Rear Panel Damage - repair or replace?

Aug 31, 2021
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I had a car hit the back of the caravan and crack the rear panel. There are about 10 cracks in total if you include the hairline stress cracks. see photo's.

It is a 2016 Swift Challenger

My dealer has quoted for a new rear panel at c£4k

Couple of things I could do with advice/views:-

Can it be repaired or is a new panel the best option? Not sure what plastic it is
£4k seems a lot, but I have nothing to compare it too. What is the going rate for a new rear panel on a 5 year old caravan?


Thanks
 

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Nov 11, 2009
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In 2018 I had a rear panel replaced on a 2013 Swift Sprite. It was done under warranty as it had cracks on the top. At the time the dealership told me that it was a £3k job, so I’m not too surprised at the price given to you. However there are companies skilled in repairing such damage to ABS. The other drivers claim assessor would want to decide whether to repair or replace. Doesn’t look as if the damage would have done much damage to the caravans panel supports, but a repairer would check that out. If you search the PC magazine articles there’s one on the repairs to a caravan plastic bodywork.


https://www.approvedworkshops.co.uk/caravanmedicswindon


http://www.thecaravanmedic-swindon.co.uk/repair.html
 
Jun 16, 2020
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If you are able to claim of the other persons insurance I would just let the assessors get on with it. So long as it’s not a bodge up.

Some years ago after an accident in which lots of other work was done. A tiny crease appeared in my Unicorn just above the door. The assessor agreed that it was as a result of the incident and would be a cheap cosmetic repair. Both Bailey and the dealer disagreed. A whole new side was needed. I did not get involved in the costings, but it was a lot.

John
 
Jun 20, 2005
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Not your fault. Insurers are involved. Let them replace the whole panel and return it to you as if not better than new. Any mucking about as you suggest will in future detract from the value of your Swift. Sorry, a no brainier for me!
 
Sep 24, 2008
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Our concrete fence post moved over and hit corner of van. The repair shop said no problem apart from getting the trim around the awning rail. Anyway he got correct one and when we got it back it looked perfect, no signs of where the damage was . The charge was £1400,. two year agao.
 
Mar 14, 2005
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I'm really not sure why you aren't planning to claim from the driver, That's why you have insurance. These jobs tend to run into £+k's and if the job hits a snag, it's the insurance company that has to sort it out.

The seemingly high cost is because manufacturers do not tend to carry moulded body spares for older (non current) models, and it will have to be manufactured specially for the job.
 
Jan 3, 2012
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Not your fault. Insurers are involved. Let them replace the whole panel and return it to you as if not better than new. Any mucking about as you suggest will in future detract from the value of your Swift. Sorry, a no brainier for me!
I would do the same as you
 
May 7, 2012
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It will be over ten years since we had the rear panel replaced under insurance. The quote was £1750 plus parts which would be mainly the panel and I never was advised what that cost, so adding inflation in £4,000 does not look out of the way.
If someone hit it and their insurance accepts liability then you can either go with them or use your own insurance. If it had pre existing cracks these could have been capped and they may deduct something for that if they spot them, but looking at your photos I an mot convinced any of these are.
If you use the other parties insurers you will still need to tell your insurer at renewal. Personally I would tell them now, saying you are letting the other insurer deal, but want to let them know in case anything goes wrong. I think they will be happy with that.
 
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Jun 20, 2005
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The third party driver's insurance company called me yesterday and said their client has claimed liability so once they have the quote they can approve and send me the payment. Nice to see this all being hassle free.
Be careful. I trust no one. If you instruct the repairers to proceed you are legally liable for the whole bill. I see no reason why the TP Insurers can’t approve and authorise the repairs direct with the repairer. Upon completion you sign the satisfaction note and the TP pay direct. This assumes the repairer agrees of course. Quite a common action.
 
