Bump, crash, ouch.
'You say you dont want it again, and again but you don't dont really mean it' - Tori Amos, SparkShit shit shit.
On Tuesday night, after Dutch class, at 10 pm, I was so tired that I reversed into a pole.
It was a low pole, but nonetheless it was a pole. A metal pole.
Bump, crash, ouch.
The damage? One cracked bumper and 400 euros.
I have insurance, but I don't know if I should claim for this and affect my premiums. You know?
Claim for 400 euros and then pay thousands more over the next few years? It sucks.
Or maybe trade in the car for something newer and zippier? And cleaner. I haven't been to the carwash for six months. There is stuff in my car that walks around at night.
I'm one of those people who is paralysed with indecision. It presses on me and I find it hard to breathe.
Help!
Ouch! Mr. Q.'s advice is never, never claim damages. Unless the car is totaled beyond repair. This was new to me, as in the US it seemed (granted I was young and naive) that you could claim damages without financial hell to pay. Seems not so in the Netherlands.
If you find a new one you like, and they'll take the old one, why not? If it's time it's time. A nice way to start the new year, if you can afford it. :)
It depends on how many years you have claim free already. There's a break even point, and your insurer will tell you exactly what it is. For our Honda it was going to raise it EUR 300 for three years and put our no claims count back to zero. Given that was on nine years claim free, and after ten we get one claim "free" it was a no brainer not to claim it. I was lucky just to have a very expensive ding in a side panel from a door - cosmetics only - so it doesn't need to be fixed. You've got to fix a bumper.
I agree with Steph, call you insurance-company and they will tell you. If you have been insured only a couple of years, it will cost you more to claim than it will to repair.
J: I am thinking of just paying and keeping the car as it is... so much money for a new one! Wait til tomorrow, my opinion will have changed :P
Vertine: two years, so I think it's a no-brainer. Damned pole.
Steph: everyone says you have to fix a bumper, but why? I don't get why it's dangerous if it's cracked. I know if it's completely buggered you have to but ... ??