Cannot afford private settlement

  • adriver's Avatar
    Hi everyone, would appreciate some advice really. So I accidentally hit someone's car in a car park, theirs is stationary. They requested to settle it privately and gave me a quote of 3.5k+ for bumper and parking sensor replacement (to be fair the scratch from photos is deep).

    I find it hard to afford it privately, and I have my excess to pay for my repair as well. They prefer private settlement as putting through my comprehensive would affect her NCB, increase her premium and their warranty (as the car need to be fixed in a specific garage) as well.

    I just wondering if I'm obligated to settle privately? I think it's a no I don't. I have informed my insurance company straight after the accident.

    Thank you very much
  • 2 Replies

  • Drivingforfun's Avatar
    No you have no obligation whatsoever to do that, in fact people are generally strongly advised against doing so

    If you've already informed your insurance company your premium will go up anyway so you have nothing really to lose by claiming, it's what you pay them for
  • TC1474's Avatar
    Hi everyone, would appreciate some advice really. So I accidentally hit someone's car in a car park, theirs is stationary. They requested to settle it privately and gave me a quote of 3.5k+ for bumper and parking sensor replacement (to be fair the scratch from photos is deep).

    I find it hard to afford it privately, and I have my excess to pay for my repair as well. They prefer private settlement as putting through my comprehensive would affect her NCB, increase her premium and their warranty (as the car need to be fixed in a specific garage) as well.

    I just wondering if I'm obligated to settle privately? I think it's a no I don't. I have informed my insurance company straight after the accident.

    Thank you very much

    As already stated mentioned, you are not in anyway obligated to settle privately, in fact this is frowned upon as it opens so many cans of worms.

    You have notified your insurers which is the correct thing to do. Let them sort it out.