Mar 14, 2005
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Be careful. I trust no one. If you instruct the repairers to proceed you are legally liable for the whole bill. I see no reason why the TP Insurers can’t approve and authorise the repairs direct with the repairer. Upon completion you sign the satisfaction note and the TP pay direct. This assumes the repairer agrees of course. Quite a common action.
Now there's tickly issue.
A friend of mine who suffered flood damage in Wales approached the insurers to start the necessary repairs. This was after big storm a few years ago. The insurers told them to find their own contractor to do the work, because they were inundated with claims following the flood. Having searched for several weeks to find a contractor, the insurance company agreed to pay them.

When it came to it the contractor was unreliable, and did not finish the job, some work was substandard. The insurance company washed their hands of the situation by saying my friend had engaged the contractor!

So if you need to manage protetction from being ripped off on insurance work, Make sure the insurance company engages the contractor, then if there is a problem the insurance company is liable as they controlled the contract.
 
Nov 11, 2009
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Ray typed same time as me. Absolutely agree Prof.
why would anyone want to potentially leave themselves exposed😉
Wasn’t there a thread not too long ago where an insurer didn’t want to engage the repairer and the owner commissioned the repair but then felt the work was poor but didn’t get any support from the insurer. Must try and find it.
 
Aug 31, 2021
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Be careful. I trust no one. If you instruct the repairers to proceed you are legally liable for the whole bill. I see no reason why the TP Insurers can’t approve and authorise the repairs direct with the repairer. Upon completion you sign the satisfaction note and the TP pay direct. This assumes the repairer agrees of course. Quite a common action.

This would be a lot easier. And saves me the worry if the final bill is more than the quote. I have emailed the insurers to say I prefer them to authorise the dealer direct rather than send me a cheque. Lets see what they say. I feel they just want it closed.
 
Aug 31, 2021
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This was the reply to me asking them to deal direct with the dealer rather than send the cheque to me. To fair the third insurance company has been very good. Maybe they are calling my bluff as they rather it settled with me accepting the cheque. But as you point out that has risk for me.

I’ve cancelled the cheque for you,
I asked if that was possible to liaise with the garage, but they want to have the caravan inspected now.
It might be more straightforward if you go through your insurance.

We don’t have garages that fix caravans and all we can do is a cash settlement.

I do trust my dealer. They are a Swift dealer which I have know for 8+ years having bought two caravans from him. Maybe the cheque option is better.
 
Jul 18, 2017
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Makes you wonder why they are selling caravan insurance? You are paying them to do the legwork etc., but it seems they have no interest and it does ring alarm bells.
 
Jun 20, 2005
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Makes you wonder why they are selling caravan insurance? You are paying them to do the legwork etc., but it seems they have no interest and it does ring alarm bells.
I think he’s talking about the TP Insurers not his own? I still don’t understand why he doesn’t ask his own caravan Insurers to deal with the claim and let them recover from the TP. A lot less hassle and imo financially safer.
 
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Aug 31, 2021
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So my options are
1) accept the cheque from the third party insurers and trust the caravan garage does not deviate from their quote. I could chat to them about it beforehand.
2) push third party insurance to deal direct with my caravan dealer, but this looks unlikely
3) ask my caravan insurance to sort it but they require me to pay the excess and it will go down as a claim until they recover the money from the third party insurers.

to be honest, I prefer 1 for speed
 
Jun 20, 2005
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Absolutely your choice. It will be very good of you to let us all know the final outcome please. Good luck with whatever route you choose🤞🤞
 
Mar 14, 2005
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As Dusty says it is your choice, but I with so many caravan jobs, what appears to be a simple body work repair can often expand when the condition underneath is exposed. That is likely to exceed any excess liability, so I think unless you cannot afford the excess, it would be better to have your insurers involved to manage the repair and recovery of costs.

A word of concern though, if the job does uncover other material damage not caused by the collision, you would be liable, should it need to be repaired.
 
May 7, 2012
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The choice is yours. If the other insurer confirms the will meet the repair costs based on the estimate, then they are obliged to do so meaning there should be no risk there. If further damage is found after stripping both insurers would want to check that so again it should not provide a problem. I suspect delays in getting the parts could be the main one but you are approaching a quieter period for the workshops so they might be more keen to do the work at the moment.
 

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