Uninsured driver hit my parked car. What to do?

Just thought I'd chime in and say going the main dealer route does not guarantee a perfect repair. I've seen some main dealers produce/sign off on some pretty sub standard body repairs over the years.

The op should ask around locally or indeed on here as to who would be the best crash repair/panel beater reasonably local to them. It may well transpire that the main dealer route is the best course of action but it's definitely not something that should be assumed.

As far as I understand, you are not at fault for the damage done.
In that case, the other party / insurance company is liable for the damage costs (under that policy).
If the car were a write off, you'd be insured for the current market value. (but my guess is that the repairs could come in at less than that). It can depend on where/how its done.
I'd expect this incident should have no effect on your motor premium / no claims bonus etc. if the other party is paying the full costs costs.

-Actually, come to think of it, - you should get a record of the insurance details of the other motor vehicle.

Now, the tricky part is that the other driver is uninsured. - So, a claim could go through Motor Insurer's Bureau if Ireland (MIBI). https://www.mibi.ie/making-a-claim/are-you-entitled-to-claim-from-the-mibi.1612.html

There are a couple of things that come up
-the Owner of the other car - how this might affect his policy.
-the Gardaí are involved (so technically a criminal matter?)
-the driver of the other car - possibly facing a court conviction

Main thing - you're in the clear. Ring your insurer - they are there to advise you and will be very helpful, will clear up a lot of confusion and you'll be very clear on where you stand. Definately give them a ring.

Calibos wrote: »

Its not necessarily straightforwards. I was looking into the ins and outs of write offs. If its repairable and safe to put back on the road but the cost of repair is close to or exceeds the value of the car its a CAT D write off. If I wanted the car back from the insurance company to repair I’d get paid the insurers low ball Assesment of the value minus 10-30% of that value to get the car back. Theres also the very real possibility my insurance premiums go up because of the write-off even a CAT D one on the car. Given all that, theres the potential for me to be out of pocket for repairs and higher insurance premiums should I want to keep the car and keep it on the road....which I do....because I will never find another 2007 TT in my cars otherwise great condition and ultra low mileage. The decision would be much easier if mine was another 140,000km 2007 TT like all the others of similar vintage. So me being the only careful owner and trusting my own cars 40,000km makes the car worth repairing.....to me....but going through insurance might ironically mean I am out of pocket For the reasons outlined above despite this being entirely someone elses fault.

EG. Insurance value car at €5000. Repairs will cost €5000 so they want a Cat D write off. They’ll sell the car back to me for €1000. ie. I get car back and €4000 cash....but the repairs are €5000 in this hypothetical example remember. I’m down a grand and my annual i surance premium potentially goes up too. All because I went through insurance. So ot turns out, it could be in both parties interest that we settle this privately rather than through insurance.

I didnt need this stress and hassle right now. The little Bollix! LOL.

Thankfully I dont commute with this car so it being undrivable for a few weeks isnt actually too much of an inconvenience. Thats actually the reason for its low mileage. A year after buying it I moved next door to my place of work so my commute is a 10 second walk. LOL.

Calibos.....go to a reputable panel beating business (or 3). Get a quote ( or 3) everything in writing. Go to the Kid's Father, present him with the quote most acceptable to you ( you are the boss in where it goes for repairs ) And tell him that you want your car back in pre-accident condition, and this is the cost, Regardless of how high the cost will be...My guess is that he will pay it, even if it mean's getting a loan to do it. But I understand from your post that the Father is working abroad but when at home he is driving an Audi, the Mother has her own car, so I would not classify them as unemployed and of poor means. This will be the very best result for you, and to be truth full, I think that is all you want...your car back and no more hassle.
Involving insurance opens up a whole can of worms for you, as has been mentioned by various posters here on the forum. Don't worry about the legal ramifications for the kid and his Family.....that's their business, and in the case of a prosecution, they will want to be able to say in mitigation that all damages have been paid for,
Good Luck with it.

Wouldn't worry about contacting your insurance comapny when you're not at all at fault. You can opt to go through insurance / not even after contacting them. Have all details to hand (date, time, etc), but best not to leave it too long. You've nothing to lose.

Secondly : Re. No claim bonus etc: (From an Insurance Company Website):

"If you make a claim on your policy where your insurer pays out, you’ll generally lose some, or all, of your no-claims bonus.

