Accident / Loss /claim ?

[Bazile]

Car returned from repairer .

Damage caused to another part of car different to accident damage .

Intend to approach repairer to ask what they intend to do about it .

My question is , by making the approach to the repairer , irrespective as to whether or not they accept that the damage was caused by them ; would it be classed for insurance purposes as having a -

Accident or a claim or a loss ?

[Hopkirk]

If the insurance company have paid for the repair, I would be inclined to contact them first and say that their agent has damaged the car.

[sinderella]

I would say contact the repair first.
Ask them to explain the other damage.
Be nice.let them do the talking
Take notes of conversations,times,names and outcome

[Bazile]

Ok - I try again.

My renewal is up early next year .
On the renewal papers it will say have you had any accidents / claims or losses .

Would the insurer for their purposes ,class it as making a claim or having a loss , if i approach the repairer stating that they damaged my vehicle , irrespective of whether or not the repairer accepts responsibility ?

[bhg481]

Well, the most recent one was not an accident you were involved in, nor have you made a claim against your policy or suffered a loss, so the answer must be "No". But you have already stated that your car was being reoaired (body damage implied), so was that an insurance job that you need to tell them about?

[Bazile]

If i do approach the repairer it wont be a claim through / against my policy - however it would be a 'claim ' directly to the repairer .

In this instance the repairer damages the car - i approach them directly to repair or compensate me for the damage .
They accept responsibility or they do not accept responsibility - either way i've made a ' claim 'against the repairer

But the insurance question does not specifically define ' claim ' .

So what i'm trying to get at is when an insurer says , 'made a claim ' . do they mean , made a claim against anyone , whether i went through an insurer or dealt with it without involving an insurer ?

[Zacs-Master]

If I read this correctly, you haven't made the repairer aware of the damage but you've accepted it back. Did you make comment regarding the damage / have you driven it since accepting it?

[bhg481]

Surely a claim is asking an insurance company for a pay-out. You are charging the repairer with damaging your property and asking him to put it right. I can't see that that constitutes a claim.
What is the story on why the car was with a repairer in the first place? Did YOU damage it for it to need a repair? Did someone else damage it and they (or their insurance company) are paying for the repair?
You could always ask your insurance company if you still feel unsure.

[TonyV]

Zacs makes a good point that you have driven it away from the repairers premises - they can simply say it was fine when it left them. Were you asked to sign anything to say you were satisfied with repair? How much additional damage is there?

[Bazile]

Ok - i was involved in an accident which was dealt with by my insurer and repaired through their designated repairer .

The car was delivered back to me - i only noticed the damage to the flexible rubber around the door opening , after the delivery driver had gone.

It is not major damage - about a three to four inch approx of the rubber has been ripped off in one place .

So i'm trying to decide whether i should pursue it with the repairer and make a claim against them .
However to assist in my decision i need to know if by making a claim directly to the repairer would that constitute a 'claim ' on an insurance proposal or renewal

[TonyV]

If repairer is close by visit them or give them a ring and use a lightly veiled threat that if don't get any joy from them you will contact your insurer which if they have any sense they won't want you to do as it will damage their reputation. Whatever happens it will NOT be another claim because it was damaged while in their possession. But you need to get it reported ASAP i.e. In the morning and tell repairer politely that if they don't they give you a decision tomorrow you will ring insurer on Friday. Really it's the insurers responsibility as its their desisignated repairer. Its also is important that you act quickly if you want to deal directly because normally insurer will give you a courtesy call to ask you if you are happy if they do be honest and tell them about damage and that you have been in touch with repairer.

[TonyV]

P.S you are not making a claim against just that their work was defective

[Zacs-Master]

You've no chance Baz. Forget it.

[TonyV]

Zacs what makes you say that?

[Zacs-Master]

Common sense.

[TonyV]

Nothing ventured nothing gained not a huge amount of time invested even if Baz goes directly to insurer

[Zacs-Master]

1. He accepted the car back from the repairers. I'd be very surprised if he didn't sign something to say it was an acceptable repair. The repairers will use this as evidence against any 'claim'.
2. He's left it some time before contacting them. The repairers will claim that the damage could have happened in the intervening period.

[TonyV]

Zacs
1. I have asked if Baz had signed anything but no reply from Baz that I can see if it's been signed for I agree with you that it's the end of the line.
2. Do we know long it's been back I had assumed it was yesterday?
Anyway given my input now