Insurance question

[Mississippi Bullfrog]

This is none motorbike related....a lorry went into the back of my wife's car yesterday. She was stationary and it was a very low speed shunt. Basically the damage is two small holes punched through the rear bumper and a chip out of the number plate. She's only had the car since October.

Our local body shop has quoted £470 to remove the bumper, weld the holes, fill in and paint. Plus a new numberplate.

The lorry company originally said they'd just pay the bill which is fine with us. But now their insurers are wanting to sort out the repairs which means sending it to whoever they use. I've had this twice before and both times the repair was not satisfactory.

I could get our insurance involved but I'd rather not. One because they'd whack the premiums up even though it's a rear end shunt, and two, because they'd probably use the same body shop as did a crap job last time.

The question is, other than handing it over to our insurance to argue about is there any way of persuading the truck company's insurers to send it to a body shop of our choosing?

I'm guessing we're over a barrel but someone may be wiser.

[Six30]

£470 who owns your local paint company ,Dick Turpin.

don't blame the lorry company for wanting to use their own paint company , sounds like £150 worth of work at most.

Edited January 8, 2020 by Six30

[Stu]

I am sure you can pick your own approved body shop

[Mississippi Bullfrog]

£470 who owns your local paint company ,Dick Turpin.

don't blame the lorry company for wanting to use their own paint company , sounds like £150 worth of work at most.

 

I know he's not cheap but for many years a good friend ran a body shop (now retired) so I can see the price of a proper job. It's precisely the cheap job done elsewhere I'm trying to avoid.

Our last but one car got rear ended and the insurance body shop made a right hash of it. It was never right afterwards.

If it was my old wreck I wouldn't worry but as said she's only had it a few months.

The price includes a replacement car of course.

[Mississippi Bullfrog]

Well I needn't have worried. The truck company's insurance have paid up in full so I can send the car in to our local chap.

The big issue these days seems to be getting water based paint to match perfectly. The good old days of cellulose have long gone.