I was driving down a tight road and stopped when I saw a van coming round the corner the other way. I didn’t think there was enough room to get passed so I pulled over as much as I could and stopped my car, expecting him to either reverse or go up on the curb to get past.

He tried to squeeze past and ended up scratching the rear wheel arch and bumper.

After a bit of arguing where he said “it goes both ways” which was total bullshit, as I was stationary we both calmed down and chatted about it.

He said he didn’t want to do it through the insurance and had a mate who does resprays and could do it cheaply and we could work something out.

I agreed and took his details.

I phoned up a friend who’s dad knows about this sort of thing and he thought it would cost between 150-300 quid to do a decent job to put right.

I sent him a message with this info and he said that he thought that we were both going to pay for our own repairs.

I reminded him that I was stationary and he was moving and I expected him to pay for the repair to my car.

He said that we should go via the insurance, as I was also moving and his mate would testify to this.

Is it worth me bothering with the insurance if his mate is going to lie about it and the best case is 50/50 and I might lose my no claims?

I think I can get a half decent job done for £150 through my mate.

My car is not even worth a grand so I don’t know if it is worth the hassle.

Thoughts?

It’ll be your word against his so the insurance co will likely go knock for knock and you’ll lose your ncb. Its a shame to let the toad get away with it but it’s the best option.

For a cheap car I’d give it a wipe with t cut and see what it is like. Maybe put a bit of paint on any bare metal.

My car is not even worth a grand

My motor is not worth much more …. any body work damage to it, I see as “character”

😀

Tell him you’ve got the incident recorded on your dash cam, and you’ll go through the insurance company if he doesn’t honour his commitment to pay.

If he calls your bluff, you’ve lost nothing. I wouldn’t tell your insurance company as it is likely to affect your premium, claim or not.

Tell him you’ve got the incident recorded on your dash cam, and you’ll go through the insurance company if he doesn’t honour his commitment to pay.

He won’t buy that, as my car is a banger. Dashcam is not something you typically bother with on a car under a grand.

He won’t buy that, as my car is a banger. Dashcam is not something you typically bother with on a car under a grand.

and yet here you are getting all bothered about a little scratch 😀

Spend the £150 on a dashcam and hope that the other bloke gets the karma he deserves.

His mate will be a “known witness” and unless it goes to court the insurance will not take too much notice of his statement. certainly not 2 against 1.
You need to either let it go and move on or go to your insurance and dig in for the long haul.
Write everything thing you can remember down NOW, as it happen and be honest. the people dealing with your claim do it all the time, they are used to the same patterns of lies from half wits like this van driver.

I’d guess nobody will take notice of his mate (as he’s known to the driver) but, equally, without witnesses on your side it’s your word vs his

goes both ways is very likely how it’ll be viewed

In his eyes, you going through his insurer may well cost him more than paying for your repair (unless of course, he’s either an idiot or clever enough to know that it’ll likely cost you more too)

I think that despite the annoyance of letting him get away with it, its probably best to let it go. Dealing with the insurance co and the costs involved rule out it being worth pursuing.

Therea big difference between witness, and independent witness, one is a witness,the other isn’t.

In his eyes, you going through his insurer may well cost him more than paying for your repair (unless of course, he’s either an idiot or clever enough to know that it’ll likely cost you more too)

I think this is what he is thinking and that it will cost me more to go through the insurance, plus he thinks having his mate lie about it work in his favour.

Witness is irrelevant. I think we’ve already done the zero cost and low hassle solution to this on a car you describe as a “banger” (when I had a similar situation unfortunately I had to buy a new side repeater which cost me £10 or so – yes it did irk me for a while, but I’ve got over it).

Op,

No worth the hassle just put it down to bad luck then get it repair.

