Accident - Not Insured - Need Advice

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FAQIR

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Hi,

So I was not insured and knocked into an Audi. The car was not badly damaged. The front bumper and fender were dented. The light fitting was fine.

The lady's insurance allows her to only repair at specific Audi approved panel beaters [ not all Audi approved centres].

I received a letter of demand from the attorneys of her insurance company to say the cost was 30K! and how will I pay it back.

I did manage to get a quote from my panel beater based on the picture I took of her car for roughly 10k when the incident happened. [add 5k for quoting based on a picture].

What are my options?

30k is definitely out of my reach...
 
Better ask your friends and family to help. Driving without insurance is bloody stupid - and now you know why. Be glad it was only 30k.
 
Unfortunately, that's the risk you take when you drive an uninsured car. Go to your bank and arrange a loan - fighting this one will only cost you more.

Guaranteed your "tame" panel beater who can calculate quotes off photos is not approved by Audi.

A case of k.a.k. en Betaal.

Actually, you are getting off very lightly - 30k is VERY small money in panel beating terms.
 
FAQIR said:
Hi,

So I was not insured and knocked into an Audi. The car was not badly damaged. The front bumper and fender were dented. The light fitting was fine.

The lady's insurance allows her to only repair at specific Audi approved panel beaters [ not all Audi approved centres].

I received a letter of demand from the attorneys of her insurance company to say the cost was 30K! and how will I pay it back.

I did manage to get a quote from my panel beater based on the picture I took of her car for roughly 10k when the incident happened. [add 5k for quoting based on a picture].

What are my options?

30k is definitely out of my reach...
Click to expand...

Pay up. Will probably have to get a loan. If the car is under warranty you have to replace with oem parts or else they might void your warranty. Had a bump on the back of our Tiguan 2 months ago. R21K to replace with generic parts, over R30K to replace with oem. So this is unfortunately what it costs.

It's an expensive lesson you have to learn. Get at least 3rd party insurance for R60 p/m. Hopefully others that don't have insurance will see this and do so.
 
AND....


Please take out 3rd party insurance at the very least. It won't pay for your damage, but it can cater for the other party's vehicle damage, and thus not burn your pocket in that way.
 
You may be able to negotiate that price down a bit (I went from owing R25K down to R8k back when I was younger and dumber and drove into someone without a licence).
 
Venomous said:
AND....


Please take out 3rd party insurance at the very least. It won't pay for your damage, but it can cater for the other party's vehicle damage, and thus not burn your pocket in that way.
Click to expand...

Exactly.. 3rd party (your vehicle is not covered, just theirs) is the minimum
 
FAQIR said:
Hi,

So I was not insured and knocked into an Audi. The car was not badly damaged. The front bumper and fender were dented. The light fitting was fine.

The lady's insurance allows her to only repair at specific Audi approved panel beaters [ not all Audi approved centres].

I received a letter of demand from the attorneys of her insurance company to say the cost was 30K! and how will I pay it back.

I did manage to get a quote from my panel beater based on the picture I took of her car for roughly 10k when the incident happened. [add 5k for quoting based on a picture].

What are my options?

30k is definitely out of my reach...
Click to expand...

Your options?

Pay the R30k and get insurance.
 
School fees.

Fazda said:
Unfortunately, that's the risk you take when you drive an uninsured car. Go to your bank and arrange a loan - fighting this one will only cost you more.

Guaranteed your "tame" panel beater who can calculate quotes off photos is not approved by Audi.

A case of k.a.k. en Betaal.

Actually, you are getting off very lightly - 30k is VERY small money in panel beating terms.
Click to expand...

+1
 
If you really feel that the insurance is hitting you heavy for the repair bill, have the other vehicle assessed by a proper insurance assessor, he will give a valid repair quote that you can take up with either the attorneys or a court of law.

Did this once when I was young and stupid and had no 3rd party, knocked a BMW, guy claimed 12k damage, assessor knocked it down to R3k, which we agreed and paid. Will cost you about R500 for an assessor to come out.
 
Short answer is, you're FAQd. Pay up and get some FAQING 3rd party insurance, it should be illegal to own a car without it.
 
Do you know that 3rd party-only insurance is under R100 a month? That's a fifth of the cost of a tank of petrol in a standard size car. So by being cheap it's now cost you R30k. If you can't afford insurance you can't afford to drive, end of story. It's ridiculous that it's still legal to drive without 3rd party insurance when it's so cheap.
 
I wish it was compulsory in SA to have uncorrupted third party insurance.
 
Hemi300c said:
I wish it was compulsory in SA to have uncorrupted third party insurance.
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Uncorrupted ?

@OP the 30k can easily include car hire, it may not just be panel beater costs.
 
Last edited:
Brenden_E said:
It's an expensive lesson you have to learn. Get at least 3rd party insurance for R60 p/m. Hopefully others that don't have insurance will see this and do so.
Click to expand...

Third party insurance is essential because you might hit somebodies car that costs R1,3 mil and then what?

Learn your lesson and take out third party insurance from now on.As for your current situation I say you get it assessed then take it up with the lady's insurance to reduce it somehow.Unfortunately there will be no easy way to get out of this,are you sure it was your fault btw?

I once had a letter like that from some ladies insurance after an accident but my lawyer wrote back to them saying I will settle my damages and she should settle hers because it was a 50/50 my word against hers with no witnesses,they left it at that and never wrote back or tried claiming again.But that will only work if you think it wasn't your fault,if it was then rather try to get the amount down.
 
Sinbad said:
Road accident fund is a form of 3rd party cover. Corrupt as all ****.
Click to expand...
Not the same thing at all, RAF is for personal injuries and deaths. RAF will not pay out to fix a vehicle.
 
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