Styling Rogered from behind..

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Styling Rogered from behind..

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The land that time forgot
Thursday evening I was going up a slip road and a van driver got too close to Gerrard's 'arris. I had to stop at the top, in order to give way.. but the van driver was presumably looking at what was on the carriageway and didn't stop, to give way.

The damage to Gerrard would ordinarily be classed as "not toooooo bad..." but for a 17 year old car, that's worth "£0", according to WBAC.com.. it's pretty much killed it.

I'm not going to claim off the insooorance, since it'll be a write-off for sure. They'll offer me 2 shillings and sixpence.... and I'll lose my car (2 new tyres), they'll cancel my insurance policy (just renewed) and they'll make me pay more for insurance next year, even though I was hit from behind... so, I'll need a "DIY repair" as far as possible.

Tanner the local Neaderthal body repair man is looking at the bent metal... the rear panel is knocked in on the left corner, so that'll need to be pulled straight and the light socket repaired.

I *think* I may have a spare rear light cluster somewhere.. so that bit is not bad.

I may need a new bootlid if Tanner can't straighten mine. At the moment the bootlid doesn't close, which is a joy since the car is due for an MOT in 10 days time, so it needs to be fixed and Tested before then. A flapping boot-lid doesn't sound like Pass material...

On the other hand, if Tanner can straighten the panel, and the hatch is still bent, it only has to be straight enough to latch properly, in which case, it's just cosmetic, until I can sort it out next year.

Does anyone anywhere near S.Wales have a good, intact (paintwork condition and colour are not important, as long as the bumper doesn't have any gouges in the plastic) rear bumper for a 5-door (hatchback) - 2004, although I don't think there's any difference with age?

I can see one really manky one on fleabay which may not be that bad once it's clean (though I'd have to go to collect it) and one rather nicer one, which is a bit dear and similarly "Midlands" which is quite a way to go.. unless I have no choice.


Ralf S.
 

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Sorry to see, like you say it’ll be written off unfortunately.

However, don’t go through your own insurer. Claim directly through the insurer of the van as there should be a clear no dispute in liability.

Let them access and write the poor thing off, advise from the outset you wish to retain the salvage - they may deduct a small salvage deduction for this, but it’ll be minimal). Then use the money paid out to repair, and if you’ve any left over it can go in your pocket (y)

I presume you went with a cheap budget insurer, because with terms like what you’ve advised they impose it’s certainly not a quality insurance policy you’ve got. I’m fortunate enough that I wouldn’t loose the remainder of my policy term on my policy if I made a claim, and I’d be able to transfer any remaining time on risk to a replacement vehicle in the event of a write off (with no admins fee if done online also!). Always worth going with a quality provider for the added benefits like this.
 
Insurance will still go up unfortunately going through the other partys insurer

Not necessarily, it’ll be dependant on the insurer in question that you insure with. But as a whole, a lot of the budget insurers will like you say increase the premium. With the terms the OP has mentioned having then it wouldn’t surprise me in the case (n) Again another reason why cheapest isn’t always best.
 
It's nothing to do with how good your insurance is

It’s got everything to do with how good they are, and what rating factors they use. Not all insurers use the same rating factors!

While a lot do use none fault claims as a rating factor, as I’ve said not all do. And it tends to be the cheaper budget insurers (which tend to be the majority of the companies on aggregators) which do.

How much personal experience have you got working within the insurance industry :rolleyes:
 
It’s got everything to do with how good they are, and what rating factors they use. Not all insurers use the same rating factors!

While a lot do use none fault claims as a rating factor, as I’ve said not all do. And it tends to be the cheaper budget insurers (which tend to be the majority of the companies on aggregators) which do.

How much personal experience have you got working within the insurance industry :rolleyes:
and im sure your an expert by the sounds of it :idea:


theres allways one around
 
and im sure your an expert by the sounds of it :idea:


theres allways one around

Well more so than Chris, who has decided to delete his posts. And clearly more so than you with a comment like that.

