Minor Accident

Martin_hbg · 03-04-2011, 01:18 PM

Could use some advice and your valuable subjective opinions.

About 2 weeks ago I stopped at a stop sign leaving a parking lot and suddenly the car in front of me put the car in reverse and backed into me….. I did not have time to move so I honked the horn but she kept going…..

I only got minor damage to the front bumper, some smaller scratches and the bumber cover got a little bumpy. She admitted her fault and her insurance company has agreed to pay for the damage.

My concern:

Even though the damage is minor and the repair costs wil be less than $400 (heat and mold the bumper and then respray) I assume there is a risk it will show up in CarFax as a reported accident?

Will this lower the value of the car and/or make it harder to sell it in the future?

I offered the other party to pay me $200 out of pocket and I would pay the difference to have it fixed and not send the claim to her insurance company. I thought this was a no brainer as they would not have to pay their deductible and not risk to have their insurance rate increased, but they rejected……

Would you go through with the claim or would you walk away and just live with the scratches on the car?

It is an -07, I own the car and plan to keep it for a few more years.

Thanks for your advice

rice4u · 03-04-2011, 02:16 PM

accident will not show up in carfax if it was professionally repaired. go through insurance.

UncleWede · 03-04-2011, 04:55 PM

If the $400 estimate is correct, it shouldn't show on CarFax even if done via insurance calim.

Be happy she admitted it TO HER INSURANCE. I got backed-into at IHOP and did the same (horn, but couldn't move) She admitted and gave me her insurance info. LAter her story apparently changed, and she wouldn't answer the phone any longer. I still haven't had it repaired as mostly visible only to ME.

03-04-2011, 01:18 PM	#1
Martin_hbg "Swede" 0 Rep 39 Posts Drives: BMW 335i Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Florida iTrader: (2)	Minor Accident Could use some advice and your valuable subjective opinions. About 2 weeks ago I stopped at a stop sign leaving a parking lot and suddenly the car in front of me put the car in reverse and backed into me….. I did not have time to move so I honked the horn but she kept going….. I only got minor damage to the front bumper, some smaller scratches and the bumber cover got a little bumpy. She admitted her fault and her insurance company has agreed to pay for the damage. My concern: Even though the damage is minor and the repair costs wil be less than $400 (heat and mold the bumper and then respray) I assume there is a risk it will show up in CarFax as a reported accident? Will this lower the value of the car and/or make it harder to sell it in the future? I offered the other party to pay me $200 out of pocket and I would pay the difference to have it fixed and not send the claim to her insurance company. I thought this was a no brainer as they would not have to pay their deductible and not risk to have their insurance rate increased, but they rejected…… Would you go through with the claim or would you walk away and just live with the scratches on the car? It is an -07, I own the car and plan to keep it for a few more years. Thanks for your advice
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03-04-2011, 02:16 PM	#2
rice4u Second Lieutenant 17 Rep 220 Posts Drives: E92 335i Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: San Diego, California iTrader: (7)	accident will not show up in carfax if it was professionally repaired. go through insurance.
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03-04-2011, 04:55 PM	#3
UncleWede Long Time Admirer, First Time Owner 18681 Rep 9,445 Posts Drives: G01 X3 M40i Dark Graphite Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Oxnard, CA iTrader: (0)	If the $400 estimate is correct, it shouldn't show on CarFax even if done via insurance calim. Be happy she admitted it TO HER INSURANCE. I got backed-into at IHOP and did the same (horn, but couldn't move) She admitted and gave me her insurance info. LAter her story apparently changed, and she wouldn't answer the phone any longer. I still haven't had it repaired as mostly visible only to ME.
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