Going through insurance

[DrGonzoPOW]

The bloke who bumped into me now wants to go through his insurance which will mean i can get it all done properly. Im a bit worried tho after i got a message from a parts seller on ebay saying i should be very careful as the engineers from his insurance company could come along and class it as a right off due to the high expense of BMW parts and the work. I have an agreed valuation with my insurance company but they shouldnt have to do anything if its his side covering things should they ??
Never done anything through insurance so im a bit confused. Does anyone have any advice at all ?? Would be appreciated. Thanks

[Jeroen]

Well things might function differently across the pond but you have a valuation and that's what counts. For you that's the car's only value. If you cannot agree on the costs to fix the car with their expert, it seems to me you have the right to appoint counter expertise. Careful what you say and sign and when in doubt, seek legal assistance.

[e21-Mark]

The bloke who bumped into me now wants to go through his insurance which will mean i can get it all done properly. Im a bit worried tho after i got a message from a parts seller on ebay saying i should be very careful as the engineers from his insurance company could come along and class it as a right off due to the high expense of BMW parts and the work. I have an agreed valuation with my insurance company but they shouldnt have to do anything if its his side covering things should they ??
Never done anything through insurance so im a bit confused. Does anyone have any advice at all ?? Would be appreciated. Thanks

It's unlikely they'll write it off. If they do, you can buy the salvage and use some of your pay-out to get it repaired anyway. Are you a BMW Car Club member? If so, the register could give you a written valuation. Usually though, you are just expected to supply 2 written estimates for the repairs. My mrs has just had the same thing after some nugget reversed into her 2002tii.

[DrGonzoPOW]

Cheers for info. If i do go through his insurance does it mean my car will be forever a cat c ??

[e21-Mark]

Yeah but that's nothing to worry about. Just keep photos etc to prove there was never any structural damage.

My M3 was a Cat C write off about 15 years ago. A box trailer reversed back and tore a gash in one door and rear quarter panel. This was when you could find M3's for £5K or so. Due to being an uneconomical repair it got written off. Fast forward 14 years and suddenly its no longer uneconomical to spend all that money on a new door, rear quarter and a full bare metal respray. I have photos to prove the original damage and the main dealer restoration. Despite being a past Cat C the insurance company didn't bat an eye lid when agreeing value at £15K. Most traders are well aware that the majority of Cat C write-offs are just minor stuff and it doesn't mean you've been landed with a cut & shut.

[Reck]

Have you explained this to the other driver? You never know, he might be quite reasonable.. Play on how much you love this car and don't want it making a Cat C etc. Plus it might just be cheaper for him to shell out for a wing and some paint than pay a higher insurance premium..

[DrGonzoPOW]

He was going to just pay for the damage but then he changed his mind and said he was gonner use his wifes insurance to cover it. It would have cost around 250 to do the work on the cheap, but going through the insurance the BMW parts alone are 331 quid. I didnt know about all this Cat C knackers before so i just agreed to go with insurance and its in the process now

[Reck]

If you go via insurance then don't you have the right to specify the garage/mechanic? Then you could find a sympathetic mechanic who will fit a used wing etc. to keep the repair bill low and reduce the chance of it being a write off/cat C..

Just spewing out ideas here!

[e21-Mark]

Depends on your insurance but because Gonzo is the innocent party he should be able to have his car repaired where he likes. We have just gone through the same thing and I told them where I wanted my Mrs 2002tii to be taken.

[DrGonzoPOW]

I took it to a garage that was recommended to me when the bloke wanted to do it on the cheap. They have sent a written estimate to the insurance now for approval by their engineers. Will have to sit tight and see what they say.

Just in the middle of fixing the inner wing up at the mo in preparation for the new panel going on. Will post some pics of it all in the owners section.
Cheers for all the advice so far

[murran]

how much is your agreed valuation? atleast if its going thru insurance they'll have to paint the full side of the car to avoid an odd coloured front wing.

if your agreed value is like 2k then it should get near it to write it off. i wouldnt worry just fix the inner wing and stick the bent wing etc back on before the assesor comes to view it. or at least keep the bent wing etc to show him.

[DrGonzoPOW]

Only think i did the agreed value at 1200 as its what i bought the car for. Prob should have gone for more.
Ive taken a load of pics and will put the old wing back on before the engineer turns up (if he does) The main worry is that the paintwork on my car is pretty shart so like you say the wing will have to be sprayed and then it will need blending into the rest of the body which is where the costs will start adding up.