Then again after the time I’ve spent working in the industry, including in motor insurance pricing, if I’m not then no one is!
 
Well more so than Chris, who has decided to delete his posts.

lol i wondered where you got them quotes from and you are correct. i had 2 none fault claims on my croma that did not put my own premium up only after the 3rd they said it has to got up, as after 3 as its considered i may be driving/parking in high risk areas.
 
Tanner, the local Neanderthal body repair man says he can fix it... but he won't give me a price until after the New Year (something about being closed until 11th Jan... :D ).

I'll see if I can find that spare light cluster I think I've got, otherwise I'll buy the one I saw on fleabay… and I'll find a bumper that can be couriered to me, if I can't turn one up locally I'll spend the holidays dismantling it as far as I can/to still be able to drive it, so the body repair guys only have to fix the bent-ness and (depending on time/cost) paint the damaged area and the new bumper.

I can't see I'll have much change out of £7-800 at a guess... but my reckoning is if they paid me off and I needed to buy a new car, I'd have to spend that much as a minimum, just to own something that is basically a clonker that could need more money spending on it... whereas Gerrard is at least quite well sorted (2 new tyres, mostly everything works.. and was in a shape where I was confident it would pass its MOT...).

If anyone roond yer has a 5-doors bumper lying around which I can buy or even borrow until the beast is MOT'd, that would be cool. I presume that if the hatch open and closes properly and the smashed light lens is replaced, that the current, smashed up bumper could be patched up (no rough edges etc.) and stand in for the MOT... but there's only one way to find out.. :D An undamaged bumper would be better, if I could get hold of one soon.


Ralf S.
 
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It’s got everything to do with how good they are, and what rating factors they use. Not all insurers use the same rating factors!

While a lot do use none fault claims as a rating factor, as I’ve said not all do. And it tends to be the cheaper budget insurers (which tend to be the majority of the companies on aggregators) which do.

To be fair, the insoorans hasn't said they'll cancel my policy, nor that they'll put my premium up.. but I don't usually check the small print and I could be pleasantly surprised....

The main thing is that the car is worth zero on WBAC and if I was looking at it honestly, as something to sell... I'd pitch it at £400 (2004 reg. and 208,000 miles, peeling and faded paint here and there.. usual age related sagging and creaking, etc. The beast is an old war-horse really, even though it scrubs up reasonably well.

So the reality is that anything other than a windscreen replacement is going to be a write-off. Even a windscreen replacement should probably technically be a write-off, if that wasn't a separate insurance thing. :D

There's no concept for me of claiming on the insurance to get it fixed; the Excess is half the value of the car... :eek: but it's a cheap car, with cheap insoorans and I accept the limitations, even if it's a bit of PITA every few years if/when someone fangs it. I have to kick it straight at my own expense and carry on, or decide one day that the beast has done enough and send it to the knackers yard.

Not yet though... I just don't know what else I like enough to replace it with... the "new kid" would be newer and shiny... but would still be a disappointment.. :)


Ralf S.
 
Who dont you go visit a local scrapyard? You are looking at £100 or less in parts.
Not sure if you are allowed to dismantle yourself at a scrapyard? :)

But i agree with the rest , the vans insurance should cover this. Otherwise it would mean you can legally crash older cars in the UK wihtout paying for it.....

Get the most money out of it and search the local scrappy for parts! :)
 
Who dont you go visit a local scrapyard? You are looking at £100 or less in parts.
Not sure if you are allowed to dismantle yourself at a scrapyard? :)

But i agree with the rest , the vans insurance should cover this. Otherwise it would mean you can legally crash older cars in the UK wihtout paying for it.....

Get the most money out of it and search the local scrappy for parts! :)

Trying to find one in a scrap yard will be the issue. They’re not common in the UK anymore unfortunately.
 
Ralf S.

If you get desperate I have a 5 door rear bumper in Blue which you can have for free (will include mudflaps with it as well). It's just missing the black bump strip in the centre of it.

Only problem is I'm located in the Midlands which I see you've already said is a fair trek for you.
 
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