Went on holiday to Scotland last week and somebody decided to back into my car and then drive off. At the time I was in a motorway service station and didn't see the incident. So came out to find a dent in the driver-side rear door, towards the top of the panel. All I can say is the person who did this may not get past the Golden Gates at the Last Day ! I Got the estimate for repairs on Wednesday and ouch ! It needs a new door, because the dent crosses t he swage lines on the door making it almost impossible to restore the original panel form. A new door is actually cheaper than the labour to take the dent out and even then, the bodyshop man said he couldn't guarantee the result. This is a bodyshop I have used for years, so do trust them.

So what is the cost ? It is around £1200 to which our huge and excessive VAT tax of 20% is added making the final total over £1450 !!! The biggest problem claiming this on the insurance is that I have to pay an excess of £400, the rest being paid by the insurance company. However, like all these companies, they'll increase the premium next year until they've got it all back. You just can't win, so I am going to have to take it on the chin.

 

Either that or a salvage yard door.

 

Would that I could get an undamaged door ! An internet search shows there are not many around and of those that are they all seem to have damage.

I think I am going to have to put this on the insurance.

 

I would, even though the premium MAY go up that's what we insure for.

 

Fraser,

Sorry to hear about this. I returned to a Malaga car park a couple of years ago to find someone had crunched into the rear corner of my Bentley and done a runner so I can understand your seething rage.

Like you, I did the sums and concluded it wasn't worth an insurance claim. First there's the excess to pay immediately and then, even with protected NCB, it would be recorded with MIB and still have to be declared as a claim when searching for renewal quotes.

Our US and Australian members appear to have more effective insurance than we do in the UK. They appear to end up without financial loss whereas we usually end up paying it back in future premiums!

Graham

 

Well, I finally decided to make an insurance claim. I have been paying an additional premium for No Claim Discount protection, but this doesn't stop them increasing the actual premium next year, of course. However, I'll cross that bridge when I come to it. Last claim I made was a no-fault one in 2008 when a builder ran into my Rover 75 with his little truck.

Funnily enough the repairer the insurance are using did the Rover in 2008, and yesterday told me the car doesn't need a new door, and they have all the equipment necessary to restore the existing door. They are a much large operation than the one that did the estimate, so I suppose they can afford more sophisticated kit. Well, we'll know by the end of next week.

 

The good news is the car was ready for me last Friday and a perfect job has been done. I can now look forward to an increased insurance premium next March, no doubt. It is always a toss-up between financing the work yourself to avoid insurance costs, and accepting that the insurance companies are not charities, they are in business to make a living.