Car Accident Help (Not a Fault)

Lac1410 on 26/02/2019 - 21:56

Hi guys,

First-time poster. I just want some advice on what to do.

I was in a car accident where I was stopped at a giveaway and a p plater has rear ended me. They have admitted faulted verbally at the site and we have exchanged details etc. I have two options now:

  1. They have suggested they will pay for repairs in full if I get a few quotes from repairers
  2. Or I go through insurance and make a claim etc.

Did I want to know the communities thoughts on pros and cons of each options? Will my premium go up if I claim and not at fault? Risk going private not reporting the incident to the insurer?

Thanks guys.

Automotive

Comments

  • spackbace on 26/02/2019 - 21:59
    +21

    Get it done properly through your insurance. Don't let them pay for cheap repairs.

    Put the claim in. You have their details, you won't pay excess and your premium won't go up for a not at fault accident

    • kerfuffle on 26/02/2019 - 22:14
      +15

      As someone who's been in four not-at-fault accidents, this. If you have comprehensive insurance, this is why you have it - so the insurance company can do all the work for you

      • pegaxs on 26/02/2019 - 23:28
        +2

        Cannot upvote these two comments enough. Glad they are the top comments.

        If you are not at fault, don’t even entertain the other party, just let your insurance company handle it.

    • Beanvee on 27/02/2019 - 16:54

      That's why you only get quotes from reputable places, if they agree then its win-win, if they try counter with cheap quotes from shitshops then go insurance. They can't say you didn't try meet them half way.

      • spackbace on 27/02/2019 - 17:40
        +1

        And how much time do you take off work to get 3+ quotes?

  • John Kimble on 26/02/2019 - 22:32

    Depends on a bunch of things. For example, how hard he hit you and how old your car is/how much you care.

    Years ago, my wife's Yaris was love tapped by a car who likely just rolled forward into us after stopping at a red light (so would have been under 5 or 10 km p/h). Bumper bent in a bit and some paint flaking (size of a 50 cent piece). We agreed to $500 outside insurance. Didn't bother getting it fixed. Win-win.

    But if he accelerated into you/there's significant damage, then you probably should get it repaired through insurance.

    Will my premium go up if I claim and not at fault?

    Maybe https://www.ozbargain.com.au/node/439824

  • [Deactivated] on 26/02/2019 - 22:35
    +7

    If you do not go through insurance.

    1. Your time to get quotes is not going to be reimbursed

    2. You will not get a rental car whilst yours is in the shop.

    3. You will have little to no recourse if this person changes their mind.

    4. If the repair process is stuffed or the repair itself is substandard, you have no recourse.

    We have done this on ozbargain before. You pay for your insurance to represent you. Use it. If you don't, you would be stupid.

  • Euphemistic on 26/02/2019 - 22:41
    +1

    It could be the other driver has a huge excess. You could help them out by getting a quote or two and see if they are going to pay up. If it is only a small amount they might pay up straight away. If there is any trouble, go straight to your insurance. If they do pay up, you’ll get some karma points for helping out a stranger and, as above, might be in front cash wise if you don’t fix your car, fix it DIY or do it on the cheap.

    Years ago my Mum had a truck reverse into her. The driver offered to fix it outside insurance due to his excess but when he got the quotes complained about it being too much. Mum then went straight to insurance and got the car fixed and the hassle disappeared.

  • itsdougie on 26/02/2019 - 22:52
    +2

    I've been in the situation where I've rear ended someone else by mistake my fault whilst an under 25yr old driver. It was not hard so just a replacement bumper and paint. The cash quote was $900 for a bumper, paint and a chrome garnish. The insurance would have been my excess $2400 at the time. My car had some damage but was not bad so i left it. Just depends how much of a heart you have and whether the damage is substantial or not. Having been in that situation and if a young individual with good manners hit me, I'd give them a fair go first.

    • HighAndDry on 26/02/2019 - 23:21

      The insurance would have been my excess $2400 at the time.

      Just because OP makes a claim with their insurance doesn't mean the other side has to claim with theirs, so this isn't really relevant. The other driver can still pay out of pocket to OP's insurer, without making a claim.

      • itsdougie on 27/02/2019 - 18:45

        sure they can. at the insurance rate. Double the cost.

  • askme69 on 26/02/2019 - 23:09

    Same thing happened to me recently, felt sorry for the P-Plater. Went around and got 2 verbal quotes who both said, it will be $6k minimum and to just go through insurance.

