peteh

iTrader: (3)

Basically some c@&t drove into my focus at the weekend whilst in waitrose and obviously drove off, waitrose don't wana know and have no security cameras. So stuck with the problem myself to get it fixed....

Just wondered if anybody's made a claim before and how much their premium went up by? Just weighing up if I should get it done private or not really.....

My no claims are protected and excess is £100 btw

Any views would be good....

STeve

iTrader: (11)

ins section ?

peteh

iTrader: (3)

ooops sorry, didn't know there was one, my iPhone and rushing! could you move this for me pretty please....

pani_k

iTrader: (1)

I'd go have a good look round the car park to verify there aren't any because they might just not want the hassle. I don't think they can refuse the footage if you request it.

vaughant

iTrader: (1)

The £100 excess will be just the start, you'll be looking at a guess a 20/30% hike in premium as insurance companies are looking to rob you in anyway they can.
If the cars worth less than a grand don't bother but if the repair can be done for £200 or so I'd stomach that rather than making a claim.

rstdave

iTrader: (3)

How much damage is there i.e cost to repair....i'd go get a quote first off before contacting your insurance company, and as said if it's not horrendous money just pay it yorself imo!
No matter what people say your premium will be affected, protected ncb or not...you're always asked if you've made claims regardless of fault when you phone up for insurance

Magnum PI

Do NOT go through your insurance & make a claim. As there is no 3rd party for your insurance company to reclaim their losses from paying you out, this 'non fault' accident damage will be classed as a FAULT accident against you.

A little story, to outline:

In Feb 2008, I was at home watching MOTD2 on a Sunday night, sat on the sofa with a brew at the time I owned a Ford Puma.

I heard a screech, a bang..goes outside to find a Ford Focus had totalled my car. There were 4 hooded scallies running away from the scene.

Called the police out, reported it to my insurance, got a crime number etc.

My insurance paid me out £4750 for my car (£5000 - £250 excess).

Turned out that the ford focus was a hire car & the hirer was supposed to sort out insurance, which they didn't. So I was, in effect ,hit by an uninsured driver.

As my insurance company had paid me out & couldn't get their losses back from the 3rd party, this episode went down as a 'Fault Claim' on MY Insurance.

I have had to take the hit of higher premiums year on year since my renewal in December 2008. At each renewal in 2008, 2009, 2010 & 2011 i had to disclose this as a 'fault' claim (despite this being no fault of mine)


My insurer has now said that they accept that this is not my fault 'with prejudice', but there is no reduction of premiums for me. Nor can i get back the excess £250 which i lost.

I replaced the Puma with a Mk1 Facelift Focus. However, I didn't get the relevant reduction in premium due to the focus being in a lower insurance group - Focus Group 8 insurance, Puma Group 12, because the claim was classed as my fault.

Insurance is legalised robbery, so if you can afford to get the damage fixed, just do it, otherwise you may as well bend over and be dry bum fucked

EDIT:

To put you in the picture costs wise, in December 2007, my insurance renewal on the Puma (group 12) was about £370 - £380 (Aged 35, 9yrs+ protected NCB). passed test in 1991.

As said, i replaced the Puma with a 2002 Mk1.5 focus, 1.6 'Chic' special edition. No reduction to premium given, so paid £450 renewal in December 2008.

Fast Fwd to 2011 & I traded in the Focus for a Seat Leon 1.4 Turbo sport & my renewal for Dec 2012 is £740, despite the Leon being in a similar group to the Focus.