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Hi all,
First time using this forum so I apologise in advance if I don’t do things a particular way.
Since getting my motability car in July 2024. I have only made 1 claim (Non-fault). This morning I bumped into the back of learner car, minor scratch on their bumper and my VW logo is broken.
I have paid the £300 excess fee before for the non-fault claim as the damage to my car were quite bad. The instructor of the learner car wants to go through privately but i don’t think this is allowed for motability cars. The damage on both cars are minor and the £300 fee is excessive for this amount of damage? Could someone advise further please, thank you 🙂
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Two things to add, one, in the case of a no fault accident you shouldn’t have to pay the excess as the other party is at fault. Unless with the new insurers that has change but that’s how it was under RSA.
Two, the new claim, not sure what VW you have but the front VW badge has, in many of there models, a radar sensor in them so could be more expensive that it looks.
Hi,
Yes I am aware, for my age group it’s £300. But a damaged logo would not be close to £300 so is it worth reporting to motability?
Hi Chris,
Thank you for the information. I think it has changed as now its with Direct Line and i had to pay the £300 excess fee even though I was not at fault.
Regarding the car information its a Volkswagen Polo Hatchback R-Line 5dr DSG. Do you think it’s sensible to report it regardless and not do it private?
The Radar sensor is set back behind the grill, so its unlikely you have damaged it if only the VW emblem is damaged. A genuine emblem will set you back circa £35, so depends very much money the driving instructor wants to go private?
If I were the driving instructor I’d live with the scratch and trouser whatever money I got from you. Personally I think you should go through the insurance. What if there’s a personal injury claim down the line.
The Radar sensor is set back behind the grill, so its unlikely you have damaged it if only the VW emblem is damaged. A genuine emblem will set you back circa £35, so depends very much money the driving instructor wants to go private?
I thought that maybe VW have changed the design of the sensor so this news item from last year might not apply now…
I would most definitely let Motability’s insurers deal with this. If you have gone into the back of a car then you are at fault (unless it’s a deliberate pull in front of you and slam the brakes on to claim a whiplash injury fraud). I am therefore suspicious as to why the driving instructor wants to avoid insurers when he / she isn’t at fault. At best they will just pocket the money (maybe the scratch was already there before you bumped into it) or, once you agree to that route, he / she can start coming back with all sorts of spurious claims, hence why you need the protection of an insurer. Besides, isn’t the excess the maximum amount you pay, not the minimum, so you’d only pay £300 if the combined work to both cars was at least this value (which I guess it almost always will be).
Also do consider that once the insurance company are able to prove that it was not your fault you will get the excess refunded when the claim is settled. I would er on the side of caution and go through the insurance process, you have greater protection.
I am with Glos Guy with this one inform Motability insurance, a couple of years ago a young woman with a baby drove into the back of my car, I was stationary on a red traffic light, she covered her face and would not speak on supply details, fortunately I have front and rear Nextbase dash cams, she was on her mobile phone whilst driving, I contacted Motability insurers along with dash cam footage.
Unfortunately I have suffered a brain injury and occasionally say the wrong thing.
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