    The P-Plater didn't have insurance, all up it was $8270, it will be a lesson for him in future.

  • altomic on 26/02/2019 - 23:35

    what make, model and year of car do you have?

    post a photo of the damage

    • [Deactivated] on 26/02/2019 - 23:54
      +1

      And the obligatory MS paint diagram also of course

    • ac1410 on 27/02/2019 - 07:31

      I have a Subaru Liberty 09 here is a pic of the damage. https://photos.app.goo.gl/N9QZwsPQ38FoWC5r8

      And obligatory diagram: https://photos.app.goo.gl/F8wSpTcbw63Mumv17

      • altomic on 27/02/2019 - 07:53
        +1

        Personally, For a 10 year old car and such minor damage I'd extort $650 (randomly generated figure) from the other driver.

        That teaches them a lesson ($650 worth - but no certificate).

        Either : get a rplacement bumper from a wrecker and diy. OR use the money for something.

        That mark is barely worth fixing.

        But thats just my opinion.

      • John Kimble on 27/02/2019 - 08:00

        Similar, but slightly, more damage than my Yaris example.

        How did he rear end you when he was approaching from your front right?

        • ac1410 on 27/02/2019 - 10:26
          +1

          They were behind as depicted but not labelled by my awesome drawing.

  • subywagon on 27/02/2019 - 00:17
    +1

    Really need a Microsoft Paint diagram drawn up stat in order to properly respond to this question.

    • ac1410 on 27/02/2019 - 07:32

      See above!

  • [Deactivated] on 27/02/2019 - 00:57
    +3

    (Not a Fault)

    That is for the Ozbargain experts to decide .

    Guilty until proven innocent ms paint diagram depicting innocence is provided

  • whooah1979 on 27/02/2019 - 06:08
    +1

    Or I go through insurance and make a claim etc.

    Paying for a service every year and not using it doesn't make sense.

  • FoxJump on 27/02/2019 - 07:17

    I once was hit on the side a bit by a P plater. It was their fault for not checking their blind spot before merging.

    I felt that I contributed a bit by changing lanes very quickly from behind them to next to them just before they merged.

    I decided to be nice and got it sorted out at a local repair shop. They charged only $500 to fix the panel and did a good job vs $3000 other places quoted to repaint the whole side.

    • [Deactivated] on 27/02/2019 - 08:06

      why be nice for - teach them a lesson

      • FoxJump on 27/02/2019 - 08:19
        +1

        I was a P plater once also.
        I had an accident. My car was fine. Theirs broke a headlight. Pretty sure it was my fault for leaving the driveway without checking too well

        Exchanged details.

        Dude later called and told me not to worry about it, he got a cheap headlight off the wreckers and changed it himself.

        He paid it forward.
        I paid it on.

      • Euphemistic on 27/02/2019 - 20:16

        Why be nice? Could be the difference between a youngster doing well in life or suffering due to a crippling debt.

        We were all young once and made plenty of mistakes. Sometimes it is the goodwill of others that helped us get to where we are.

        • whooah1979 on 27/02/2019 - 20:32

          It's a lesson in debt management. Teach them while they're young.

  • singlemalt72 on 27/02/2019 - 08:11

    get "a few quotes"
    So you are expected to spend hours of your time driving to multiple smash repairers to find the cheapest possible repair for this guy?

    Is he going to pay for your time?

  • Randxyz123 on 27/02/2019 - 09:11

    Get 2 quotes at places that are convenient for you. Eg near work/home/ the station. Tell them they have 7 days to contact you and arrange payment at the repairers.

    If they don’t pay up, make a claim.

    By all means give them a chance to pay up themselves but if they stuff you about that goes out the window.

    Unless you are prepared to be super nice and let it go.

  • Ryanek on 27/02/2019 - 09:14
    +1

    Dealing with it yourself is a recipe for pain. Get your insurance to sort it out, that's what you pay them for.

  • Seraphin7 on 27/02/2019 - 09:34
    -1

    There are approximately 4.82 million posts on this on this site.

    Put it through your insurance. Get your car fixed. Move on.

    Or, run around getting quotes for the benefit of the at fault party, chase up the other driver, get the round around from them, get told that they "never thought it would be that much", have to justify quotes for the benefit of the at fault party, get the run around again, best case they eventually pony up, worst case they disappear and stiff you with the bill.

    Nek minit, post on OzB "Other party caused accident, admitted fault, but has now disappeared! What are my options?"

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