[herculesksp]

Thanks a lot for all the responses and tips guys

@zappo: yup, I will tell him that I scraped it myself. The only problem is that I have just had a knee operation and I am on crutches. That was the reason wife was practicing the car, so that she could take me around without me having to strain my leg. Anyway, as long as I don't have to go face to face with the surveryor, there is no way he will find out. The crutches will be off in one week anyway.

@gansan: hehe.. alcohol effect could be interesting since this is the new year time. Anyway, I would like to see how he tries to slap me with that kind of a sticker since I never drink any form of alcohol.

Since my car is leased, I have to go through the leasing agency. I will call them up Monday morning and ask them to pick up the car for survey and claim. My angle of approach into the gate is very narrow. I am just going to tell them that there was another car parked and I had a very horrible angle of entry due to which it scraped. Lets see how things go.

[jigbarai]

^^
With that condition, you might want to wait for a few days and get back to normal condition before getting on with the insurance claim - if you want to say it was you driving.

If you want to do the process right away, and your wife has a valid driving license, better to speak up the truth IMO.

[arnabchak]

DO NOT OWN UP THE MISTAKE.
The insurance guys will try and do all it takes to not give the complete claim.

Hence, best way is to claim an accident.

[rjvora_2000]

Don't worry your claim will be payable even if it is your mistake.

[herculesksp]

I checked the damage today morning in the daylight. Seems very extensive, though it is a gash, I think both the left front and rear door panels and the rear side panel would have to be replaced.

What would be the cost of damage that am I looking at? 60,000 to 80,000 at least? I sure am going to meet some resistance from the insurance company on this one.

One of the reasons why I was wondering if Insurance companies take claims for self afflicted mistakes is, if one really has an accident, then isn't it easier for that person to just claim damage due to negligence, rather than drag the other party to the police station and/or filing an FIR and having to go through so many processes? I could just move away from the accident spot, provided the other party and the onlookers allow, and then file for insurance claiming own damages.

[Gansan]

The cost would be inversely proportional to the brand of your car! I don't see it mentioned in your posts. In an Alto, the type of damages you mention would set you back by about Rs 15000 or so at a MASS.

[herculesksp]

Originally Posted by Gansan

The cost would be inversely proportional to the brand of your car! I don't see it mentioned in your posts. In an Alto, the type of damages you mention would set you back by about Rs 15000 or so at a MASS.

Brilliant, how could I ask for cost estimates without mentioning the car. Mine is a Tata Indica Vista, and sadly just 2 months old. 15k for an Alto eh? At least the good thing is that all that was damaged was sheet metal. No damage on the bumpers or any other rubber/plastic parts. Hoping to not have to shell out much from my pocket.

[Gansan]

I would expect the costs to be comparable to Maruti in your case. What is the colour? I think red is the most expensive to re-paint.

[herculesksp]

Originally Posted by Gansan

I would expect the costs to be comparable to Maruti in your case. What is the colour? I think red is the most expensive to re-paint.

Wouldn't mine just happen to be Red? Yes, red color it is.

[starter]

@Gansan: Yes Sir, It is RED!
@Kuku: So sorry to hear about this happening to Pista! I don't think you would have to spend even a penny. As far as i know, for the insurance claims (Body works), the leasing company would not be taking it to any A.S.S. They would have their own body works center where they get the work done. I am not very sure if they would be replacing stuff or just tinkering and repainting it.

[herculesksp]

@starter: Nice user pic sisya.
I don't think they have any choice of tinkering it, the car was driven half an inch into the wall. I checked out the compound wall and I can see the profile of the car on it. The strip on the door has actually punched a hole through the compound wall. I don't understand what that driving school fellow was doing watching the car go through the wall.

I take solace in the build quality of the Indica.

[Gansan]

Originally Posted by herculesksp

@starter: Nice user pic sisya.
I don't think they have any choice of tinkering it, the car was driven half an inch into the wall. I checked out the compound wall and I can see the profile of the car on it. The strip on the door has actually punched a hole through the compound wall. I don't understand what that driving school fellow was doing watching the car go through the wall.

I take solace in the build quality of the Indica.

Am I reading this right? Was she being taught to drive in your new car?

[rjvora_2000]

Don't be panic once you send your car to service station then the things will be clear in your mind.

Service station guy's doesn't replace everything there will be few things which will be repaired also. Just take two or three photos for us to understand.

Be calm I don't see any problem in getting a claim.

[herculesksp]

Originally Posted by Gansan

Am I reading this right? Was she being taught to drive in your new car?

She knows how to drive, she used to drive the 800 earlier. However, she wasn't too confident with the Indica since it was a bigger car. So she took a 5 hour training on an Indica. Once she was comfortable in the driving school Indica, we thought it would be good if she takes our Indica out. Unfortunately, the entry to my house is really really tough and, like I said, I don't know what the driving instructor was doing while guiding her to park the car.

I was having my physio therapy sessions inside, so I couldn't be out to oversee the proceedings. The rest is hsitory.

@rjvora_2000: Not really having the mood to take pics of the damaged car. Don't want memories of it. Let me see anyway.

[navan49]

Hercules,

Please relax and work peacefully. The reversal accidents happen in the cities where we have very narrow gates.In my regular reverse parking place, I was about to bang my bumper to day. I did the work like yours with radiator, fan, Bonnet,front side quarter panel, door and denting painting it costed 48k. The car was as good as new but the TASS did not have Tata Insurance that time I paid 20K insurance claim was 28K.You can claim the insurance.