Front end shunt: get the insurers involved?

Not like a front end does, although granted, it's the midrift that's designed to be the most rigid out of all parts of the car.

As I said, if it was, you'd end up with an equal crumple rate for both the front of the car doing the hitting, and the rear of the car being hit... so you'd given the general lack of meat at the back of a car, you'd end up with more rear passengers being injured... also, when you're struck behind, the direction the inertia is coming from, is one where you have something relatively solid supporting you, as in your seat.

I've only ever had excesses which apply in respect to my own losses, not a third parties.

Not saying you are wrong, just saying I've never seen it before, and I've had some really insurance friendly stuff TPO in my time, like XR3is etc. (admittedly a long time ago).

The norm is IIRC, the TP will claim off you for everything, including their excess... which your insurer covers as part of them paying out, if you're proven to be liable.

Yes... because as part of said bumper coming out unscathed, the front of the car will have been forced downwards, thus the suspension, as well as the metal folding all around it, is absorbing as much of the impact as it can.

If you had the equivalent of two level, rigid brick walls smashing into each other, neither would give, end result being more impact forces being transferred to the occupants.

Our insurance broker/company does not allow any level of excess on their TP only policies. BTDT etc.

If, as you say, some do then ok. Think I made the point that it's the agreement that is signed that matters though...

Lee

If you have TPF&T then you won't be covered for damage to your car in any case - had it been the other guy's fault you would claim off him.

Only option is to shop around for bits - but you'll have to look hard, assuming its the bubble-shaped micra (what else!) getting bits for them is slightly more difficult than finding hen's teeth or rocking horse excrement!

The last accident I had which was my fault was about 23 odd years ago [1.76] and involved another car clipping mine then hitting a caravan. The Ins Co stung me (actually stung my father) for £50 IIRC.

-- Malc

I just looked at the current Schedule for a Third Party, Fire and Theft (TPFT) insurance policy.

Excesses - compulsory in this particular case - are specified under two headings: £100 for fire and £100 for theft. There is no mention of an excess for accidental damage to the other party's car. I'm surprised and may have learned something from this thread.

Regards George

My mate just had his Astra Estate broken into (Hatfield) and they stole the radio and his (portable) GPS from the glove compartment (silly boy).

The excesses were summat like 50 quid against the glass, 100 against the radio and 150 against body damage?

I was wondering who was the thief here .. ?

All the best ..

T i m

Not for repairs to your car. Your only possible choice is whether you want to settle the other party's damage claim yourself or let your insurers do it for you. Paying the other party's damage claim yourself *can* *sometimes* save you money - especially if the damage to the other car is trivial - because letting your insurers deal with it could involve you:

a) having to pay a compulsory damage excess, if this applies to your policy b) loss of part/all of any no claims bonus you have earned

I suspect the other party's damage claim would exceed any saving you could make by settling directly. Also, the other party's insurers/repairers may make it difficult for you to deal with them directly, and you are probably required to notify your insurers about the accident anyway.

YMMV, IANAL etc.,

D A Stocks

Something I fear is that, upon having an accident, your insurance company storm in and "take over", confiscating your car, deciding it's not worth repairing, announcing a derisory trade value, less any excess and sending you a cheque for peanuts.

Presumably, by telling them to keep out of it, you can at least decide what you want to do with your own car, like repair it at much lower cost than they would.

Does the owner have the final say?

Regards George

You should have - you own the car and if you hang on to the keys the insurers can't do anything with it. You just have to be very careful what you say and sign when you report the accident. On FC policies they have a gun to your head because they probably won't pay out for your damage if you don't let them handle the repair. If there is 3rd party damage (or the 3rd party was at fault) then things get more complicated because you will be dealing with 3rd party insurers who can then take you for a ride either on how they handle your repair, or on the 3rd party's claim.

When I made a claim earlier this year on a FC policy (own fault, no 3rd party involved) the first piece of advice the insurers gave was that I might be better off sorting out the repair myself. To a certain extent you get what you pay for with motor insurance - I was impressed with the way my claim was handled. OTOH I am paying a lot of dosh for a FC policy with bells & whistles including NCD protection, and this was my first claim in about 20 years.

D A Stocks

I don't think most insurers are actually interested in the salvage value of cars they write off. More likely than not, you will be allowed to keep the car for little or no added expense.