Car in accident, other person at fault, I have a question.

Hope this is in the right forum.

Yesterday my parked car was hit my a mini bus in a car park. The other driver admitted they were at fault and we exchanged details and called to guards to report incident. She said she wanted to pay for repairs without going through insurance so I said fine and that I'd get her quotes today. The damage was mainly scratches to front bumper, license plate un-usable now, metal pushed out under one headlight.

So I got 2 quotes for repairs today and other person reckons they're very expensive and want me to let them get a quote themselves from "some guy they know". Do I have to go with their quote or do they have to do with my ones? I'd prefer to get it done somewhere reputable and how can they get a quote without the person seeing my car? Just wondering where I stand here?

They have to go with your quotes. Tell them that if they're not happy with that, they can go through the insurance. Bear in mind, if you go through insurance, you'll probably have a courtesy car while your car is being repaired. They may not have considered that, or the inconvenience to you of getting the quotes.

There's no hard and fast rule. As long as the car is repaired to your satisfaction, the cost to the 3rd party is irrelevant.

Give him until Monday to get a quote otherwise go through his insurance. The longer you leave the more he will talk himself around to not paying and will probably hope you will let it go.

If you took the person's insurance details you are entitled to inform his company that he/she and you have had an accident. You are reporting the incident. You are just informing them that you may have a claim against them in the future.

I was rear ended by a guy who was going out of the country for a few days, we exchanged details, I reported (not claimed) the incident to my insurance company, I also reported the incident to his company. I didn't lose my own no claims bonus at next renewal because I had only reported and not claimed. I had no communication with the driver. I got my repair quotation, got a letter from my garage (main dealer) stating what they estimated was the loss in value of the car as a result of the crash, added in my doctor's bill (just one), the cost of the hire of a replacement car while mine was being repaired and I submitted the whole lot to his company with a covering letter stating that I would be happy if the final total was paid for and no more claims would be forthcoming. I followed it up with a phone call. A cheque for the full amount that I had detailed was issued, I got my car repaired by the dealer and banked the amount that I received because of the crash depreciation. I had reported the incident to the gardai. I even had his number plate. From the moment we exchanged details I had no more contact with the person involved. My letter just stated that I wanted to break even. I wasn't looking to make a profit. But I didn't want/deserve to be at a loss because of an incident that wasn't my fault. His insurer's settled within two weeks.

The initial reaction of the person is to say they'll settle outside of insurance but the thousands it costs to repair, pay replacement hire car etc. makes it a crazy route to take. That's what insurance is for.

Report to his (and your insurance - emphasise REPORTING not claiming). Tell his insurers that you will be claiming from them.

PaddyBloggit said:

Report to his (and your insurance - emphasise REPORTING not claiming). .

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Make SURE you do this. It does not interfere with his/her request to settle, but is very important to protect yourself.

PaddyBloggit said:

If you took the person's insurance details you are entitled to inform his company that he/she and you have had an accident. You are reporting the incident. You are just informing them that you may have a claim against them in the future.


Report to his (and your insurance - emphasise REPORTING not claiming). Tell his insurers that you will be claiming from them.

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Absolutely agree 100%, I got side swiped by a Polish lorry driver a couple of years back, he'd no English but the guards were great. Got his insurance details and rang the owner the next day who seemed very helpful. However over the next 2 weeks he always seemed to be in "meetings" and it became very apparent that he was avoiding me. I finally rang his insurance company and he hadn't even reported it to them

If you hit someone in an accident and they wish to go through your insurance I believe that it is possible to re-imburse the insurance company the amount of the claim to avoid losing your no-claims bonus.