Got bumped..

Bluethunder · January 19, 2018

I was waiting at the lights on my way to work this morning and a lady in a Audi went into the back of me. It was only a minor bump but has left scratches and some hairline cracks on my bumper..

We exchange details and took photos. This is the 2nd time it has happened in the past 6 months but the first time there was no damage.

Has anyone got any advice about how to proceed with this because I have a 400 excess on my policy?

NothernDan · January 19, 2018

Get it checked

If there is any damage to the bumper carrier or support bars this could mean that in the event of a 'real' crash the car does not perform as it should and you'll end up injured.

Just had this with my wife's car.

January 19, 2018

21 minutes ago, Bluethunder said:

Has anyone got any advice about how to proceed with this because I have a 400 excess on my policy?

She went in the back of you - you won't pay a sausage.

Agree with Dan, needs checking underneath - designed to crumple up absorbing energy.

Bluethunder · January 19, 2018

Thanks for the reply guys!

Do I need to contact my insurance company before I take it anywhere to get it checked over/repaired?

Sorry, I've never made a claim before so not sure what the procedure is:)

Mattmech · January 19, 2018

Contact your company and give details. Unless you have a particular body shop you use I’d insist it goes to lexus for appraisal. Then stand by for the injury claims phone calls!

good luck getting it sorted.

BUG4LIFE · January 19, 2018

Fingers crossed she suddenly doesn't change her story and says you reversed into her [read about this so much on PH]!

I wonder if recording them admitting it was their fault is the best idea?

Hope you get it all sorted...see if she'll pay for the damage in cash first maybe?

DAW · January 19, 2018

Sorry to hear that , but should be straight forward & wouldn’t be at all surprised if her insurance company offers to repair it so you won’t have to fork out your excess. Had that when I was hit from behind a while back. But as others have said I would insist Lexus do the repairs unless you know a body shop you trust.

Even if you decide to go through your own insurance company there shouldn’t be any issue with you getting your excess back from such a clear cut accident.

Hope it all gets sorted as painlessly as possible👍🏻

Andrew888 · January 19, 2018

Inform your insurance company but don't action anything. Contact her company first and log a claim, they will contact her to ask her whether shes liable. If she does admit guilt. her insurance company will take care of everything from a courtesy car to repair. Also if you insist you get it fixed by Lexus they will probably authorise it.

If you DO claim even a non fault with your own insurance company, an appointed Accident Management Company will be dealing with you and they will provide you the courtesy car etc but will skin her insurance company alive with extortionate charges - Thats how they make money.

If you go direct with her company even if they fulfill all your requests like fixed by Lexus etc they will probably still save money. So they will be very cooperative to you if you did.

Its all a numbers game!

Mark G · January 21, 2018

On ‎19‎/‎01‎/‎2018 at 8:05 PM, Andrew888 said:

Inform your insurance company but don't action anything. Contact her company first and log a claim, they will contact her to ask her whether shes liable. If she does admit guilt. her insurance company will take care of everything from a courtesy car to repair. Also if you insist you get it fixed by Lexus they will probably authorise it.

If you DO claim even a non fault with your own insurance company, an appointed Accident Management Company will be dealing with you and they will provide you the courtesy car etc but will skin her insurance company alive with extortionate charges - Thats how they make money.

If you go direct with her company even if they fulfill all your requests like fixed by Lexus etc they will probably still save money. So they will be very cooperative to you if you did.

Its all a numbers game!

Great advice, try not to be sucked in by the claims management people, before you know it you will be down at A&E having an X Ray on your neck to support the exorbitant/spurious claim..................

Andrew888 · January 21, 2018

1 hour ago, Mark G said:

Great advice, try not to be sucked in by the claims management people, before you know it you will be down at A&E having an X Ray on your neck to support the exorbitant/spurious claim..................

I've had experience when I was involved in a non fault. My insurance company didn't care about anything apart from "Has the third party called" or " Do not speak to them if they do". It was my first time dealing with claims and I thought it was very fishy until my mate who's ironically a claims solicitor gave me the lowdown on how this game all works.. Accident Management/Credit Hire firms called me around 10pm as the accident happened around 6 in the evening extremely keen to get things going and no need to pay excess as "we will claim directly from the third party"

Extremely keen I hear you say or great customer service? Well if they lent you a courtesy car (like for like a saloon for example) The daily rate is around £250! where the car hire company like Enterprise etc rents it out to them for around 30 quid/day... And obviously there legal assistance, injury assistance etc etc to cook up claims on the third party.. :)

When I went direct and highlighted the fact I 'could' have went with the appointed accident management company so I am hoping that you will be 'fair' in how you will deal with me. So the third party took all my details, asked me to email them images of the damage, and a car hire company delivered a brand new (300 miles on the clock) Mondeo ST Line (not bad) the next day to my house.. 3 days later they offered a 'settlement' as 'compensation' as my car was 14 years old and deemed a write off the sum was very fair as my car was high mileage AND I also kept the car as the third party did not want to take it back as salvage so I ebayed the car for extra money towards my new IS300H :)

Hope this helps

sorcerer · January 21, 2018

All good advice apart from, maybe, the "go to Lexus to have it repaired".

As a telephone engineer on BT, I've worked on the telephone systems of most major dealers such as Ford, Nissan, Vauxhall, Audi, Mercedes etc., etc., and I can say that none of them, not a single one that I've ever been in, have their own body shops - they just farm out bodywork to other companies. Admittedly, I've never worked in a Lexus dealership because we haven't got one here in Preston, but I'd bet a week's wages that they are no different to the others and will also farm out body repairs to local body repairs companies.

Maybe you could find out where they send them out to and then go directly there if you want to, but if you go to Lexus, I'm sure they'll just add on their cut, thereby adding to the costs.

