Repair, Paint & Mechanical Solutions
"Should I pay to repair my car privately because I don't want my insurance policy to be affected?"
The short version is - if your repairs exceed the cost of your excess by a couple of hundred dollars, you should utilise your insurance. People spend a lifetime paying insurance and live in fear of making a claim due to escalation of policy fees. Make a claim and if there is danger of your policy going up .....time to look for a new insurer..... or at bare minimum chat to your insurer about the issue. You might be surprised as insurance is a very competitive game and insurers are trying to not lose their clients.
"Is choice of repairer really worth it?"
Absolutely! Choice of repairer gives you the option to choose where you repair one of your most valuable assets. Insurance providers have their own repair networks and often use coercive tactics to manipulate policy holders into using them. This can be sold to the consumer as- " if you choose to use our repair network, your vehicle will be assessed and repaired much faster". But what this really means is that your vehicle will go to a massive facility to repair your vehicle in a fashion, that might be fast, but not necessarily done with the time and care required.
Remember: when an insurer prefers you to use their network, it means they can make even more money out of the policy holder. Double dipping is a term that fits this.
What happens if the other driver isn’t insured?
If the the other driver is definitely at fault, but not insured, ensuring they pay for the damages can be a challenge. There are two potential ways you can approach the situation, depending on what you think will work best for you:
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1. Sort out the cost of the damage between yourselves. If the fault is clearly with the other party and has only caused minor damage, then you could act swiftly and approach the driver with your quote from a repair shop or mechanic. This usually requires having the other party agree to pay the repair costs upfront. This is a reasonable way to cover your car damage if both parties come to a verbal agreement.
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2. Speak to your insurer before you make a claim. If you don’t have the option of getting the other driver to pay for it, it’s usually not worth making a claim. This is because the cost of repairing the damage might be a little more than your excess claim (or even below), so it might not be worth the trouble of pursuing a claim when you’re unlikely to see any significant reimbursement on your vehicle. Remember, your insurer is best placed to work out when your excess claim applies and can advise you on what to do.
How do you determine who’s at fault?
It is important to establish whether or not the other driver is actually at fault. It can be easy to assign blame and assume it’s the other driver’s responsibility to cover costs, especially if the events around the incident weren’t clear cut.
There are some situations in which you can be considered completely at fault, even if you don’t think you are.
Admitting guilt
After a car accident, you might find yourself in shock. During this time, it’s important you don’t admit guilt in any way. In the presence of a witness, courts might consider this as an admission of liability which can be used against you. Even apologising to the other party could put you in a position where you’re considered at fault, so be cautious. After an accident occurs, politely interact with the other driver, keep things professional, and focus on simply exchanging details and taking photographs of the damage. Don’t try to engage in any emotional conversation about what happened or who might be to blame.
Rear ended car accident
In most cases, the driver who ran into the back of the other vehicle is usually found at fault. This can be tricky, because the car in front might have slammed on their brakes suddenly, but it can often be argued that with the right amount of space left a driver should have enough time to safely brake without crashing into the vehicle in front.
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Running a red light
If an accident occurs at an intersection because a driver has run a red light, it’s likely they’ll be found to be at fault.
If you’re absolutely sure you’re not at fault, it’s best to be proactive and take stock of the scene. You might want to get witness accounts and their details, record photos of the accident and write down factors that led to the accident. This can help you build a strong case with your insurer.
Which type of car insurance should you get?
