Another 'insurance claim advice' post

[Freddyfruitba...]

Yeah, sorry, but would be great to get some input; I reckon one thing BCF is not short of is experience of dealing with insurance companies...

So today I'm driving (my car) down a narrow urban side-road where there's only room for one vehlcle to pass at a time, due to cars parked both sides.. There's a minibus coming towards me 50 yards away, so I stop adjacent to a long space where there's no cars parked on his side of the road, and flash him to come forwards. He duly does so, but manages to scrape the rear offside corner/bumper of my car with his rubber bumper/wheel. My damage (two badly scratched panels) is probably around £600's worth? Minibus isn't even scratched.

I was completely stationary at the time (I got contact details for an independent witness who will hopefully corroborate that) there was plenty of room for him to get though anyway and no doubt he was 100% in the wrong, so obviously I'm thinking why shouldn't I claim against him, or get him to cough up cash for the repair? But.

Turns out the minibus is owned and insured by a church, and just lent out to somebody for the day, to transport a bunch of 'people with learning disabilities). I can't even speak to the vicar responsible for the vehicle until Monday. I'm sure that will mean there's no chance of a cash settlement. I also strongly suspect that chummy will not roll over, and will try to claim the collision was my fault, or at least 50:50, which will screw things up for me (he certainly didn't apologise on scene).

So if I do claim, obviously my insurers will get to know, and I'll have to declare this on all insurance quotes for the next X years. I'm wondering what the chances are of it being deemed a 'no fault' claim My car policy has an excess of £360, full protected NCB, and an annual premium of £408; my bike premium is £508 (following a big fault claim last year) so I'm worried about the impact that a second claim will have on my bike insurance preimums too.

Y'know - having written this lot down, actually I think I've just convinced myself that realistically, my best option is to just pay for the damage myself and to go and punch a wall or something. Anyone disagree?

Diagram below (def not to scale):



https://i.imgur.com/G2FNMvK.jpg?1
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KC100->CB100N->CB250RS--------->DL650AL2->R1200RS->R1250RS

[Nobby the Bastard]

Fuck the church. Religious freaks have caused more deaths than everything else including old age.

Claim off their insurance. It's not like they have to pay tax on their income because of charitable status.
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trevor saxe-coburg-gotha:"Remember this simple rule - scooters are for men who like to feel the breeze on their huge, flapping cunt lips."
Sprint ST 1050

[Riejufixing]

I would guess that it's the van driver's fault. Why can't you talk to the vicar? That seems to be what's needed. You should be able to phone him up, or even visit, if it's not far.

[Freddyfruitba...]

[Ayrton]

I dont see how it could be declared as your fault since you were stationary. Call your insurance to get the ball rolling and then try and get a cash settlement if you can. If they try to make your insurance pay you can still cancel your claim.

Also claims that are not your fault have to be declared but dont really affect the price.

[Polarbear]

[WreckTangle]

did you get any dashcam footage? you will find that if they claim that you were at fault, the instance you mention 'dashcam footage' they will immediately back down.
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My wife asked me to get her something that goes from 0-100 in under 5 seconds for her birthday. ......................I got her a bathroom scale.

[Nobby the Bastard]

To be honest, they are going to have difficulty trying to apportion blame to you simply because they hit the rear quarter of your car. How are they going to suggest that you could have caused it outside of a random reversing maneuvour?
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trevor saxe-coburg-gotha:"Remember this simple rule - scooters are for men who like to feel the breeze on their huge, flapping cunt lips."
Sprint ST 1050

[iooi]

[-]

It does seem a bit odd. Surely if the minibus was already pulling back out from the clear parking spaces, then the road ahead should have already been clear for the OP, so why still stationary and not driving on, making it easier for the minibus to pull back out?
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TZR250 2MA road, TZR250 1KT road, TZR250 2MA race, TDR250, YZF-750R Boost colours.
Jaguar S Type 3.0 V6 Sport R, VW Transporter T5 GP LWB Shuttle 140ps DSG.

[Ste]

1. Claim for billions of injuries.
2. ???
3. Prophet.

[Freddyfruitba...]

[Hawkeye1250FA]

Any photos of damage?

I know you say £600s

But is it really? Are we talking scratches or dents?
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1993 RF400R - 2002 Bandit 1200 - 2012 1250 FA

[Freddyfruitba...]

[Hawkeye1250FA]

Personally for that, I'd just do it myself.

Failing that, there are mobile repairers that would piss that for under £200.

If there's any chance of them arguing, it might be worth looking into the above instead.
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1993 RF400R - 2002 Bandit 1200 - 2012 1250 FA

[Riejufixing]

[Sister Sledge]

My head's broken this morning but with a minibus and carrying passengers, there are some damned strict conditions to doing such things - even if it's not for a monetary reward. Often you'll find old Edna with tunnel vision is doing them a favour by driving..
Doesn't help you at all and only commenting because angry.
Personally I'd simply get a cheapo repair as mentioned to save yourself some possible extra hassle.
One thing: Definitely no damage to their vehicle? Did they begin holding their neck? Might they claim on you somehow is what I'm asking.
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CCM 404 DS

[-]

[JackButler]

The first thing that entered my head in these circumstances is do you want that driver going about unchecked in a minbus full of passengers?

How many more little bumps & scuffs, not to mention the near misses, before the big one?

You absolutely should be reporting it & even if the bus doesn't need an enhanced license to drive it the driver still needs to be held to a higher standard.
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I clean my guns with the tears of the snivelling, left wing scum.

[Suntan Sid]

If you go through insurance, it'll go 50/50!

No matter how blameless you were, matters not a jot to the insurers, going 50/50 is easiest route for them, you, as a customer, are merely a secondary consideration.

They will not fight your corner because it will cost them money, going 50/50 means both party's premiums can be loaded for the foreseeable future!

This is not right or fair, but the insurance companies don't care, they've got your money and that's all they care about. Insurance companies have been competing in a race to the bottom for many years and this is where we're at!

A quick google will reveal countless cases similar to this and the overwhelming majority go 50/50
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"Everybody needs money, that's why they call it money!"

[Hawkeye1250FA]

[Hawkeye1250FA]

From what I can see on the photo. I would say these areas in red would come up almost like new with just some wet sanding (600grit working up to 1000grit)

The main sections where the primer is showing through might not even need filler, and might get a away with a high build primer spray.

And even if it does need filler, its not a promlematic area on a sharp M3 style curve or anything, so would be quick and easy to do in one layer.

Honestly If you are not comfortable doing it yourself, find a local paint repair specialist on the dreaded FB or something to get a quote. You will probably be surprised how little it costs.

The best thing to do is to get them to cough to the entire fault of the accident - and get it recorded. But thats unlikely.
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1993 RF400R - 2002 Bandit 1200 - 2012 1250 FA

[Easy-X]

Could you bypass your insurance company and just write directly to theirs submitting an estimate from a local coachworks?
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Husqvarna Vitpilen 401, Yamaha XSR700, Honda Rebel, Yamaha DT175, Suzuki SV650 (loan) Fazer 600, Keeway Superlight 125, 50cc turd scooter

[jimspeed]

Do the church "self insure" ? In that case there may not be such an issue getting a claim sorted out .
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Hyosung cruise 125(passed test on, sold) Kawasaki el 252 (better than expected but sold on) Kawasaki GPZ500S first "big"bike.(sold) ZZR600 E5..Z750 2007,ER5, currently on a 2008 Enfield bullet electra x and loving it..
,"Alpha-9: Is there any correlation between dyno rod and dyno kits?"

[Shaft]