Mark G · January 21, 2018

1 hour ago, sorcerer said:

All good advice apart from, maybe, the "go to Lexus to have it repaired".

As a telephone engineer on BT, I've worked on the telephone systems of most major dealers such as Ford, Nissan, Vauxhall, Audi, Mercedes etc., etc., and I can say that none of them, not a single one that I've ever been in, have their own body shops - they just farm out bodywork to other companies. Admittedly, I've never worked in a Lexus dealership because we haven't got one here in Preston, but I'd bet a week's wages that they are no different to the others and will also farm out body repairs to local body repairs companies.

Maybe you could find out where they send them out to and then go directly there if you want to, but if you go to Lexus, I'm sure they'll just add on their cut, thereby adding to the costs.

Good point, I have dealt with 4 different Lexus dealers and none had an in house bodyshop.

Andrew888 · January 22, 2018

I should have rephrased and said.. "lexus approved" as each dealer has there preferred bodyshop for their repairs.

Bluethunder · January 22, 2018

Thanks for all the good advice guys.

Update: I've reported the incident to my insurer on Sat. and they tried to call the Audi driver to get her full name but she's not answering calls. I've also msg her and she's not responding... I'm just going to let my insurer deal with it now and book the car into one of their approved bodyshops or a Lexus approved one.

Jgtcracer · January 22, 2018

47 minutes ago, Bluethunder said:

Thanks for all the good advice guys.

Update: I've reported the incident to my insurer on Sat. and they tried to call the Audi driver to get her full name but she's not answering calls. I've also msg her and she's not responding... I'm just going to let my insurer deal with it now and book the car into one of their approved bodyshops or a Lexus approved one.

You have the right to state where the car goes if it's an approved repairer. Dont assume that Lexus approved means better than an independent. I've had work done recently on the car by an indy and the quality is top drawer

rayaans · January 23, 2018

On 21/01/2018 at 5:34 PM, sorcerer said:

All good advice apart from, maybe, the "go to Lexus to have it repaired".

As a telephone engineer on BT, I've worked on the telephone systems of most major dealers such as Ford, Nissan, Vauxhall, Audi, Mercedes etc., etc., and I can say that none of them, not a single one that I've ever been in, have their own body shops - they just farm out bodywork to other companies. Admittedly, I've never worked in a Lexus dealership because we haven't got one here in Preston, but I'd bet a week's wages that they are no different to the others and will also farm out body repairs to local body repairs companies.

Maybe you could find out where they send them out to and then go directly there if you want to, but if you go to Lexus, I'm sure they'll just add on their cut, thereby adding to the costs.

I wouldn't be worried about adding on extra costs for a bumper repair. Even if Lexus do it it'll be £1-1.5k at most.

Iwould say go for the Lexus approved bodyshop. They generally see a lot more Lexus. Last thing you want is a monkey usually working on Fiats and Citroens armed with a screwdriver taking off things he doesn't know how to put back properly - that's where you get misaligned panels from

lotusdave · January 24, 2018

not good Third Party ignoring you, but her old man has probably said don't admit liability and leave it your insurers.

I have a dash cam, despite the annoying wires, just in case this happens to me.

good luck.

Bluethunder · January 25, 2018

My insurance company has just emailed me and said because I can't provide the third party's name I will have to pay the excess charge!..

What are my options if she refuses to reply to my messages or answer my calls?

lotusdave · January 25, 2018

don't stress about it. If you have to pay it, you'll get it back when they prove its a non fault claim. That may take time..

did you get a landline or mobile number? and her registration number of course. What about her address? If the latter, do a drive by and see if the car is there.

Bluethunder · January 25, 2018

11 hours ago, lotusdave said:

don't stress about it. If you have to pay it, you'll get it back when they prove its a non fault claim. That may take time..

did you get a landline or mobile number? and her registration number of course. What about her address? If the latter, do a drive by and see if the car is there.

I only got her mobile number and registration. I'll just go ahead and get the repair done.

Thanks for the advice Dave.

Womble72 · January 26, 2018

On 22/01/2018 at 4:43 PM, Bluethunder said:

Thanks for all the good advice guys.

Update: I've reported the incident to my insurer on Sat. and they tried to call the Audi driver to get her full name but she's not answering calls. I've also msg her and she's not responding... I'm just going to let my insurer deal with it now and book the car into one of their approved bodyshops or a Lexus approved one.

My mum had a rear quarter replaced by “Lexus authorised repairers”.......3 times it went back, she was at the end of life with cancer n just accepted the car in the end as it was becoming a joke, DONT use them, look for a “lifetime repair” guarantee repairer, they will be cheaper and a lot better.

lotusdave · January 26, 2018

12 hours ago, Bluethunder said:

I only got her mobile number and registration. I'll just go ahead and get the repair done.

Thanks for the advice Dave.

you're welcome. Hindsight is a wonderful thing but always try to get an address and a landline, and then give it a call before you part company.

basically assume the third party is a scam artist. Sad state of the world today...

Linas.P · January 26, 2018

On 19/01/2018 at 11:02 AM, Comedian said:

She went in the back of you - you won't pay a sausage.

Agree with Dan, needs checking underneath - designed to crumple up absorbing energy.

You will, next year your insurance will go by odd 30% up even if it is not your fault and even if you not going to make a claim.

doog442 · January 26, 2018

1 hour ago, Linas.P said:

You will, next year your insurance will go by odd 30% up even if it is not your fault and even if you not going to make a claim.

Nailed on.

The OP will be out of pocket big time whatever happens. The next three to five year premiums will be one big headache. Simply ringing them and reporting 'an incident' (as required by most Insurance policies) no matter how minor is not advisable. That said the OP is now stuck between a rock and a hard place.