Slight damage: advice needed please

[ChrisSMJ]

Hello all
I was involved in a minor accident the other day, rush hour, hot & bothered in the heat, had been driving in London for nearly 2 hours… but I was at fault. Waiting for a kind driver to let me enter the slow moving traffic while aware I was blocking the road on my side until I could get in.

Paid too much attention on making sure a van ‘behind’ was actually pausing to let me in, and not enough attention on the Auris hybrid ahead, which didn’t move forward as I expected (traffic wasn’t stationary but was moving, albeit at first-gear snail-pace speed).

Anyway, it was my mistake, and once I acknowledged this and offered to exchange details, the Auris driver feller seemed reasonable enough. We both took photos of the damage and each others’ licences, swapped phone numbers.

Initially I thought I’d just scuffed the paintwork, but he pointed out later that the rear indicator casing is cracked (please see photo attached).

I’ve said to him find out the cost, let me know and I’ll give you the cash (rather than do it via my insurance which would doubtless push up my premium in feature).

NB I’ve only been driving for under 3 years despite being an oldie, so insurance is still fairly
high.

What do people think would be a reasonable figure for him to get it fixed?
As I say, he seemed a decent bloke and we later exchanged polite/friendly texts, so I don’t think he’ll be trying to take the mick & inflate the cost - but the potential is there.

Personally if it happened to me in my beloved 15 year old Panda, I’d just do it myself - get a new iindicator casing, replace the old one, touch up the paintwork later.

His Auris is a 2017 with shiny new paintwork, well looked after. So he may take it to a bodywork garage

Seems like a v minor scratch to me (circled in blue) although I recall a couple more similar scratches below. The indicator casing looks to be the worse damage.

Thanks for any advice, and apologies for length !

 

[jackwhoo]

Hi,

Sorry that this has happend.

It really doesn't matter what anyone thinks is reasonable because you are not in a position to argue about the eventual price.

Just try and put it to back of your mind until you hear from the owner.

 

[PuntoHowTo]

I would always recommend putting it in the hands of the insurance co. Technically you'll find in your insurance documents you are obliged to inform them even if you are not making a claim. at least if dealt with through insurance you are covered against them coming after you for other damages, should they decide that they want you to pay them a few thousand pounds later down the line for their "whiplash injury" and then you have some explaining to do with your insurance co, as to why you didn't tell them.

 

[ChrisSMJ]

I would always recommend putting it in the hands of the insurance co. Technically you'll find in your insurance documents you are obliged to inform them even if you are not making a claim. at least if dealt with through insurance you are covered against them coming after you for other damages, should they decide that they want you to pay them a few thousand pounds later down the line for their "whiplash injury" and then you have some explaining to do with your insurance co, as to why you didn't tell them.

Thanks, that never occurred to me. I’ll have a read through my insurance documents. And maybe elsewhere I can get some idea of how much this would increase my insurance in future years