But if you’re hit by another car and it’s agreed that you weren’t at fault, your insurer may be able to reclaim the payout from the other car’s insurer and your NCB may not be affected.

In cases where fault can’t be agreed on, insurers may split the cost of the claims and both drivers’ NCB could be affected. This includes if your car is stolen or damaged by bad weather." (not the case with you).


...So you're in a good position.

When I had my car damaged - I got a really good repair done on it. When vehicles are scrapped everything is dissembled and these (2nd-Hand parts can be perfectly used and WAY cheaper) -I'm talking doors here, but shocks etc , you're better off with new. Main dealers can often push that you use new parts but if a door needs replacing ...not a big deal. Panel beaters can do an amazing job, but sometimes it's just cheaper to replace a whole panel if theres going to be too much labor involved. You could Google panel beaters in your area and check reviews. By not going to a main dealer I paid 1/6 of the repair price a main dealer quoted & if you go solo, you decide where you want it repaired.

So
1. Let your insurer know
2. Get the damage checked & costed by a main dealer & different garage (at least 2 quotes), and query pre-owned parts being used
3. If mechanic finds no major faults then ...Panel beater and do the same.
4. Whatever happens, its the other party that will pay the damage, - if they are able to, perhaps well and good, otherwise it'll go through either their insurance or MIBI (in which case it would be important that you already let your insurance company know of the collision).

Fishdoodle wrote: »

Ouch ...looked at the pics. and rear axel looks damaged.

It's going to be anti roll bar and bottom arm and few other bits it won't write it off.

Had worse on my Octavia and they didn't write it off.

Please read the MIBI protocol

https://www.mibi.ie/making-a-claim/uninsured-vehicles.1752.html

Eoinbmw wrote: »

As they say in the trade "its dirty"
Id be surprised if she was not written off!
You could potentially still keep her and have her repaired but id want it gone!
Youll be lucky to get 4k out of her in a write off!

Why?

It hasn't had frame bent or bags off....

That's a slight tip and nothing to what I've actually been in....

That car will be fine with a good repair.

That car will be back on the road either way.

Lads it an 07 TT low km's or not its a 5k car at the most in an insurance companys mind!
The paint alone on her is 1k+ low estimate
An alloy is 250+
It absolutlly needs a new door???
who knows from the pics about the rear quarter panel!
Your running into 2.5k+ in no time!

punisher5112 wrote: »

Had an estimate 2 years ago by insurance company on a 2002 1.6 primers... Bumper, wing and headlight.... Over €1k cost...

Car was not even worth €500 and they repaired!!!

Beyond stupid. Would have taken €500 and still drove car on....

Mental!
But this is Ireland!

jmreire wrote: »

As I have said in an earlier post, the OP wants his car back,,no matter what. And he is right, if I had a TT with that mileage, I'd want it back too. So he should go to a reputable panel beating business, get a quote, present it to the boy's Father and say " Please pay up", and my guess is that he will pay up...if it goes through insurance, then his insurance ( under the circumstances ) will go through the roof...and he will pay multiples of what the repairs will cost...and that's a fact, To claim off your insurance in this Country, unless it's in multiple of 1'000's, is a no win situation. Better to go to a credit union and get a loan rather than "disturb" your insurance. Insurance in this Country is a legalized profit making business for share holders. So Yes, I believe that the Father will pay without any hassle. And that car is not a write off..it will be back on the road again.

I hope it works out for him and the parents play ball!

micar wrote: »

Can't see any mention of that. However

"An excess of €220 (i.e. the claimant must pay the first €220 of the claim) applies to vehicle damage claims where the alleged offending vehicle was stolen at the time the incident occurred."

If the car was taken without his father's permission......would that constitute the car being stolen.

AFAIK, the law was recently updated to make the owner liable for any uninsured use of their vehicle, under any circumstanced. Obviously, this would not apply in a case where the car was stolen, which would be outside the owners control, But in a case like this, technically yes... if he did not have permission to take the car. But if he was insured to drive it ( OP states that he used to drive his Mothers car) Then if his friend had a full licence, and he would be in the clear if he meets those conditions. It only remains to compensate the owner of the damaged car, and face what ever penalty the Court imposes on the charges that the Guards bring.
BUT...if he was not insured, and did not have permission to drive...then he is in big trouble. ( and possibly his Father too.)