[im_dave]

!!! not happy jan.

last night some unfortunate ran into the back of my 1 mth old MCS (well, it's not 1 mth old, but i've only had it for 1 mth!!!) whilst i was STATIONARY at a red light...! wasn't driving fast, or doing anything silly. what gives?

stopped at the red. and i heard a thud, and my car moved forward a metre or so... i nearly cried. i got out to be pleasantly suprised to find no dent/scratch/damage. got the driver to admit fault, got his details (he was 76 years old, and this happened at 11pm?! AND he thought my car was a nissan...?!!! ) and drove home feeling like absolute $hit.

got home and had a chat to my flatmate's girlfriend who, as luck would have it, works for NRMA.

she suggested to get the driver to lodge a claim with his insurance (which he already has god bless), get a claim number (which i have), and deal directly with his insurance company and not alert my insurance (justcars) given that it wasn't my fault and that he's willing to lodge a claim.

she says that even though it was not my fault, if i alert my insurance company then my premium may go up by 5-10% next year, even though i was not at fault.

had a closer inspection this morning in the light and realised there are some superficial scratches just above the rear fog light/black plastic mesh

wondering if anyone knows about this insurance issue? should i alert justcars? or just leave it and deal directly with his insurance?

and does anyone know of any good panel beaters in sydney? was planning to take it to alto bmw bodyshop, unless anyone has any other suggestions.

thanks guys.

[2bob]

Contact Wayne Green
Prestige Auto Saloon
68 South Street Rydalmere
96845577
Has done great job on my mini and BMW
Bob

[dsakko]

Been there. Done that. Two accidents where I wasn't at fault (stationary both times), the other driver made a claim, I got their details and the details of their insurer, and contected their insurer to organise the repair.

Good luck and I hope you don't have to part with your Mini for too long.

[MiniFr34k]

do what dsakko said: ie contact their insurer not urs.

[SupeRub]

Depends on which insurance company has the better repair policy. Will NRMA or Just Cars let you use any repairer you want. how many quotes do you need to get for each company. where will you have to take your car to get assessed ect.

There is no reason that you premium should go up if you have a not at fault accident and your insurer is able to recover the costs for repairs.

Ruben

[Mini2v]

Quote: Originally Posted by im_dave (original)

:

and does anyone know of any good panel beaters in sydney? was planning to take it to alto bmw bodyshop, unless anyone has any other suggestions.

thanks guys.

If you mean Alto at Artarmon forget it, they took 3 months to repair my one month old MCS when some idiot did the same as your friend (my damage bill was in excess of $8,500!! for a little nudge up the back! So be careful, there might be a lot more than meets the eye).

Anyway Alto at Artarmon repair shop is definitely NOT RECOMMENDED .

Vic

[im_dave]

thanks for the replies.

i think his insurance has the better policy. just cars requires you to get two quotes and one of them has to be their recommendation...

so i think i'll just leave it up to his insurance company - seems to be going quite smoothly so far.

i think prestige auto salon and alto bodyshop are both recommended nrma repairers so i'll do some ringing around!

was talking to the guy at alto and he said that i'll need a new bumper at the very least - i asked him what was the gap for an aero bumper over the standard cooper s... he reckons 1-200 only...!

so there may be some good gained from this ordeal after all...!

[Mr G]

Quote: Originally Posted by 2bob (original)

Contact Wayne Green
Prestige Auto Saloon
68 South Street Rydalmere
96845577
Has done great job on my mini and BMW
Bob

I've been to Wayne twice and he's a very good bloke. He didn't do the greatest job on my MINI though. The plastic surround on the wiper came back broken, and flopping around like a coq in a shirtsleeve. a bit sloppy I thought. nonetheless he strikes me as honest, which is a rare commodity. (which is why i went back even though the above) talk the leg off a billiard table too.

Parramatta smash had my MINI for the rust repairs. they painted over it. Hmm that always works. the car came back with overspray all over it, and has since had it buffed off. now it has all these beautiful buff marks over the side of it.

I took a bonnet off my rally car to cowper smash in granville. he painted it the wrong colour. when i told him the colour was wrong, he had all the excuses under the sun about why it couldn't be matched. poor workmanship and poor service. F.

