Car damaged by another driver right before renewal time

[Nick77]

Well this is crap. Last night at 9pm a young girl reversed into my parked car. I live right at the end of a one way section, and she went down the wrong way, panicked and reversed to get out but somehow veered into my car. She only passed her test in December and had her current insurance for 2 days! Thankfully she's insured though and wasn't drinking.

The arch liner is bent down and fouling the rear wheel and there's some metal sticking right up to about 2cm above the wheel which will foul it with any suspension travel, so I can't even drive it really without doing more damage.

The annoying part is my renewal is due on 21st June and have just got my renewal quote this morning. Do I have to put this incident in when trying to look for other quotes, as I don't know the cost or potential time I'll be without it yet?

I don't even know if it's fully repairable as when you look in the boot you can see the rear left floor where the arch is, is bent up slightly.

Oh and do I remove my personal profile or anything else before it's away for repair?

 

[Tam]

...Do I have to put this incident in when trying to look for other quotes, as I don't know the cost or potential time I'll be without it yet?

I would because if I hide it and the quoted insurance found out about it, that might complicate your coverage.

I don't even know if it's fully repairable as when you look in the boot you can see the rear left floor where the arch is, is bent up slightly.

It doesn't look that the essential structure is damaged but it will be expensive to replace all those panels and bumper...

Oh and do I remove my personal profile or anything else before it's away for repair?

I don't usually remove my profiles for repairs. I must trust that the mechanics are professional and not using my car to open my home garage and rob me.

 

[rlsd]

You need to make a claim with your insurance company and the other's driver insurance company right away.
Car repair shops require customers to give address, phone number on the repair order. You don't need to hide your profile.
You should not drive the car. The insurance company may not pay for the additional damage when the car is not in a drivable condition. You need to call Tesla Road Assistance (if there is one in your area) to tow the car or call a towing company that knows how to tow a Tesla to tow it. Improper towing will damage the battery.

 

[pgkevet]

The insurance company should deal with it all for you...including arranging to flatbed it to a Tesla approved repairer. It should be a no fault claim although somehow they always find a way to up the premium
No point hiding things from new quotes..as commented above
I'd have some sympathy for the young driver whose premium is going through the roof next year.... We all did stupid things as beginner drivers. At least my stupidity just damaged a cheap old banger I owned and no-one else's stuff.

 

[SpanishJ0n]

Ouch thats a huge repair bill. The ns rear quarter needs replacing.

 

[HenryT]

The insurance company should deal with it all for you...including arranging to flatbed it to a Tesla approved repairer. It should be a no fault claim although somehow they always find a way to up the premium

Bad luck there @Nick77. Feeling it too for the poor girl, there but for the grace of god and all that.

On the above point, I asked my (then) insurer about why they made an adjustment for a no fault claim, their answer was along the lines of '...if you've been in an accident you are more likely to be in an accident'. Insurance logic at its finest.

 

[Nick77]

Yes she was a bit shaken up and in tears at one point. I wasn't at all bothered about the car just glad everyone was ok.

I spoke to my insurance, but the bloke weirdly asked me if I wanted to claim through them or try and claim myself through her insurer. I thought that was a bit odd to suggest. No way am I claiming it all myself and being responsible for anything that goes wrong.

They have passed me on to their approved repairer. I have no idea if its Tesla Approved but they look a big professional operation in Castle Donington called DLG Auto Repairs, and they get good Google reviews.

Should I contact Tesla and make sure of the repair shop, and also see if they can confirm any impact on the cars or anything like that?

I can use any repair place I like but it won't be guaranteed for the full 5 years and the insurance company might not want to pay the full hourly rate of any non approved repairer.

 

[Nick77]

Oh and her car was a Vauxhall Corsa which she was paying insurance of £270 a MONTH!!

£3200 for a small hatchback like that is criminal from insurance companies really. I guess with young new drivers my incident is why though. I can't imagine what it'll go up to after her claim, as her car was damaged too, albeit still just driveable.

 

[SpanishJ0n]

You will need tesla approved due to the qp and its on the charge port side

 

[Adopado]

Oh and her car was a Vauxhall Corsa which she was paying insurance of £270 a MONTH!!

£3200 for a small hatchback like that is criminal from insurance companies really. I guess with young new drivers my incident is why though. I can't imagine what it'll go up to after her claim, as her car was damaged too, albeit still just driveable.

