Should I claim on insurance or pay for the repair privately?

If the repair costs about the same as your excess, pay privately. If it costs a lot more than your excess, or the other driver was clearly at fault, claim. That covers most cases, but there are a few things worth weighing up first.

Start with the quote

You can't decide without a number. Send photos through our quote form and we'll give you a price for a private repair. It's free and there's no obligation, so it costs you nothing to find out.

Compare the price to your excess

Your excess is what you pay towards any claim. If it's $800 and the repair is $900, a claim saves you $100 today but can cost you more over the next few years through a higher premium or lost no-claim discount. Most people in that position pay privately.

If the repair is $3,000 and the excess is $800, claiming is the obvious choice.

Think about your premium

Insurers price your policy partly on your claims history. An at-fault claim often means a higher premium at renewal, and some policies reduce or remove a no-claim bonus. Ask your insurer what a claim would do to your premium before you lodge one. They have to tell you.

Who was at fault?

If someone else hit you and you have their details, your insurer can recover the cost from them (or their insurer). In many policies you won't pay an excess on a not-at-fault claim where the other party is identified. That changes the maths completely: claim.

If you don't have comprehensive cover but the other driver was at fault, you can claim against their insurer directly, or ask us for a quote to put to them.

What about a repair the other driver wants to pay for?

It happens a lot with car-park bumps: the other driver offers to pay rather than go through insurance. That can work for a bumper scuff. Get our written quote, agree it with them in writing (a text is fine), and have them pay before or on collection. Don't accept a verbal promise and then chase them later.

When a private repair is the smart move

• The damage is cosmetic: scuffs, scratches, a small dent, a cracked bumper.
• The price is close to your excess.
• You'd rather keep your claims history clean.
• You want to choose the repairer and the parts without an assessor involved.

When to claim

• The damage is structural or across several panels.
• Airbags went off, or the car isn't driveable.
• Someone else was at fault and you have their details.
• The repair is well above your excess.

Can I still use H&H if I claim?

Often, yes. Many comprehensive policies let you choose your own repairer, sometimes as standard and sometimes as an option you pay extra for. Check your policy document or ask the insurer. If you can choose, nominate H&H Smash Repairs, 77 Moss St, Slacks Creek, and we'll deal with the assessor. We've explained how that works in choice of repairer, explained.

The honest answer

For small damage, private usually wins. For big damage, insurance usually wins. For everything in between, get the quote first and then ask your insurer two questions: what's my excess, and what will this do to my premium? Then you can decide with real numbers.

Send us photos and we'll start with the first one.