Question on car insurance

A silly question, but it's better to ask a dumb question and be sure than take any risks: If you get into a minor accident with your car and decide to pay for the damage yourself (for your car and the other driver's) in order to avoid losing your "No claims discount", are there any potential negative things that can happen if you inform your insurance company (Call them up and say "Hi, I got into an accident, but ignore this because I'm not requesting that you pay?") D

Interestingly, there's a clause in my contract which states: "If we want to , we can take over and conduct in your name, the defence or settlement of any claim..."

Thanks

I have been hit twice now and that is what the driver did.

As far I know you don't have to report it to the police if the damage was to the two cars
only and no one was injured (I always call just to CMA). Both times they ask if any one
is injured, then said they don't need to attend unless I want them to.

Now I think you are obliged to tell your insurance company (Again I call just to CMA).
Both times they said if I was happy with arrangement go for it and took no details.
There may be some negatives by calling them but there wasn't for me.

I can't remember which company (s) as it was a few years back and when it comes to car
insurance I change companies like some change their coffee filters.

Interestingly, there's a clause in my contract which states: "If we want to , we can take over and conduct in your name, the defence or settlement of any claim..."

that's scary   

Thanks mate. I like your strategy of changing insurance companies as often as coffee filters! ; )

There is no legal requirement to call the police if nobody has been hurt.  In fact the police will quite likely be totally disinterested unless there's clear evidence of drunken driving or something similar.

I had someone smack into the side of me some years ago -- He came flying up the wrong side of the road  and tried to pass as I was turning into my driveway.    I insisted on calling the police so that they had a record of the incident for the insurance claim as the other driver was in the wrong and their report of the damage and vehicle positions would clearly confirm that.  The response from one of the cops when they rolled up was pretty much "Nobody hurt?  What do you expect us to do?"      

In fact when I later asked for a copy of the police report to send to the insurance company, I was told that they hadn't filed one!       

In theory, it's normally a condition of your insurance that you notify your company of any accident in which you are involved, no matter how small and no matter who was to blame.    In practice, of course, it doesn't always turn out that way..... 

This was a really good question, and I'm glad I know the answer now.  I seem to have bad luck with cars.     It seems that the system with insurance vs. out-of-pocket here is very similar to the US.

This was a really good question, and I'm glad I know the answer now.  I seem to have bad luck with cars.     It seems that the system with insurance vs. out-of-pocket here is very similar to the US.

and we got lots of uninsured drivers  here too.

Yeah, I called them and told them about it...now I just have to get the estimate for his car and then decide if I should pay it out of pocket or not. Fun fun fun during a wonderful week.