That's why I like Wayne.

[Mr G]

Quote: Originally Posted by SupeRub (original)

Depends on which insurance company has the better repair policy. Will NRMA or Just Cars let you use any repairer you want. how many quotes do you need to get for each company. where will you have to take your car to get assessed ect.

There is no reason that you premium should go up if you have a not at fault accident and your insurer is able to recover the costs for repairs.

Ruben

Both our cars are insured through BMW insurance. I know I'm paying more that I have too, but when I want it fixed, I take it wherever I want. they pay the panel beaters well. (which is the key to getting a good job, and something that is not disclosed to the insured) Plus tomorrow, my car is booked in at the dealer to have a windscreen replaced @ no cost. Also they have a phone that gets answered by humans. I'll pay extra for that.

BTW if it not your fault and you can identify the other party, make a claim. its in your policy that your premiums won't go up, and you won't pay an excess. your insurer doesn't want you to do that of course, because it makes work for them, but do it, its much easier. you get bad enough service from your own insurer without having to try and get sense from someone elses.

[Gr1zzLy]

There's a repairer at Kingsgrove that my family and I always use. Very good workmanship, and a top bloke. Mate sorry to hear about the accident. Don't want to sound all superstitious and stuff, but I reckon that car might be bad luck now. I had an A3 turbo before, brand spanking new, and on the 2nd night I had it, I went out to dinner.. no report of hail or bad weather, then out of no where.... hail.

After that, it was like mishap after mishap... so hmm... luckily the current Mini is curse free... and hope to keep it that way!

[poki]

Quote: Originally Posted by Mr G (original)

Both our cars are insured through BMW insurance. I know I'm paying more that I have too, but when I want it fixed, I take it wherever I want. they pay the panel beaters well. (which is the key to getting a good job, and something that is not disclosed to the insured) Plus tomorrow, my car is booked in at the dealer to have a windscreen replaced @ no cost. Also they have a phone that gets answered by humans. I'll pay extra for that.

BTW if it not your fault and you can identify the other party, make a claim. its in your policy that your premiums won't go up, and you won't pay an excess. your insurer doesn't want you to do that of course, because it makes work for them, but do it, its much easier. you get bad enough service from your own insurer without having to try and get sense from someone elses.

I had an at fault claim in May 2005 and am insured through BMW insurance. I was most surprised to learn that you start to lose your no claim bonus when you make your second claim.... each year. You can have 1 at fault claim per year!

As much as I agree with Matt on most things, including choice of insurance company - I do have to disagree with him on notifying your own insurer if you don't have to. Someone I know has had some really bad luck in the past few years with cars and has had a heap of claims where she hasn't been at fault. (at last count, about 5 - one of those being hail). After 3 claims her insurer told her to go away. Her car has been recently keyed from front to back and she doesn't want to get it fixed through insurance because most companies operate on the basis of 3 claims and you're out.

[dsakko]

I'm with SGIC (SA only - can't remember who underwrites them). They were brilliant. They counted time on my Mum's 3rd party insurance whilst getting my licence, and time with 3rd party insurance on my Leyland Mini S and gave me lifetime rating 1 straight up when I insured my new Mini.

They told me that I can make as many at fault claims and they will never reduce my rating. But if I have too many (and it's likely to be a case by case basis, not a fixed number) they simply choose not to offer you insurance any more. (My policy is reviewed and renewed every 12 months).

[minigolf]

SGIC had some very cool/funny TVCs in the mid 80s too.

[TOJO]

Quote: Originally Posted by poki (original)

I had an at fault claim in May 2005 and am insured through BMW insurance. I was most surprised to learn that you start to lose your no claim bonus when you make your second claim.... each year. You can have 1 at fault claim per year!

As much as I agree with Matt on most things, including choice of insurance company - I do have to disagree with him on notifying your own insurer if you don't have to. Someone I know has had some really bad luck in the past few years with cars and has had a heap of claims where she hasn't been at fault. (at last count, about 5 - one of those being hail). After 3 claims her insurer told her to go away. Her car has been recently keyed from front to back and she doesn't want to get it fixed through insurance because most companies operate on the basis of 3 claims and you're out.

