Small crash - Big consequences :(

[lizzylemon]

I need to get this off me chest please.

About a month ago I took my bosses car into town and got us lunch. I parked in our normal car park, but whilst pulling very slowly into the parking space I hit the passengers door on the car next to me.

I got out and had a look at the door and was completely horrified by the damage I had done. Even the guy who saw it happen expressed his amazement at the damage as I was going so slowly

Being the type of person I am, fighting tears, I went off and brought a pen & paper then left my name & telephone number under the windscreen wiper (didn't have insurance details and didn't want to claim on bosses insurance as my fault not his etc)


3 weeks later - still worrying on an hourly basis, still not heard anything.

4th week - a really sh*tty letter lands on bosses home doormat from owner of the car asking for £500, and starts banging on about trying to shirk responsibility etc and that we had 7 days to respond.

Boss very kindly sent a letter back saying he'll pay for the damage to be put back to original condition and then I'll pay him back on monthly basis as I'm only on part time wages (it's going to be 6 months plus before the debt is cleared)

But now this guy has gone to Bosses insurance company and asked them to pay which I don't want as it'll put his premium up and cost more than getting the door fixed and I'll feel even more guilty than I ready do.

I don't know what to do. Do I ring this guy up and ask him not to put it through the insurance. I'm flat broke, daren't tell the OGH cos he's ill and don't want a sh*tty conversation with this guy cos I've tried to be honest right from the start but he's jumped to conclusions because he didn't see my details.

[jackie j]

Are you sure all the damage was caused by you, was the car already damaged and he is trying it on. It sounds very suspect especially as you were going so slow. Did you get the name and phone number of the witness. I think he is trying it on.

[lizzylemon]

Unfortunately not - I've never done anything like this before and was in a mild shock too so didn't know what to do. My head was too full of "ohmygodmygodohmygodohmygod" to be of much use.

I'm pretty amazed that it was so bad but cant prove it otherwise. I'd be looking for a new car if I was him - it doesn't seem so safe to me, it crumpled like tissue paper.

[Polly Fouracre]

What an awful thing to happen to you! And don't car owners get stroppy, as if you'ld maybe done it on purpose. Accidents happen and the only thing to do is to pay up and think to yourself it will all be the same in a year's time.

[kirsty b]

You left your name and address which is more than some people would do. I think this guy is trying it on. Your boss could always forward copies of letters already sent about this to his insurance company - does sound to me like he is trying it on.

As he was not there, how did he know where to send letter though? He must have seen details left surely? Strikes me as a bit fishy, or does car park have CCTV?

[bishop]

hello first thing is try not to worry about it, well done for leaving your details, phone num and first name is all you need to leave , not many people would do this, he should have got a repair quote then contacted you before he had the work done, normally get a price from 3 garages and go with cheapest he should not have got it done with out contacting you first, if your bosses car is insured fully comp for all drivers and has the no claims protected (bosses insurance wont go up )it will only cost the price of the excess, he will not be able to claim off you bosses insurance unless your boss admits liability, hmmm makes me wonder if he might have had his car repaired through his own insurance and is trying to rip you off, how did he suddenly find you details after 4 weeks,why has he waited so long to contact you, has he got receipts and can he prove he paid for the repair himself, hope this helps, well done for being so honest.

[lizzylemon]

As he was not there, how did he know where to send letter though? He must have seen details left surely? Strikes me as a bit fishy, or does car park have CCTV?

Not CCTV - the witness took down the cars registration and gave it to him. He went to his local police who gave him bosses home details, according to his letter.

I didn't leave the reg as I wanted the car owner to come direct to me so Boss wouldn't have any hassle (he had a stent put in a few weeks back so the less stress the better [sacking me would reduce most stress tho])

I think the thing thats really got me is his gun-ho attitude. He totally jumped to all the wrong conclusions and instead of waiting for an explanantion and repair offer he's gone up the insurance route.

[lizzylemon]

Im on bosses insurance so it's all above board but I don't think his no claims are covered. Also, as far as I know, we don't pay the excess because he's claiming not us. I need to check the details.

Actually I don't think he's had it fixed, he wants £500 quid to get it fixed at his discretion but our counter offer is to get it fixed by a garage in the town where it happened and my boss will pay the garage direct (and then I pay boss off in monthly installments) which I think is really fair to everyone.

[Brengirl]

Do hope there is an exceptable outcome Lizzie for you and your boss. It reminds me why I gave up driving 40 years ago. If I am in charge I prefer to be on terra firma

[zazen999]

Lizzy

I'd give him a call and let him know that you had put your details on the windscreen as you wanted to sort it out yourself rather than your boss getting involved.

