My pride and joy got hit :( really need advice about insurance now

[greyfloppyhat]

So this morning I was going out to the car to head into work, was up at my student house so had parked on the narrow streets, with a corner behind me. I moved the car forward to turn out, but didnt have enough room to turn straight out due to car infront, so went to reverse back but seen a van coming round so stopped to wait.

Next thing I know the van is going round the corner, scraped the whole way down the drivers side nose of my car. Clearly not realising he didn't have enough space to get round.

So after he scraped his entire van down the side of my car he got out and started saying I had pulled out

I was clearly stopped and couldnt of been pulling out because the car in front was blocking me, hence why I was getting ready to reverse. I know my nose was out a bit but if it was blocking him he shouldnt of tried to get past!

We exchanged details and he said he had to claim even though he barely had any damage because it was a work van, although he only took my name and address?? So maybe he isn't really.

My dilema is, should I ring up and tell the insurance company does this mean I've made a claim and lose my no claims?

Or if it does turn out his insurance pays for his and my insurance for me, does that still count as a claim? or if it does go that way can I say I'll pay for the damage myself and I can cancel the claim and leave my no claims intact?

I can see it going 50 50 as it's his word against mine and no witness etc. And I dont want to have a claim put in for damage that will cost less than my volentery excess to correct.

What do you guys think?

 

[Hockey Guy]

Simple really, best way is to go through insurance, as you have no idea what this guy is intending on doing. Write down exactly what happened, dates, times etc, and what you did, and notify your insurance company.

Chances are that you will lose your NCB, but if the guy makes a claim on you, you'll lose them anyway.

If you don't notify insurance, it can get messy dealing with it "off the books".

Just my 2p

Tom

 

[greyfloppyhat]

So I loss my no claims even if it ends up his side has to pay for damage?

 

[jc_boc]

Also make sure to you make a report with the police and have a case number too.

 

[FlatCap]

What an absolute nightmare mate, sorry to hear of your bad luck.

I shunted someone in traffic recently at low speed, as the area is notorious for the old "pull out and slam on" trick I phoned my insurers and "logged" it with them. Basically getting my word in first that there was no damage to the car and the accident happened about 5mph.

Not sure how much difference it actually makes but seemed better than waiting and seeing if anyone called me.
They told me that until I decided to claim or the other parties insurer contacted them it would just sit on the system as a notification and not a claim - by that logic your no claims is fine.

If at any point your insurer has to pay out cash - either for you to repair yours or if his insurer contacts them to claim the cash back for his repair - then that's a claim and you lose your bonus unless it is protected.

As you say I would expect it goes 50/50 in this case but keep your fingers crossed and it maybe you won't hear from him, especially if he didn't take your phone no, reg or insurer.... That way you put a claim in for yourself or get it fixed independently.

I think I'm right with that lot-good luck!

 

[Masterkm]

Just what happened to me last october in wembley. This is what happened.

Reversed and someone drove into the back of me, i took most damage but their car was fine just paint tbh. So we traded details and wanted it to go private as ddnt want to affect my no claims but she went through insurance and i then had to. Both disputed it, went down to a 50/50 claim. I ddnt get mine repaired as changed bumper myself. I asked did it affect no claims and they said no as its your first time.

Just notify them, and as long as you got protected no claims you will be fine.

But gutted for you though mate

 

[greyfloppyhat]

Thanks guys for the comments, I really gutted too as it was exactly in the same place on the bumper me and another member spend a morning shaping to get perfect
I think logging the incident with the insurance company is the best thing to do, then see wait to see what he does. He said it was a company van so fingers crossed they dont bother with the hassle of it all

MasterKm hope it wasnt the new FR bumper that got hit, gutted to hear that

 

[mwillis551]

So this morning I was going out to the car to head into work, was up at my student house so had parked on the narrow streets, with a corner behind me. I moved the car forward to turn out, but didnt have enough room to turn straight out due to car infront, so went to reverse back but seen a van coming round so stopped to wait.

What uni you at mate?

 

[greyfloppyhat]

What uni you at mate?

I'm Queen's doing Computer Science with Maths, I'm on my placement year at the minute hence having ym beloved leon up, bit raging I didn't just walk in today now.

Are you in uni up here too?

 

[Masterkm]

MasterKm hope it wasnt the new FR bumper that got hit, gutted to hear that

No luckily it wasnt the FR bumper then, it was the reason i changed to it lol.. But then again, i damaged the rear FR bumper about a month ago but its only scuffed the lacquer off

 

[mwillis551]

I'm Queen's doing Computer Science with Maths, I'm on my placement year at the minute hence having ym beloved leon up, bit raging I didn't just walk in today now.

Are you in uni up here too?

Yep, i'm doing computer science at queens (without maths ) lol
first year just . . .

 

[sfmk2.]

You can call your insurance to tell them about the incident (best backed with a police report), but make clear that your can and the other guys van were not damaged to the extent that you want to go through insurance, and that you're telling them purely incase he goes to them...
Always best to tell them first than them tell you what he's claiming happened.
If possible back it up with photos of your car, where it was parked, whether you had lights on or not, times, speeds, light and road conditions etc etc...

 

[putridmocha]

What a twat trying to shift blame because really his insurance should foot the bill for your repairs. But if they play hard ball it makes life a lot harder. Fortunately the only accident I had the other driver admitted fault straight away and their insurance company took care of it pronto.