Some post accident insurance questions.

ShaunieVW

On Sunday night I pulled up outside the OH's parked on the side of the road. The local indian takeaway driver started reversing down the road towards me when he never saw a bit of me and reversed into the corner of my car. Damage looked minimal in the dark and the take away owner arrived and promised to pay for whatever needs to be fixed on the car as he wants to avoid going through his company insurance.

The next day I brought it to the panel beater I have used before. The bumper is beyond saving and the wing has multiple waves and kinks in it so thats shagged and all. I am waiting on an estimate from him. I spoke to the take way owner and told him that it could be expensive. I have all his insc details and we may be going down that road depending on the estimate.

So I have a few questions

Do I need to inform the insc company within a certain timeframe?

At what % do insc companies write cars off? The car is worth 2500ish and I do not want it written off as its hard to get an A3 1.8T in the condition its in.

Do I need to inform my own insc at all?

Thanks!

coylemj

You say the guy 'promised to pay for whatever needs to be fixed on the car as he wants to avoid going through his company insurance' which sounds fair enough but in the past (threads here on boards) this has been a smokescreeen used by uninsured motorists who give all sorts of assurances on the day but row back on them when the dust settles.

My money says the car was not insured for commercial deliveries and that's why the owner doesn't want the insurance companies involved or if it is a commercial van, possibly the driver on the night isn't on the policy. The owner's priority on the night was to convince you all would be sorted so you wouldn't call the Gardai.

Report the accident to your company and his.

djimi

You need to inform your insurer immediately, even if you dont plan on claiming. If you dont, they wont be overly impressed if you go to them in a few weeks and try to claim for an incident that they have no record of.

I think when it comes to write offs it can depend on the situation, but the ballpark figure you see talked about is roughly 60% of the value of the car.

ShaunieVW

This is certainly a worry for me re: uninsured driver. The van (Renault Kangoo) was a company van but the driver looked 12 which raised concerns regarding his eligibility for the commercial insurance. The owner wanted to avoid losing his NCB as insurance is high for delivery vehicles. I obviously dont give a crap about his NCB. I just want my car fixed properly whether it be cash or through insurance.

I will know more tomorrow anyway when I get the estimate and I will give him the choice of cash up front or I ring his insurance.

coylemj

ShaunieVW wrote: »

I will know more tomorrow anyway when I get the estimate and I will give him the choice of cash up front or I ring his insurance.

Better still, cash up front or you'll report the accident to the Gardai who will come looking to know who was driving on the night and ask him (the owner) to produce an insurance cert to say he (the driver) was covered.

If you thought the driver looked too young to be driving, you should have called the Gardai there and then. I think you can probably now see why the owner fobbed you off with the assurance that he did.

djimi

ShaunieVW wrote: »

This is certainly a worry for me re: uninsured driver. The van (Renault Kangoo) was a company van but the driver looked 12 which raised concerns regarding his eligibility for the commercial insurance. The owner wanted to avoid losing his NCB as insurance is high for delivery vehicles. I obviously dont give a crap about his NCB. I just want my car fixed properly whether it be cash or through insurance.

I will know more tomorrow anyway when I get the estimate and I will give him the choice of cash up front or I ring his insurance.

I wouldnt worry too much about it. So long as the van has insurance then the fine points of the policy are not your problem; youre covered either way.

ShaunieVW

When I say 12, he was realistically in his late teens/ early 20s just looked very young! Thats the route I will take if he goes hardball anyway. However, I am confident that his insurance is up to scratch. Should cover 3rd party either way anyway right?

djimi

ShaunieVW wrote: »

When I say 12, he was realistically in his late teens/ early 20s just looked very young! Thats the route I will take if he goes hardball anyway. However, I am confident that his insurance is up to scratch. Should cover 3rd party either way anyway right?

Once their is a policy covering the van in any capacity it has to cover you as the third party. Whether the guy should have been driving the van (provided it wasnt reported as stolen of course) or whether the policy covered commercial use is a matter for the policy holder to deal with; you still have to get paid regardless.

ShaunieVW

Well that puts my mind at rest to some extent anyway! Its a company van so Id like to think its insured in the correct manner. Now its just to get it fixed. I just wish it didn't happen, I hate messing with it in any way. I dont understand how people are so thick and oblivious.

ShaunieVW

So going through the insc route after I got an estimate of €1800. I know this is dear but they guys work is second to none and nothing else will suffice. I have a real battle on now to keep the car from being written off due to an uneconomical repair:(

mgbgt1978

€1,800 for a Bumper and Wing ? Both of them are bolt-on parts so Labour can hardly be a major factor.
Or is there chassis damage which you haven't mentioned ?

Just wondering......

Also once Insurance companies get involved they will send out assessors to have a look at the damage. If they feel it's not damaged to the tune of €1,800 then you may have to have it repaired elsewhere for a smaller figure.

ShaunieVW

My choice to have it repaired where I want afaik, there is quiet a bit of work in it. Between fitting, painting and blending in. There is no chassis damage thank god, just cosmetic. The guy is a perfectionist so his labour is longer. I wont have anyone else do work on the car tbh. In the middle of sorting out the assessor now.

djimi

It is absolutely your choice to have it done to whatever standard you like, but if the car is worth what you say it is (and in the eyes of the insurer it will be worth a bit less) then Id be very surprised if €1800 doesnt put it into write off territory. You may need to bear this in mind.

If they do decide to write it off then you have the option of buying it back from them for scrappage cost, however you may well end up out of pocket this way also.

mgbgt1978

ShaunieVW wrote: »

My choice to have it repaired where I want afaik.

Not disputing this for a minute Shaunie, just pointing out that once the assessor has a look he will find it very hard to see €1800 from what you described.
Therefore as Djimi said you will possibly have to foot the difference between what the insurer comes up with and the €1800 your guy is quoting.
Another option is to get a solicitor involved (you will probably have to anyway to get the money out of the insurer, they tend to drag it out when private individuals are 'going it alone').
Also a solicitor will make sure you get exactly what you're entitled to...cost of car hire, depreciation on your own vehicle (usually 10% of the cost of repair), etc.

coylemj

ShaunieVW wrote: »

My choice to have it repaired where I want afaik, there is quiet a bit of work in it. Between fitting, painting and blending in. There is no chassis damage thank god, just cosmetic. The guy is a perfectionist so his labour is longer. I wont have anyone else do work on the car tbh. In the middle of sorting out the assessor now.

djimi wrote: »

It is absolutely your choice to have it done to whatever standard you like

But not to dictate that the work be given to a 'perfectionist' if the assessor says his estimate is off the wall.

ShaunieVW

Insurance have agreed to pay. Full steam ahead!