Has anyone worked out the approximate maximum figure where it makes sense not to claim on insurance and to pay yourself?

Car was damaged by someone in a car park the other week who drove off without leaving details.

Approx cost of repair is £1000, excess is £200, so difference between insurance and paying myself is £800.

Claim would result in both my and my wife’s insurance increasing for 3 years (I think). Currently paying around £350/yr on each policy. So if they were both to increase by say £150/yr for the next 3 years (£900 total)I’d be better off not claiming.

Anyone know what the real increases are most likely to be and the point it makes sense to claim?

I don’t think anyone can answer this… Car insurance is a complete lottery.

For example, wifes car was hit when parked by a third party (recovered all costs but statistically now more likely to have an accident even though she was not in the car) , renewal went up by £56 declaring it but the comparison sites gave quotes ranging from £230 to £1025 (£234 less than renewal).

My insurance dropped £42 by changing my bloomin job title from mechanical to project engineer!

Crazy.

I would suggest it will go up but this can often be offset by switching.

Anyone else have any experience how much their insurance went up for no fault damage (but where the third party can’t be traced)

Wife’s insurance jumped 50% after making a claim last year.

Anyone else have any experience how much their insurance went up for no fault damage (but where the third party can’t be traced)

Insurer at the time, come renewal said they could no longer quote.
Got shafted elsewhere too. For what it ultimately would have cost to sort I should have sucked it up and just sorted it myself as over the following years it definitely cost me more. Lesson learnt on that one.

Is that £1000 through insurance some bodyshops can quote cheaper if you tell them it’s cash and not through insurance, (all depends on age of car etc)

I’ve told them not sure whether going through insurance or not and I suspect there must be some sort of scam as I can’t see why it would make a difference to the quoted price?

Quotes have also ranged from £300 to £1800. The car is only a few months old so want a good job. The £1000 quote is from a vw approved bodyshop with a good reputation.

I’ve told them not sure whether going through insurance or not and I suspect there must be some sort of scam as I can’t see why it would make a difference to the quoted price?

So have you notified your insurance that the vehicle has been involved in an incident?

If so you renewal will likely go up regardless of them paying anything out or whose fault it was/wasn’t. Just another way of getting more out of you.

You are now apparently (my understanding from what I’ve read/heard) more likely to be involved in a claim so quoted accordingly.
A scam imo.

Not told the insurance yet!

Looks like I’m screwed either way. Pay the £1000 and don’t claim or claim and face paying hundreds extra on both policies each year for the next 3 years (+ the £200 excess).

Either way looks like I’ll probably end up £1000 out of pocket.

Either way looks like I’ll probably end up £1000 out of pocket.

You may have a much better outcome with your insurer however myself and a few I know have suffered increase through simply notifying them.

What exactly is the £1000 for? Are there not parts that you could source secondhand and fit yourself to reduce cost? Or are we talking all replace/respray job?

It’s repairing a wheel arch.

They have to pull it out, reshape, fill then respray. As its only a few months old, need a good job. Could get one of the small backstreet garages to do it for £3-500, but want vw approved to keep the warranty etc.

Fair enough. I’m not clued up on warranty stuff. Do the repairer ‘have’ to be VW approved or does it not work like servicing where by as long as genuine parts are used the warranty stays intact or at least to my understanding.

I guess that leads to the question of whether VW would even know anyway. Only the anti perforation part would be affected anyway would it not?

Your insurance policy probably requires you to tell them about any accident you’re involved in, whether you claim or not. If you don’t tell them, and they find out, they can invalidate your insurance and refuse to pay out any future claims. Fair or scam, but they hold all the cards.