Unfortunately the insurance company was correct to charge a high amount ... they will most likely make a loss even just based on this single claim... so we can't really say it's criminal! (in this instance)

It doesn't matter that they are insuring a relatively cheap car if it then crashes and causes damage to an expensive car ...

 

[Nick77]

You will need tesla approved due to the qp and its on the charge port side

QP?

 

[Nick77]

I've since rang them back and told them I'll be going through a Tesla Approved repairer. Just means I have to get the estimate myself and send it through to my insurance company.

Shorade Accident Repair Centre in Cannock is the one. I can see testimonials on their website from Tesla drivers and they have a very good rep, so I'm much happier with them doing it.

Cheers for the comments/advice. Much appreciated.

 

[GRiLLA]

In a no-fault claim be careful to track who you are actually dealing with all the time and what will motivate them. My personal experience on the wife's car was they will try and trick you through the rental company (Enterprise often) to sign paperwork that transfers the responsibility for handling your repair and claim to a claims management company. These firms know absolutely that the longer they can take the more money they make out of the scenario, often by a cosy agreement with Enterprise to overcharge for a loan car.

Alternatively if the other party contacts you then they will also instruct a claims management company but they are incentivised to keep the cost low.

Having done both it ended up being faster for me to use their claims company/insurance than my own.

 

[Mr H]

DLG is Direct Line Group, Tesla approved

 

[pgkevet]

When I was offered a local repairer recdntky the first thing I did was ring them and ask how familiar they were with Tesla. It was they that stated they didn't want to do them.. so back to insurance company who found an appropriate Tesla approved shop but far enough away that they themselves suggested flatbedding it (it was still driveable).
As to no fault rates going up... I'm minded of the old story of a claim form where the driver hit a parked car. On the section where it asked 'what could the other driver have done to avoid to the accident ' . She had written ' parked elsewhere '

 

[Mrklaw]

I’m curious though - you have a renewal quote through in writing - are the insurance company bound by that or will there be T&Cs that assume nothing happens by the time of renewal? Yes you’ll probably have a premium bump next time even no fault, but would help to squeeze this renewal in without impact if possible.

 

[WannabeOwner]

if I wanted to claim through them or try and claim myself through her insurer

I don't know anything about this, but if you claim from your insurer is there a risk that they will go knock-for-knock and it won't wind up as "not my fault"?

£3200 for a small hatchback like that is criminal from insurance companies really.

"Don't mind what you hit Sir/Madam, so long as it isn't something expensive ... like a Tesla"

 

[Nick77]

DLG is Direct Line Group, Tesla approved

Tesla's own website has a list of approved repairers and DLG are not on it. They are allied with Direct Line insurers but not Tesla Approved. I asked Tesla directly this afternoon.

DLG's website doesn't state it either, whereas the approved ones all say so.

 

[Nick77]

In a no-fault claim be careful to track who you are actually dealing with all the time and what will motivate them. My personal experience on the wife's car was they will try and trick you through the rental company (Enterprise often) to sign paperwork that transfers the responsibility for handling your repair and claim to a claims management company. These firms know absolutely that the longer they can take the more money they make out of the scenario, often by a cosy agreement with Enterprise to overcharge for a loan car.

Alternatively if the other party contacts you then they will also instruct a claims management company but they are incentivised to keep the cost low.

Having done both it ended up being faster for me to use their claims company/insurance than my own.

They have referred me to a hire car company already - Auxillis.

I haven't signed any contract with them yet, I'm waiting to make sure I know who is repairing the car first.

Edit - Looks like they do handle repairs as well for insurers, but they aren't the company who Privilege wanted me to handle the repairs. Just the hire/courtesy car. I read both pages of their hire agreement/contract carefully and it was purely for car hire services.

Auxillis don't get many good reviews online but I spoke to someone today who was very polite. I still won't be taking them up until I know more though.

 

[pgkevet]

Hmm. Privilege doesn't sound so privileging. I'm insured with LV through AA (daftly cheaper than directly) and LV sorted everything. No need for me to be involved at all
As it happens I had a claim against me again recently... someone claiming I'd reversed into them. I saw no damage to either car but they were insistent and put a claim in. LV sent an assessor around who agreed not a mark on my car and therefore couldn't be anything beyond a polish out on any other vehicle and stated they'd handle everything with no penalty for me..