Advice needed re car accident

Rainbow Kitty

Hi Guys, I need some advice. I was hit this morning by a guy coming off the roundabout, I was already on the roundabout and he said he didn't see me, the whole side of my car is scratched. He doesn't want me to go through the insurance, thinks it will only be about 200 or 300 Euro to have fixed. Have to say this has never happened me before, I wasn't hurt, a bit shaken, not sure what to do. He gave me his details and I said I'd get someone to look at it and get an estimate. Should I be going through the insurance or will I take him at his word?

Sue Pa Key Pa

Very unlikely any impact will cost only a couple of hundred to fix, so this person will likely dispute any estimate you present him. Get your estimate (from a garage of your choice) give him 24 hours to pay up or contact his insurance company. You also have to notify your insurer of the incident for their records. It will have no affect on your policy but it is a condition of your contract

Vicxas

If there are scratches all along the side the chances of being a couple of hundred euro are slim, especially if there's any panel damage.

Go to a garage and get an estimate, also ring your insurance company and let them know.

CiniO

Are you sure it was his fault.
If he was coming off a roundabout, then it means you were both on the roundabout.

biko

Go to a few local body places and get quotes. Take it from there.

RobbieTheRobber

Rainbow Kitty wrote: »

Hi Guys, I need some advice. I was hit this morning by a guy coming off the roundabout, I was already on the roundabout and he said he didn't see me, the whole side of my car is scratched. He doesn't want me to go through the insurance, thinks it will only be about 200 or 300 Euro to have fixed. Have to say this has never happened me before, I wasn't hurt, a bit shaken, not sure what to do. He gave me his details and I said I'd get someone to look at it and get an estimate. Should I be going through the insurance or will I take him at his word?

Ring your own insurance and inform them of the accident. As someone else said its a condition of your contract with them.

Then go to a reputable accident repair garage and get an estimate.

You car could be gone for a few days while being repaired, consider if you need a replacement while it is gone.

Send on this guy the estimate by email.
When similar happened to me I had the person pay the garage directly for the repair prior to me sending it in for repair.

Cee-Jay-Cee

1. Report it to the Gardaí, I hope you have his reg number.
2. Report it to your insurance company.

He can turn around in a few days and claim you drove into him and so unless you have witnesses then its your word against his and so the insurance companies will 50/50 it which means you lose your NCB.

In other countries you can work things out yourself without the need for police but in this country I would always call the Gardaí as I have heard numerous stories of people being caught by agreeing to settle it without gardai or insurance companies being involved and getting burned and losing NCB and paying for the damage to their own cars.

Rainbow Kitty

CiniO wrote: »

Are you sure it was his fault.
If he was coming off a roundabout, then it means you were both on the roundabout.

Yes I'm sure it was his fault, the only way it could have been my fault is if I was driving sideways!! I was already on the roundabout, he should have stopped before entering the roundabout but he didn't, he drove right into the back door of my car. I have all his details.
I reported it to the Gardaí but they won't take a report over the phone so I will drop into them after work.
I will ring my insurance company now too.

Thanks for all advice given, as I said this has never happened me before and I only have my car since February this year!

bazz26

Any witnesses? You would be surprised how stories change when people have had time to think about these things especially if it's just your word against his. It's also possible he will now be getting advice from his legal eagle family and friends on how to try and avoid liability on this.

Regarding his road side estimate of your damage, in most cases people will tell you they don't want to go through their insurance and to get a price. But once that price is not what they had in their head then the fun begins where they start telling you they know a guy down a lane way who can do it for a fraction of the price.

Just remember that if he is at fault then he does not decide where it is repaired, you do. Either that or they just stop responding to your calls and hope you go away. In most cases they just make you waste time and effort getting quotes and have no intention of paying. So in these cases I would give them one chance to pay themselves, any signs of reluctance or stalling and just stop dealing with them and go through their insurance straight away.

Dravokivich

Cee-Jay-Cee wrote: »

1. Report it to the Gardaí, I hope you have his reg number.
2. Report it to your insurance company.

He can turn around in a few days and claim you drove into him and so unless you have witnesses then its your word against his and so the insurance companies will 50/50 it which means you lose your NCB.

In other countries you can work things out yourself without the need for police but in this country I would always call the Gardaí as I have heard numerous stories of people being caught by agreeing to settle it without gardai or insurance companies being involved and getting burned and losing NCB and paying for the damage to their own cars.

What would the Gardaí do? I got hit last week and only reason I called the Gardaí was because I wasn't confident in moving the car after. It was a busy road and required their presence to direct the traffic. If there's no injuries it's a civil matter and they'd have as minimal involvement in that as they possibly can.

Cee-Jay-Cee

Dravokivich wrote: »

What would the Gardao? I got hit last week and only reason I called the Gardaas because I wasn't confident in moving the car after. It was a busy road and required their presence to direct the traffic. If there's no injuries it's a civil matter and they'd have as minimal involvement in that as they possibly can.

Because if there is a claim through the insurance, the insurance companies will look for a report from the Gardaso you report it purely for record purposes (which the OP has done/is doing)

bladespin

Dravokivich wrote:

What would the Gardaí do? I got hit last week and only reason I called the Gardaí was because I wasn't confident in moving the car after. It was a busy road and required their presence to direct the traffic. If there's no injuries it's a civil matter and they'd have as minimal involvement in that as they possibly can.

They will officially document the report among other things.

dil999

Get the events of the accident clear in your head, and write it down with diagrams etc. Report it to the guards, and give them as much detail as possible. Contact your insurance company and inform them of what happened.

Make sure you get the other guys insurance details. Contact his insurance company and tell them what happened, and that you will be making a claim off them. Get some quotes, if its a reasonably new car go to a main dealer. As Bazz26 said, you decide where to get it fixed.

Even when its not your fault, a car accident can be a stressful event. But you are definitely better off getting your ducks in a row now. I would be very wary of agreeing not to go through insurance.

seagull

Bear in mind that it it winds up as an insurance claim, you can generally get some degree of depreciation in value as well.

Rainbow Kitty

Update: Just got a quote for €1400 to fix my car!

Sue Pa Key Pa

Rainbow Kitty wrote:

Update: Just got a quote for €1400 to fix my car!

Tell the other party that you would prefer if it went through insurance, so both of you will be satisfied it is a fair estimate. Don't listen to anything about how he has a mate who can fix it.