As you know Bumps & Scuffs specialises in repairing damage caused by minor vehicle accidents. Whilst we do handle insurance claims we are finding more and more motorists are coming to us and simply bypassing their insurance companies.
Although we feel that we do offer outstanding value (more than 60% of our business comes form past customers and referrals) that is not the only reason. It is estimated that more than one million people are driving damaged cars because they are scared of being hit with a steep premium hike if they report a prang to their insurer.
Thousands have been hit with sharp rises in their premiums after telling their insurer about a crash.
For a driver with a £500 excess suffering damage caused by a parking bump or lower-speed accident, it is often cheaper to pay for the claim out of their own pocket rather than pay the excess and face a bigger bill from their insurer.
Even when the car has not needed repairing or the driver was blameless — sometimes not even being in the vehicle at the time —they have been hit with cost increases when their policy comes up for renewal. Insurers can justify this because they will claim you have suddenly become a much higher risk, even if you have decades of incident-free driving.
If there was any personal injury then it is advisable, despite the cost consequences, to advise your insurer. You may feel fine immediately after the accident occurs, only to find a few days later that you have serious neck or back pain.
It is fortunate that very few of the vehicles brought to us have involved any personal injury other than considerable dents to the driver’s pride.
As car cover premiums have risen by 30 per cent in the past three years and the cost of policies bought through comparison sites — which make up a significant number of all motor insurance policies sold — rising by nearly 5 per cent last year, our advice would be to come and talk to us.
We will give you an honest assessment. And, even if you do decide to go down the insurance route, we can help with that.
You’ll find our workshop located between the Shepherd & Flock roundabout and Homebase – simply download a useful map.
Whatever caused your ding, give us a ring!
