacement for the likes of a Saab etc, my car is one or two steps above these. Am I entitled to ask for a better grade of car more inline with the group of my car ?

Sorry for the long post, Thanks for reading and any advice is greatly appreciated.

ABajaninCork

Let your insurance deal with it. You're entitled to have the car repaired at a garage of your choice. And if needed, a hire car. You don't have to take a Punto or the like, but bear in mind, the thing is to keep you on the road until your car is repaired.

BTW - if you get correspondence or calls from the other party or their insurance DO NOT RESPOND. Simply refer all calls or mail to your insurance.

aido 1976

ABajaninCork wrote: »

Let your insurance deal with it. You're entitled to have the car repaired at a garage of your choice. And if needed, a hire car. You don't have to take a Punto or the like, but bear in mind, the thing is to keep you on the road until your car is repaired.

BTW - if you get correspondence or calls from the other party or their insurance DO NOT RESPOND. Simply refer all calls or mail to your insurance.

Thanks for your reply ABajaninCork,
I will bear your advice in mind
Thanks

cyrusdvirus

I had a similar incident last year, mondeo (me) vs Mini (teeny bopper. makeup putting on. phone holding, cigarette smoking while driving, girly type)

The insurance took care of all the repairs and stuff but when i went to pick up the hire car it was a burnt orange Daewoo Matiz. I'm 6'2" so asked the company (enterprise) to get me another car. I had to pay the extra (think it was €2 per day or something) which i also claimed back off the girl. Ended up in a Golf for the few days.

_Kaiser_

Hope you get sorted OP. Sounds like you have it well in hand anyway.

I drive the same car and I always hate driving through busy shopping centre car parks for exactly this reason. People just don't look before they move and/or don't care because their car is in ****e anyway (and then don't grasp why you'd be upset if they do hit you).

It's also why I always, always reverse into spots myself.

CiniO

Kaiser2000 wrote: »

It's also why I always, always reverse into spots myself.

How do you load your shopping then?

ABajaninCork

I always reverse in the car.

As for loading the shopping? Easy - I just open the boot and sling it in!

_Kaiser_

CiniO wrote: »

How do you load your shopping then?

ABajaninCork wrote: »

I always reverse in the car.

As for loading the shopping? Easy - I just open the boot and sling it in!

^^^ What he said

aido 1976

Update,
My insurance company called me today at 8.30am and advised that I contact the other persons insurance company and check if the third party had reported the accident and if the other person had not then for me to report it to the third parties insurance, any problems and they will take it in hand.

(I taught thats what I pay my insurane for, but for the sake of argument, I decided to contact the third parties insurance)

They also advised that I am entitled to have my car repaired at a garage of my choice and am also entitled to be supplied with a courtasy car for the duration of the time of my car being off the road for repairs and a car of like for like within the group of car.

I left it until 10am to contact the other insurance company, and the accident had not being reported by the third party, so I provided all of the details.
Ins Co had to confirm that their client accepted liability, and would get back to me later in the day. (I taught here we go, swings and roundabouts about to start)

But NO, surprisingly the third parties Ins Co called me back at 4.30pm and confirmed their client admits liability and are happy to have my car repaired at a garage of my choice and to provide a like for like courtasy car, but they require a quote from my chosen garage (Frank Keane VW Dublin) and their assessor to view the damage within 48hrs. (Which I have no proplem with)

Within an hour a I missed a call from an 091 number, when I rang it back and it was Enterprise car hire wanting to know when I was collecting my hire car from the Ins Co, as my car was going to Frank Byrne Oranmore (Galway )for repair.

I cleared this up that the Insurance company had made a bit of a gaff and where jumping the gun a little, as I am located in Dublin, My dealer choice is located at Long Mile Road Dublin, and only one hour previous I was giving the go ahead to have my car booked in for repair, Enterprise said they would book a car (Like for like) in their Long Mile road branch until I have arranged my car to go in for repair.

Why do I get the feeling that this is going toooo.... smoothly and am going to be met with a big bang, ie: a complete and utter fxxk up when it comes to the quotations, the assessor and the hire company. I will wait and see.

I intend to go to Frank Keane tomorrow and get a quote and meet with the assessor in the next day or two and arrange for my car to go in to be repaired by the end of the week, and take it fro there.

I just realised I never actually mentioned the insurance company involved

My Ins Co: Zurich (Which I have the maximum no claims)

Third Party Ins Co: RSA via 123.ie

Also, I submitted my Insurance to the guards this evening without any issue.

Thanks for reading, any further advice is much appreciated

aido 1976

The most annoying thing about it all for me is the guy offering me €100 to get my car fixed and then saying he would take my car away to be repaired.

Jesus :eek: the chrome trims on my car would probably cost the best part of €100 from a VW dealer,

And there is no way I am going to hand my car over to some guy to have my car fixed, giving the very poor state of his car.

aido 1976

gatecrash wrote: »

I had a similar incident last year, mondeo (me) vs Mini (teeny bopper. makeup putting on. phone holding, cigarette smoking while driving, girly type)

The insurance took care of all the repairs and stuff but when i went to pick up the hire car it was a burnt orange Daewoo Matiz. I'm 6'2" so asked the company (enterprise) to get me another car. I had to pay the extra (think it was €2 per day or something) which i also claimed back off the girl. Ended up in a Golf for the few days.

Fair play, Why should you be out of pocket for somebody elses stubity, I have no intention of taking a Matiz or any thing like it as a replacement car, and no more intention of personnally paying for an upgrade and claiming it back.

ABajaninCork

My car was side-swiped in Cork City last year. With my luck, it was a foreign national who hit me. Fortunately, I caught him and called the Gards who, fair play to them were there sharpish.

Called over the details to my insurance the same evening. Although the TP was insured by Zurich, it was IN Zurich!! So that took time. Got all the quotes, lined up and ready to go, but TP very slow to respond.

Got a hire car (eventually). Garage took a little longer than anticipated fixing my car, so the cheeky bleeders at Enterprise tried to take back the car early. Quick call to my brief soon put them in their place!

But it went smoothly, even though very slow. Sit tight OP and don't worry about it. Do not give back the car until you have your own back and are happy with the repair.

aido 1976

Got a quote from VW and it works out at just short €2500, two new doors needed, trims, spraying etc, So much for the TP €100.

The assessor was out today, took loads of photos and notes and said he would submit his report today to the TP's Insurance Co, and they should be in contact with me tomorrow, Now I surpose it just a case to sit back and see when some sort of firm decision is made and book my car in to be repaired.

Just to mention, When VW had a look at the car to give a quote, the guy pointed out that the rear door that was hit had a gap of about 20-25mm between the body of the car and the door seal at the top, which I did not notice after the accident, he reckons it was when the impact happened the door flexed and caused it to distort at the top.
And if you look closley at the inside of the front door that was hit, it has a load of cracking where the outer door skin meets the inner door, again something that I did not notice.