What if you have a not your fault incident and decide not to tell your insurer, and the other party is insured with the same company/underwriter? Who would you not tell/tell in this scenario?

[dsakko]

That usually makes it easier. Regardless of who's at fault they have to pay up anyway! You will find in that case the repairs are carried out faster, and they just mark it against the driver at fault.

You are correct. I went to insure with Shannons in 2002, and the premium they wanted (yearly) was more than 10% of the cost of my Mini (at rating 1!). They actually counted AGAINST me any incidents that resulted in damage when I've been racing. I queried them what about professional V8 drivers? They've had some big bingles. And they said same deal - it would count against them and would up their premium. (I couldn't get their rationale in writing, but I got the quote in writing).

I hope they've changed their policy now, but it's true despite what you would consider reasonable, there are some insurers that are just plain unreasonable. I really do feel for anyone who has to deal with insurance companies. (And vice versa feel for any insurance inspector that has to deal with annoying idiots trying to rip off the insurance companies). Works both ways - has to be reasonable from the insurer and the insured.

... stepping down from my soap box now ...

[im_dave]

Quote: Originally Posted by Gr1zzLy (original)

Mate sorry to hear about the accident. Don't want to sound all superstitious and stuff, but I reckon that car might be bad luck now. I had an A3 turbo before, brand spanking new, and on the 2nd night I had it, I went out to dinner.. no report of hail or bad weather, then out of no where.... hail.

After that, it was like mishap after mishap... so hmm... luckily the current Mini is curse free... and hope to keep it that way!

haha... you know what?

about a month after getting my first mini in 2002, i got smashed by a bus on anzac parade - so accidents happen for me around the one month period! had it for another 4 years and didn't have a single ding after that... so hope it pans out the same way for the cooper s.

anyway, thanks for all the advice. i've rang around and decided to drop it in at alto bmw - they've subsequently said everything's been approved and it'll be ready to go on Monday. Also asked them to fit an aero bumper instead of the stock bumper, and they said it was not a problem as long as you pay the difference. they rang me up and quoted the bumper as being CHEAPER than the stock one...! that was a pleasant suprise!

something might come good of all this drama still...?! but now i gotta fit the skirts and the front bumper to match which will cost a few grand!!! i think i'll leave it for a while and add the parts sequentially...

can't wait to pick up the car!!! miss that supercharger whine...!

[poki]

Quote: Originally Posted by TOJO (original)

What if you have a not your fault incident and decide not to tell your insurer, and the other party is insured with the same company/underwriter? Who would you not tell/tell in this scenario?

Well, given that the Australian insurance industry is so damn incestuous, it is very likely that that would be the case anyway.

[Mr G]

Quote: Originally Posted by poki (original)

As much as I agree with Matt on most things, including choice of insurance company - I do have to disagree with him on notifying your own insurer if you don't have to. Someone I know has had some really bad luck in the past few years with cars and has had a heap of claims where she hasn't been at fault. (at last count, about 5 - one of those being hail). After 3 claims her insurer told her to go away. Her car has been recently keyed from front to back and she doesn't want to get it fixed through insurance because most companies operate on the basis of 3 claims and you're out.

so no cookie for me then?

hail damage and keying is quite different from an accident where someone else is at fault. If you have an accident and can identify the at-fault party, then there's no harm in telling your insurer. and you don;t pay the excess or lose your driver rating.

[poki]

You may have many cookies Matt. I *like* disagreeing with you, Its happy good fun time.

Only people that are no fun to disagree with are denied the goodness of the cookie.

Remember though, not all insurances are created equal. Which is why I am happy enough to pay a few dollars extra to BMW who are underwritten by Allianz. The dude that I ran into in May 2005 was also insured with Allianz and his policy had nowhere near the bells and whistles that mine did. (loan cars and the like)

Quote:

If you have an accident and can identify the at-fault party, then there's no harm in telling your insurer. and you don;t pay the excess or lose your driver rating.

True. As long as you only have one of those incidents. Have three in two years and you may be told to find a new insurer

[Mr G]

Quote: Originally Posted by poki (original)

True. As long as you only have one of those incidents. Have three in two years and you may be told to find a new insurer

did i mention i hate insurance companies. right up there with banks in my view.