However, you can't say that he must get it fixed at a garage of your choice; you must ask him to get you 3 quotes and you either pay for the cheapest or just let your boss sort it and pay him back.

Or just give him the £500 and breathe a huge sigh of relief.

[rachel24]

Hi Lizzie,


I have worked in accident management (not insurance though) for over 10 years, I do know a little bit about how insurance works because of it.

I just wanted to give you some advice.

Because you have left your details at the scene you have admitted it was your fault so if he goes through your bosses insurance they will pay out to him/his insurers. But as you are being decent unlike him and are not trying to say it wasnt your fault, you can offer to pay him direct. Even if he goes through his insurance you can still pay them direct, avoiding a claim on your bosses insurance. You will need to tell your bosses insurance though that you are going to pay it if they are aware of the claim, to check they are ok with this and that they havnt already agreed to pay. Your bosses insurers will probably log this though as a report only and it may go against him at renewal, depends on the insurer. Shouldnt do really if they dont pay anything out, but who knows with insurance companies!

If your a bit dubious about the amount of damage and your boss is ok with you going through his insurance company I would let the insurers deal with it between themselves. Thats what you pay them for so take advantage of it and they are the experts. You can tell them you are dubious about the amount of damage, they will see how fast you were going, look at the damage he is claiming for and will know if he is trying it on.

Where I work we get images of the damage from the repairers and they can see if someone is pulling a fast one if the damage is not consistent with the speed and the angle of the collision etc. They will usually send an engineer out to the repairer to assess the damage if they are concerned, but thats usually only if its a big repair. They will also get the repair bill reduced usually, as repairers have a tendancy to try and over egg the pudding! for example they might say the panel needs replacing when actually they could just knock it out. Another reason to use your insurer.

I could go and on and on so best shut up. Im sure someone knows much more about insurance than me!

If your happy to pay £500 I think your offer is more than fair but if you really think he is pulling a fast one, go through your insurer, but your boss hasnt got protected no claims bonus then it will affect him at renewal.

If you didnt feel like he was pulling a fast one then it would be a bit more clear cut to me-just pay him direct, but if I felt like he was trying it on, ie getting you to repair something that was already quite badly damaged and you have only caused a bit of it, then I would want to go through insurance.

Do you think your bosses insurance will go up £500 if you claim? Thats how I would be looking at is as well. Why pay £500 when you dont have to. Maybe just pay your boss whatever his premium goes up by at renewal if he agrees.

You are probably more confused now!



Rachel

[rachel24]

forgot to ask-was your boss's car damaged? Another indicator if the third party is pulling a fast one.

[kirsty b]

Not CCTV - the witness took down the cars registration and gave it to him. He went to his local police who gave him bosses home details, according to his letter.

I didn't leave the reg as I wanted the car owner to come direct to me so Boss wouldn't have any hassle (he had a stent put in a few weeks back so the less stress the better [sacking me would reduce most stress tho])

I think the thing thats really got me is his gun-ho attitude. He totally jumped to all the wrong conclusions and instead of waiting for an explanantion and repair offer he's gone up the insurance route.

How nice of the witness, if he saw you leave your details, its not really his place to do that is it? - thats fishy or maybe I'm just suspiscious. Rent-a witness??

[lizzylemon]

forgot to ask-was your boss's car damaged? Another indicator if the third party is pulling a fast one.

Hardly a scratch to my bosses bumper & light casing so maybe you guys are right. In fact I have some t-cut to take the scratch off the bumper so that's some indication of how minimal my bosses damage was: I've just been thinking how lucky I was I didn't damage my bosses car and not looked at it from a not adding up point of view. The bloke says it starts at the wheel arch and goes all the way across the door, which it does, I saw it but I didn't look at the door before hand. The bloke reckons its probably a new door.

Rach you've been really helpful and I'll go through your advice with my boss tomorrow. I think maybe getting the insurance companies involved will be a good idea after all....

[rachel24]

Glad Ive helped a bit, was worried I had confused you. I was also just thinking having a witness could actually help you anyway, even though the witness left your car reg for the Third party, if your insurers think the damage is excessive they may well write to the third party and ask him what he saw, especially if you tell your insurers that this witness couldnt believe how much damage there was to the third party vehicle.

It all depends how much your insurance company care about saving money. They may have a set a limit up to £500 for example, where they just pay out because the costs involved in disputing the claim wouldnt make economic sense. You need to speak to them to find out. Either way I would still let them sort it out, saves all the hassle and you dont have to deal with him if he is being a bit shirty.


hope it all gets sorted.