Newb question: claiming damage repairs from other car's insurance?

mrcheez · 08-05-2022 08:48PM #1

Got doored by another car today, and owner admitted he was at fault and I took photos of the damage plus his insurance discs etc. Plus got his mobile and name.

Never had to make a claim before so I assumed I would just ring up their insurance. I did that but they said I needed to initiate the process with my own insurance first? Is that right?

What are the steps in the process in general?

elperello · 08-05-2022 08:51PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058244988/newb-question-claiming-damage-repairs-from-other-cars-insurance

They are right.

You are a customer of your insurance company.

They will deal with your claim.

wonski · 08-05-2022 08:57PM

Of course not true.

You claim against the other insurance company.

The only reason you would go through your own is when the other driver disputes or denies liability.

Start a claim with the other driver insurance company and let your own insurer know of it.

The poster above has no clue. Don't listen to it.

elperello · 08-05-2022 08:57PM

This might help-

https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/consumer/insurance/insurance/types-of-insurance/vehicle-insurance/vehicle-insurance-making-a-claim-if-you-re-in-an-accident/#:~:text=To%20make%20a%20claim%2C%20get,witness%20statements%20if%20you%20can.

wonski · 08-05-2022 09:23PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119033635#Comment_119033635

Seems like you don't understand.

You contact the company of the driver who damaged your car. You make a claim, they take your statement and contact the other driver to confirm and see if he accept the liability.

Alternatively you can claim against your own policy meaning you lose your NCB until the other driver accepts the liability and the insurer pays back your own company.

There is no need to claim against your own policy at all in the above scenario. Make a claim against them and wait.

mrcheez · 09-05-2022 11:46AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119033752#Comment_119033752

ok.. so what do I do when the company in question is stating I need to go through my own insurance first?

Or do they need the other driver to start the claim process and if he doesn't start it, that's when I go through my insurance?

As an update, I got a text from the other driver today suggesting that he would like one or two quotes and send them to him, rather than going through the insurance. Which sounds reasonable, but I'm worried that if he delays things I might lose the window to start the insurance claim if it doesn't work out (he doesn't agree to pay etc) ?

Del2005 · 09-05-2022 11:59AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119035707#Comment_119035707

Get your insurance involved now. The correct way is for the other company to deal with it but if they aren't then get yours involved.

Don't bother getting quotes for the other person. They'll come back with a friend who can do it for €20. Just start the claim now with your own company and don't forget your hire car.

mrcheez · 09-05-2022 12:03PM

Is there any harm in testing the waters with getting it done outside of insurance? Surely I can just pop over to a nearby place and get a quote and he can say "Yes" ?

If he disputes it or delays, then I get the insurance involved?

Dial Hard · 09-05-2022 12:06PM

For minor damage, I would always give the other party the option to pay it out of pocket. Get a few quotes and give them to him. If he starts playing silly buggers, just tell him actually you're grand and initiate the insurance claim.

wonski · 09-05-2022 02:10PM

Still inform your insurance company of the incident.

Not sure why the other insurer insists of you going through your own insurer.

If the other driver all of a sudden refuse the liability you will be in a lot of bother.

Regardless of that insurance claims and repair process are a disaster as I found recently so don't expect things to move quickly.

mrcheez · 09-05-2022 02:45PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119036495#Comment_119036495

From what I gather this is how it goes...

The other driver apparently has to initiate the claim process with his insurance (that's what they told me)
If he doesn't, I'm not allowed to contact them to open the claim instead (again what they told me)
Instead I need to contact my insurance to get them to contact HIS insurance

So, not knowing any of this, I naturally assumed I could just ring up his insurance after the incident, but their first question was "has he initiated the claim?"

So, as it stands, I cannot create a new claim by contacting his insurance. He has to do it.

wonski · 09-05-2022 02:59PM

I recently made a claim against another driver without any issues.

Their investigator visited me pretty quickly to take photos and take a statement.

Would be hard to expect the other driver to initiate the claim as she was probably still drunk and injured after hitting three cars in a row ;)

Took them 4 weeks to admit liability so I decided in the meantime to go through my own to speed things up.

Unfortunately speed is the last word I could use talking about it, car damaged in February and only booked for repair last week.

Repairs also didn't go as planned as one part is late. Disaster.

Tell them you want to claim against their driver and that you don't want to use your comprehensive cover for the damage you didn't cause.

User1998 · 09-05-2022 03:35PM

Probably quicker and less hassle to get a couple of quotes and not involve insurance. I’d get a couple of quotes first and see if the other person will just give you the cash amount.

Everyone makes mistakes, the claim will be with them for years to come if going through insurance.

wonski · 09-05-2022 03:38PM

Since it's just a door dent/scratch I would give the other driver an option to pay based on quotes.

Insurance is a lot of hassle and a lot of wasted time.

