What to do?

Gazdaman · I did a trackday!!! Joined: 12 Aug 2004 Karma :

Not bikes I know, but I watched it all from the comfort of my bike if this helps...

A friend of mine in a mark 6 escort reversed into a woman today in our school car park. Her car is a Ford Sport Ka.

He needs a new rear bumper, and she'll need a new offside rear wing panel, where the door would be, but it's a 3 door car.

He's a named driver on his mum's policy, so therefore she'll take the no claims dismissal.

What should he do? Pay for the damage himself, which would be about? ~£300?

Or get insurance companies involved? Also where do you think the blame lies? He reversed into her, but I think she was going far too quickly and possibly should have given way?

We've got pictures of the damage to both cars.

Gaz

kasandrich · Trackday Trickster Joined: 20 Oct 2004 Karma :

Firstly, its gonna cost a lot more than £300 I would think, typical cost of a colour coded bumber fitted and painted is about £500, and the sport ka is going to cost that or more, I would think the cost of the damage would be in excess of £1000 total.

As he reversed into the side of the other car, I would say the blame was his........as is the decision Embarassed

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nc30 chick · Traffic Copper Joined: 13 Jul 2004 Karma :

oops double post Embarassed

nc30 chick · Traffic Copper Joined: 13 Jul 2004 Karma :

If its his mum whos going to suffer then I think the decent thing is to pay for the damage himself. He reversed into her so I would say it was his fault, he should have looked before he reversed.

Dom · World Chat Champion Joined: 06 Sep 2004 Karma :

Well given that he reversed into her, it would have to be his fault, unless she was going so fast that he could've checked behind a second before pulling out and still missed her.

I reckon getting insurance companies involved can be avoided, then do it. Plus his mum won't lose the NCB for being dumb enough to let her son on her insurance. Wink

Kickstart · The Oracle Joined: 04 Feb 2002 Karma :

Hi

Difficult to say whose fault it is without more details of the situation, but most of the time someone reversing would be coming out of a space / turning and should give way.

As to the damage I would agree that it is likely to cost way more than £300. New bumper fitted and painted for our Clio was £400 about 5 years ago, so expect at least that for the Escort. For the Ka the damage is likely to be more expensive (assuming that the dent is quite major, as you would expect if it was enough of an impact to wreck a bumper) as that will require repairs to the metal work, and if the rear wing is welded in place (likely) then repairs are more expensive. Also being a body panel any mismatch in the colour will be more critical. I agree that £1000 is probably a minimum, although if needs be they could be bodged up for less (but if I had a one year old Ka I would not accept a bodged repair for someone elses fault).

All the best

Keith
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Mr.Everready · World Chat Champion Joined: 28 Mar 2003 Karma :

Whats his excess ? This could make a big difference to his outcome.
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slowarse · Nitrous Nuisance Joined: 21 Jan 2005 Karma :

i reckon it was his fault, if he's reversing it's his responsibility to make sure the way is clear.
£1k is probably about right,, probably have to let the insurance sort it out. but it might be a good idea for him to pay his mum's excess before she takes him off her policy!!

Gazdaman · I did a trackday!!! Joined: 12 Aug 2004 Karma :

I agree the damage to the Ka could be ~£1000.

Insurance companies are now getting involved. I guess it's one of those things, an inexperienced driver not looking properly.

Thanks for the advice guys, it's one of those wierd things, it happened and I thought "I don't know what to do".

One of those moments where I phone my dad.

Gaz

yambabe · World Chat Champion Joined: 12 Jul 2004 Karma :

I was in a similar situation last year Gaz, reversing down our street and one of my neighbours came round the corner. She stopped when she saw me, but she was on my left and I was looking to the right cos I was going past another parked car, scraped her front wing with my back one.

I initially offered to sort it without insurance as it's a K-reg Clio & I thought even a new wing would only be a couple of hundred quid, Wrong! Cheapest estimate either of us could get was well over £700 so I had to let them know.

Couple of points that may therefore be useful to your mate, firstly I was named driver on my partners policy at this time, and although we declared it he didn't lose his no-claims (that wasn't protected) - my insurance company said that was mostly because no-one was injured.

Second, I don't think excess applies in a third-party claim, I certainly wasn't asked to pay anything.

Third, as it was declared on my partners policy I didn't have to declare it when I later obtained my own policy, so it didnt count against me for that either.
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Retro-Man · Traffic Copper Joined: 21 Aug 2004 Karma :

I had someone smack in to the back of me whilst reversing out of a space in a car park, it was decided by the insurance company to not be my fault.

1. it was a car park, not public highway and as far as the insurance company was concerned she should have anticipated my reverse.

2. from the points of damage it was clear to the insurance company that whilst I had been reversing slowly she had been travelling at a speed considered excessive in a car park.

3. she knew all this and lied to her insurance company by telling them I had reversed in to a main road. her insurance company were unable to argue anything at all when my insurance company provided a map of the car park to them.

also anybody ever heard of NCD protection.
chances are that if Mum has lots of no claims discount it will be protected.

Cheers
Retro
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mrchips · World Chat Champion Joined: 05 Mar 2004 Karma :

Personally I'd never get the insurance companys involved unless it was nessicary.
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Retro-Man · Traffic Copper Joined: 21 Aug 2004 Karma :

You pay through the nose for insurance.

it's something we English seem to shy away from....Claiming

Insurance is a risk based product

The insurer expects to pay valid claims

You are a consumer of that product.......USE IT

you would not pay £30 quid a month for Sky telly and never switch the thing on now would you....

Do not be afraid to ring your insurer to seek advice on what would happen if you tried to claim. you only lose NCB if you actually make a claim.

Cheers
Retro
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Gazdaman · I did a trackday!!! Joined: 12 Aug 2004 Karma :

Excellent posts, thank you Retro-man and babyyam, I'll pass this information on!

From the nature of the damage, the escort was travelling slowly, but by the nature of the scrape down the side of the Ka she was travelling too fast, as was confirmed by my friend.

He may just deny liability, it's excellent to know about the excess and the NCB babyyam!

Gaz