Accident - leave for insurance or pay up?

m4r10

I caused an accident today! As I was approaching a red light, I started to break gently and was reaching for some chewing gum when the car stopped right in the car in front of me. I was doing no more than 5 km/hour and the total damage was that the plexiglass from my reg number cracked and there were some very, very faint marks of paint rubbed on the other car.

The driver of the other car said to me that he'll want to go to a garage to have a look at the car and I told him to let me know what they''l say and how much would cost to repaint the rear bumper.

Now my question is, how much is economically viable to pay from my pocket for the repair before letting the insurance companies sorting this between themselves? I have a fully comprehensive insurance with no claim discount. I know it says on the policy that I won't be affected by a claim, but with the insurance companies you never know!

kala85

depends on the cost really. Was there much damage done to his bumper. I would try and avoid the insurance. The only thing Id worry about if I didnt go through the insurance would be a personal injury claim in the future.

m4r10

No damage to the bumper, just 2-3 streaks of paint of about 2-4 cm that rubbed from my reg number to his bumper. If I pay for the possible repaint of the bumper myself, should I also inform the insurance company just to avoid, as you say, any possible claim in the future?

visual

m4r10 wrote: »

No damage to the bumper, just 2-3 streaks of paint of about 2-4 cm that rubbed from my reg number to his bumper. If I pay for the possible repaint of the bumper myself, should I also inform the insurance company just to avoid, as you say, any possible claim in the future?

Ask your insurance company advice
If you have bonus protection and responsible for first 350 of a claim then you can weigh it up against cost of repair.

allthedoyles

You should never admit liablity

Jimdagym

allthedoyles wrote: »

You should never admit liablity

Eh, it's pretty hard to leave the insurance out of a small tip if you are not admitting liability...

Henry Ford III

Brake the next time.

listermint

Try pay out of your pocket if its anything less than 500.

Youll only regret it. Insurance companies are not pally mates they are there to make money and will try and screw you anyway they can. Be it at renewal time or some mark on your driving record should you try go to another insurer.

djimi

Notify your insurer in case he starts to get silly and talking about injury claims or whatever, but for something as relatively minor as this I would be looking to settle outside of the insurance if at all possible. It might seem countrtproductive to be avoiding insurance when you pay them so much each year, but its simply not worth the hassle and probable expense of having a claim against your policy.

Alanstrainor

Yeah id agree with the above. Id try and settle outside of the insurance if possible. Itll probably cost you a couple of hundred if he's going to get the bumper resprayed.

slavetothegrind

Definitely let them know even if you are sorting it yourself , it does not count against you unless they have to pay out
Whilst nice and reasonable at the scene I have had a person ce back after "advice" and try and claim injury
sorry for your bad luck there!

m4r10

Thanks guys for the advice, I'll let the insurance company know and will wait to see how much they'ew asking for the respray.

Yawlboy

Just did the same thing - cost me €420 :mad:

Koops80

allthedoyles wrote: »

You should never admit liablity

Exactly, that way you can have 2 insurance companies spend a pile of money investigating so then premiums can rise for everyone.

And also use up guards time investigating / filing forms.

Del2005

m4r10 wrote: »

No damage to the bumper, just 2-3 streaks of paint of about 2-4 cm that rubbed from my reg number to his bumper. If I pay for the possible repaint of the bumper myself,

With modern bumpers there may only be a little bit of damage on the visible part but the interior can badly damaged. Don't assume because it was low speed and you only got a few marks on the other cars bumper that it'll be a cheap fix. It more than likely will, but modern cars are designed to collapse to absorb energy and bumpers aren't what they used to be.

m4r10 wrote: »

should I also inform the insurance company just to avoid, as you say, any possible claim in the future?

slavetothegrind wrote: »

Definitely let them know even if you are sorting it yourself , it does not count against you unless they have to pay out
Whilst nice and reasonable at the scene I have had a person ce back after "advice" and try and claim injury
sorry for your bad luck there!

Everything you tell your insurance company counts. They won't be able to touch the NCD but it will affect their premium on renewal.