And as the poster above mentioned no need to ruin someone's NCB over little damage like that.

mrcheez · 09-05-2022 03:55PM

That's my thinking, though I might just give my insurance a call too to ensure they don't have a "time limit" or similar to initiate the claim after the incident (just in case I do need to go back through the insurance route)

Spook_ie · 10-05-2022 10:21PM

You "should" notify your own insurance of the accident anyway. One of the questions normally asked on renewals is to notify them of any accidents in previous ( 5 years I think ) if liable or not.

seagull · 19-05-2022 06:07PM

Decide where you want to get it repaired, and get a quote there. Don't bother about getting quotes from multiple places. He can then decide whether to pay that, or it can go through insurance.

mrcheez · 20-05-2022 09:39PM

I ended up getting 2 quotes as the first seemed very high.. 2nd was bit more reasonable and what I was expecting.

Have sent them on and the other party has accepted and will get back to me.

My main concern, if he does accept to go with one of the quotes, is how the payment process will work. I asked about this and he said that he would first like to see evidence of the repair done (assuming via a video call or similar), and will then pay. But he could just as easily ignore my call when I go around to pick up the car, leaving me there with the garage bill.

I'd suggested that once a quote was agreed upon, he could wire me the money in advance, but his response was that the money would only be transferred after the repairs were done.

Maybe a cheque made out to the garage might be another idea? That way there's no way I could cash the cheque myself.

Jim_Hodge · 20-05-2022 10:02PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119091815#Comment_119091815

This is why you pay insurance. Just out it through them. Life's too short for his messing about.

wonski · 20-05-2022 10:03PM

Do not repair before being paid.

If the other party wants to go outside the insurance then just pay you cash.

You then can arrange repair (also remember initial quote from garage can change).

wonski · 20-05-2022 10:04PM

Also it is none of his business if and when you repair the car.

He agreed the quote so should pay you. End of story.

mrcheez · 20-05-2022 10:35PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119091953#Comment_119091953

yeah fair enough.. will see what they say when they get back and will ask for money up front again.

If no dice then I'll go insurance route. Would prefer the former route as it'll be faster so insurance is the backup plan.

mrcheez · 20-05-2022 10:44PM

Sent on an ultimatum there specifying that I'll need cash upfront if we are going the non-insurance route as he requested, and if not suitable I'll continue on with the insurance (I already opened a case with my insurance and said I'll let them know if I want to continue)

CiniO · 20-05-2022 11:59PM

OP

First of all, information that your got from his insurance company is not correct. You definitely are allowed to claim directly from them, as they are the ones covering third party liability for him. They might be telling you otherwise, but that's not correct. Imagine, what if he damaged something that wasn't insured by it's own policy (bicycle, your fence, etc). Where would you claim then from?

Secondly, if he is willing to pay out of his pocket to make things simple, then just tell him how much you want for the repair and he should decide if he is paying you that amount or not.

It's completely none of his business where you got the quote, how you got the quote, that's if you got the quote at all. Also completely none of his business if you'll use that money to repair your car or not. He made a damage, he offered to pay out of his pocket, so you just tell him the amount you're looking for, and he decides if he pays it or not. If not, then you claim from his insurance company.

It's pretty much as simple as that.

bazz26 · 21-05-2022 12:26AM

Whatever you do, do not pay for the repair up front yourself because your almost guaranteed then to be chasing him for the money that he may not want to pay.

Jim_Hodge · 21-05-2022 07:43AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119092162#Comment_119092162

Give him no more than until next Monday. This has gone in too long already.

Eggs For Dinner · 21-05-2022 07:59AM

Trying to settle privately rarely ends well. Give him 24 hours or contact his insurer to start the claim process and yours to notify the accident

Do not repair the vehicle before insurers can assess the damage

21-05-2022 08:55AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119092431#Comment_119092431

Years back, insurance companies would pay the repair quote, less the VAT, if you weren’t proceeding with the repair, which is perfectly valid. If you’re coming up to trade in time, you’re better off letting them see the actual damage, and factoring the cost of in- house repair into the deal, rather than them seeing signs of a recent repair and fearing that there was serious damage.

mrcheez · 21-05-2022 01:52PM

Thing is I checked with my insurance if there was an expiry date by which I needed to get the claim going and I have up to two years so there's no issue regarding how long this takes to get started. I already lodged the start of the claim and told them I'd let them know if I want to proceed (for which I have up to two years).

I'm busy right now and can't leave the car in yet so June is when I'd be getting this sorted anyway and by then it will be clear if the other party is serious or not.

So yep next week I'll make a decision either way and probably will be able to decide after the response I get to the ultimatum email I sent.

And for the record, I don't contact their insurance, I contact my own insurance and THEY contact the other party's insurance (that's what both their and my insurance said)

And yes obviously not a single cent of my own money will be spent on this...nor will I be put in a position of owing without having received funds first. I.e. not even making the booking until the funds are sent

21-05-2022 02:05PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119093587#Comment_119093587

If you go through your own insurance, you put your No Claims Bonus at risk. It is a No CLAIMS Bonus, not a No BLAME Bonus. Check to see if you have NCB protection. Ask your own insurer about the risk to you of claiming through them.

If you claim against their insurance, there is no impact for your NCB. If it is a smallish claim, there is little benefit in going through your own insurance. For a larger claim, you probably want the benefit of your own insurer's claim assessor haggling with their claim assessor.

mrcheez · 21-05-2022 03:38PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119093617#Comment_119093617

Impossible to claim through their insurance. That's specifically what they said.

Newb question: claiming damage repairs from other car's insurance?

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