Dad's Advice - Car insurance claims

[yawner]

Its just struck me how little some of our younger drivers understand about making a claim. Yes - one of :yawnersdaughters: has been on the phone again, totally bereft of a clue and about to be ripped off.

Pay attention junior types.

Turns out some guy bashed the rear of her Mazda 3 while she was stationary at lights. Bumper. lights and hatchback damaged. He was all solicitous and pally-pally. "No need to involve our insurance companies. I work for XXXXXXX/Ford in Newcastle. Just give me a ring tomorrow, and I'll get your car into our bodyshop".

She was going to go along with what this guy wanted, but just decided to check with me once she got home.

As I said to her, there was absolutely no guarantee that this guy would do a 100% proper job fixing her car. Always always go through proper channels...

So she rang her insurance company who were brilliant. All they needed was the guy's name, contact number and reg no (my girl's not totally stupid and could provide all the info). Best of it for her was, she had to have no further contact with the pleb who hit her car (She's often at home on her own, young and vulnerable). Insurance company would chase him up and take care of everything.

Next morning she has a gleaming new courtesey car on her doorstep and her car was taken away to the approved car repairers. Sorted...

...although amazingly that next day the pleb tried to ring her at work to get her to change his mind, and then his manager tried to ring her! Talk about harrassment. Fortunately she wasn`t there to take the calls, but this did spook her. They haven`t tried to contact her since, so presumably have admitted defeat. Twats.

Moral of tale? If somebody bashes your car and its their fault, they have absolutely NO SAY in how your car gets repaired. Their mistake - so tough. So often they're nicey nicey at the scene of the accident, turning overnight into complete arseholes denying everything.
Get their name, telephone number, reg no, witness names (if poss), even better take a photo of the scene if you're carring a camera (again not always possible!) then contact your insurance company. Let them work for the money you pay them every year. 

[sickpuppy]

Let them work for the money you pay them every year. 

Don't worry, they get it back by increasing premiums regardless of whose fault it was

[chavalier]

I refused to let some Turkish guys mate fix my car after he rear ended my car. HE then chose not to speak English and it turned out he wasn't insured.

My bird pranged everyother panel on the car so it didn't really matter.

[yawner]

Let them work for the money you pay them every year. 

Don't worry, they get it back by increasing premiums regardless of whose fault it was

OK matey - I'll stop all that non-stop worrying about insurance companies' profitability 

[sickpuppy]

Let them work for the money you pay them every year. 

Don't worry, they get it back by increasing premiums regardless of whose fault it was

OK matey - I'll stop all that non-stop worrying about insurance companies' profitability 

Heh, what I meant was that it might not always be worth going to insurance for small prangs. Although all details should be exchanged in case and repairs done at a garage of the victims choosing.

[yawner]

Let them work for the money you pay them every year. 

Don't worry, they get it back by increasing premiums regardless of whose fault it was

OK matey - I'll stop all that non-stop worrying about insurance companies' profitability 

Heh, what I meant was that it might not always be worth going to insurance for small prangs. Although all details should be exchanged in case and repairs done at a garage of the victims choosing.

Totally agree. Once some kid bumped my white bumper on my alfa. I found out how much a proper repair would be, then sent a copy of quote to kids dad  I offered to avoid insurance if he just gave me a cheque for the £200 quoted. He agreed, I bought a paint stick for a fiver.

Back of the net. </Partridge>

[Ben]

(She's often at home on her own, young and vulnerable).

Might want to edit that  Teh Troll will be pleased when he reads that...

[yawner]

(She's often at home on her own, young and vulnerable).

Might want to edit that  Teh Troll will be pleased when he reads that...

   No worries - most of the time her big brawny boyfriend is there

[Jeewhizz]

Couldn't agree more. I've not been in a similar position, but my mum & sister both have.

[sarahA]

I was in the opposite situation once. I'd slid down the hill in my smart (it was a bit snowy*) and caught a car on the way up. My car has an unnoticeable tiny mark on it, but the driver of the other car at first didn't even want to deal with the insurance, just kept trying to get me to pay him 150 euros (£100). In the end he agreed to exchange copies of documents and I presume he made a claim as I lost 2 years. However 2 years less no claims didn't result in £100 loss, so it was still cheaper (in the short term) to go through my insurance, plus I then didn't have to worry about it.

* Can I just say there were 10 accidents of similar types that day

[Jeewhizz]

* Can I just say there were 10 accidents of similar types that day

Were they all women drivers too?

(sorry!)

[sarahA]

* Can I just say there were 10 accidents of similar types that day

Actually... no   To be honest I only drove up the hill as the covered car park was up there and I didn't want to leave the car at the bottom as I'd have to clear the snow off it later on

Were they all women drivers too?

(sorry!)

[yawner]

(it was a bit snowy*)

you're just pushing this whole xmas thing again aren't yuo 

[sarahA]

(it was a bit snowy*)

you're just pushing this whole xmas thing again aren't yuo 

I've giving up associating snow with christmas in this country

[Notorious MCSE]

(She's often at home on her own, young and vulnerable).

Might want to edit that  Teh Troll will be pleased when he reads that...

   No worries - most of the time her big brawny boyfriend is there

I am a bigger, brainy, brawnier man than he will ever be.

And I bet that Mazda 2's roof lining is full of high heel marks.

[Ben]

(it was a bit snowy*)

you're just pushing this whole xmas thing again aren't yuo 

I've giving up associating snow with christmas in this country

They never seem to meet together - wouldn't it be nice for just one snowy xmas day.

[sarahA]

(it was a bit snowy*)

you're just pushing this whole xmas thing again aren't yuo 

I've giving up associating snow with christmas in this country

They never seem to meet together - wouldn't it be nice for just one snowy xmas day.

Got to travel abroad to the alps or scandanavia (or further afield of course) for that to be guaranteed these days.