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Accident claim information

I've just had my first accident and probably going to have to claim off my insurance for damage done to a 3rd party but I've not done this before so want some idea of how it works before I call my insurers.

I was pulling out of a side road onto a major A road slip road (from a motorway exit). Van in front started to pull out into a gap, I looked and judged I could fit into the same gap and also started to pull out, and then bang, I hit him. He had stopped and hadn't decided in the end to pull out.

Completely my fault (although I never said that to the guy but it was obvious from what happened) and I'm really annoyed at myself for making that mistake after 9 years of no claim driving. The guy was fine about it all and we swapped details.

He was driving a white Renault van, quite new - not sure what model, but had a 6 speed silver marking on the bottom right with lots of letters etc above it. I've bent the bottom of his door and by the looks of it, also bent his bumper. My 306 has just a cracked number plate, and a bit of skirt/trim damage, but nothing I'm worried about.

I have lots of no claims discount with protected no claims, but our excess is £175. I doubt a door and bumper could be had for less than that, so I guess it'll be an insurance job.

I'll be phoning my insurers later, but I just wanted to check out a few things.

Firstly, if I get my car fixed, will that class as a separate claim? ie will I pay 2x £175 (one for each vehicle)? Also, will it count as 2 separate claims (for protected no claims)? To be honest, the damage to our car is minimal, and I've no problems with not claiming for it.

Secondly, whilst we won't have lost our no claims discount, I'm expecting my premium to go up quite a bit next year (with Churchill at the moment). Any idea how the figure is worked out? For example, does the size of the claim make a difference, or is it just a penalty for having an accident irrespective of the size of the claim?

Thirdly, if I don't go ahead with a claim but pay out of our own pocket (unlikely!) - will the fact I've had an accident (which I can't and won't hide from insurer) also increase my premium next year even if I haven't claimed against them? I'm just trying to work out whether it would be better to just clear the whole thing ourselves without making a claim (when taking into account the excess and increased premium in the future).

Thanks

David

Reply to
David Hearn
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David Hearn ( snipped-for-privacy@NOswampieSPAM.org.uk) gurgled happily, sounding much like they were saying :

Sounds like a Trafic - sort of Transit sized?

No. One claim only.

You say your car's a 306. What sort of age and value? There's a reasonable chance it would be written off - no, seriously. Don't forget the insurers work it on the list price of the parts plus labour plus paint plus vat plus... It doesn't take much to get up to a grand plus in no time at all. And that'd be very good money for an early 306.

Yes. And the year after that, and the one after that, and the one after that, and the one after that. They ask you to tell them about all accidents in the last five years, IIRC.

It may very well be cheaper to pay yourself, depending on the cost of the damage to his van.

Reply to
Adrian

Yeah, that's the one - just looked at Renault's website. The door was the right one, with the lower bumper across the bottom being the bent bit (nice to see a simple bumper, not an all in one thingy).

1998/S reg 306. No idea of the value of it.

True - although I would imagine it would tail off a bit over time.

What sort of premium increase do you see following a 'simple' accident like that? I'm currently on £185 premium + £22 no claims protection + £22 legal cover.

Any ideas for the cost of a right hand rear door for an 04 plate Renault Trafic and rear bumper? Thankfully it's plain white ;) I guess there's labour as well on top. :(

D
Reply to
David Hearn

David Hearn ( snipped-for-privacy@NOswampieSPAM.org.uk) gurgled happily, sounding much like they were saying :

Anywhere from sub-grand to two grand or so, depending on spec and condition.

Fingers crossed he's happy with a good used one from a breaker...

(I've done exactly the same in the past. Except I hit a Volvo 740 estate with a 2cv. His towbar went straight through the grille into the fan...)

Reply to
Adrian

Hmmm...

Looking at it again out the window now from a distance, I've noticed that there's a gap between the left side of the bonnet and the headlamp. The left nose of the car may have gone downwards - certainly something has got bent.

It'll definitely be a claim for both cars now.

Parkers put the value between £780 to £1600 for the car... When I had someone bump me in an old C reg Polo in 1998, the damage to the rear of the car was around £600 after VAT. I bought the car for £900, yet their insurance paid out for everything. :)

Have to see what happens now... might solve the issue of the head gasket needing doing at some point... oh, and the timing belt... oh, and the dodgy central locking....

Apparently it was due to go into the Renault garage this/next week anyway - and the insurance is a company thing - so I'm guessing it'll be done by the book. Don't matter too much now, considering that I'll be claiming for our car too.

D
Reply to
David Hearn

David Hearn ( snipped-for-privacy@NOswampieSPAM.org.uk) gurgled happily, sounding much like they were saying :

Ah.

The claim assessor will have the details of that.

RIP.

Reply to
Adrian

After a 3rd look I realised the gap was because the bonnet hadn't been shut properly after I looked under it to see any damage. I've shut it properly now and the gap has gone. :)

Unfortunately I also noticed a crease in the top of the passenger wheel arch...

I phoned Churchill this evening, in 10 minutes everything was sorted and their garage will call me tomorrow (before 1pm... honest!) and take it from there.

They did say though that I won't see a premium increase next year due to protected no claims - just the normal inflationary one. I asked explicitly whether the premium would go up yet the NCD would remain at

65% - they said, no, premium and NCD would remain the same, even though it's a fault claim. Lets see in 11 months time. ;) D
Reply to
David Hearn

Good practice is to ring just about as soon as it happens...

Chances are it'll make very little difference.

Reply to
DervMan

I'd agree here.

I made a claim last year (at fault). My premium *did* go up with my insurer, but not by that much - not much more than normal.

The odd thing is that it made very little difference to *another* insurer that I'd made a claim.

Pete.

Reply to
Pete Smith

I would have phoned in the afternoon if I'd had the policy details to hand.

D
Reply to
David Hearn

Heh. When I had my accident in November, I was on the 'phone to the insurance company within fifteen minutes... :)

Reply to
DervMan

DervMan ( snipped-for-privacy@gmail.com) gurgled happily, sounding much like they were saying :

And it took ten minutes for the world to stand still again...

Reply to
Adrian

That's the opposite to my experience. Same company went up about 35%, Direct Line suddenly became over double my original premium.

Z
Reply to
Zimmy

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