Then pray hard that the bloke gets bitten by a dog and get rabies …

He won’t buy that, as my car is a banger. Dashcam is not something you typically bother with on a car under a grand.

not so sure – IF I used a dashcam it would be mostly to protect me against false allegations made by 3rd parties

is mate will be a “known witness” and unless it goes to court the insurance will not take too much notice of his statement. certainly not 2 against 1.
You need to either let it go and move on or go to your insurance and dig in for the long haul.
Write everything thing you can remember down NOW, as it happen and be honest. the people dealing with your claim do it all the time, they are used to the same patterns of lies from half wits like this van driver.

My boss borrowed my van and I took his BMW home, bumped into a Tufnels delivery van in the slow moving traffic. Damaged the bonnet and number plate on the BMW and dented middle of van door.

Driver got out and said I’m ok , then said I think I’m ok. When we were talking a car went past with driver and passenger shouting and laughing. Drive said they were colleagues.

Last week I received an email saying there three occupants and one was injured in the collision. Anybody any idea how this may turn out?

Put it down to experience then in a couple of months go around and damage his van/car

I thought all the van drivers were in France drinking and fighting. Hope you get it sorted. But if you dont I agree with the above.

If you tell your insurer, regardless if it’s your fault or not (even you winning and them paying), you’ll pay for it for the next 5 years I’m afraid. You would be seen as a more risky driver.
Law unto themselves I’m afraid 🙁

I hate insurance companies!

superfli – Member
… insurance companies!

They are like ticks …

Isn’t jail the sentence for for perjury?

He’s wilfully threatened to screw you over and thinks you’ll obey. My advice is go medieval on him.

He was sticking his heels in and wouldn’t budge, so I suggested he make a contribution towards the cost of the repair of my car and he has agreed.

I think it was partly an ego/pride thing and me saying he has to pay or else probably didn’t help.

If it works out and he pays a bit towards the repair I’d be happy with that.

If not then I’ll let it go.

Picture of damage?

Just move on, next time there isn’t room to pass, don’t pull over & invite the other driver to try.

OP you’re getting something and given what you’ve said take that as a fairish result and move on. I would get the money asap though.

@alexander insurance fraud, make sure in your communication to your insurance you confirm only one person in the vehicle

If it’s a mate doing the work, ask for a quote for twice the cost and see if the other bloke will go halves 😈

Got his reg? Pop it in here http://ownvehicle.askmid.com/ and see if it’s got insurance.
The wife got hit in a supermarket a couple of months ago, no damage but the driver was on his phone and used our car as a parking aid rolling in to the bumper, my wife was sat in the car and he didn’t even apologise, turned out his vehicle had no tax, mot or insurance, so I advised the local police.

…and took his details.

Get revenge.

No worth the hassle just put it down to bad luck then get it repair.

I wouldn’t bother getting it repaired – a scape on a car not worth a grand.

Speak to him on the phone, challenge him about his mate making it up.

Record it all.

Send recording to police if he doesn’t pay up.

Just call his bluff, tell him that’s fine to go through insurance and that your dash cam footage will prove whose right. Ask for his full insurance details if you don’t already have them. Old car or not how does he know you wont have one? Then just leave it with him and tell him that if you’ve not heard from him within a specific time frame, you’ll move things forward with the insurance. He did have insurance didn’t he? If he doesn’t then a threat to call police is all you need.

A friend who works in motor insurance told us: “If you have a small fender-bender and you decide to fix it yourself, DO NOT tell your insurance company because they will put you down as an ‘accident magnet’. I didn’t tell you this, OK?”

A friend who works in motor insurance told us: “If you have a small fender-bender and you decide to fix it yourself, DO NOT tell your insurance company because they will put you down as an ‘accident magnet’. I didn’t tell you this, OK?”

LV did me on that one, someone reversed into me in a supermarket, barely a scratch but I figured best to give the insurance company the details so that if the single occupant turned into 3 passengers all with whiplash then I was covered.

Come renewal a massive hike in premium due to an incident and the incident was there on my record for the next few years.

My advice is go medieval on him.

Its certainly a strong look

Next time take pictures straight away.

Now you know why people have dash cams/mobiles.

I would say you are out of look. Just get the work done and pay the £150, certainly not worth touching insurance companies if you can get it done for that.