Crashed Company Car and Don't Know What to Do

Lvallywon on 08/10/2016 - 09:25

I damaged a company car in a minor crash (didn't involve any other car, totally my fault!). It will cost $2000 to repair and the insurance excess (which is in the company's name) is $800. I'm not sure what the etiquette is here. Should I go through the company's insurance (meaning the company needs to pay a high premium now) or should I fork out the $2000 myself? Can I offer to pay any increase on the premium if I do go through insurance? What are the expectations here?

I want to note, it is a small, family-run business (not some big corporation) and it's really just a nice favour that they've given me the car in the first place (I really don't need it for work purposes). Does anyone have advice? I really want to do the right thing here.

Automotive

Comments

  • Euphemistic on 08/10/2016 - 09:41

    Business trip or personal? Shouldn't make any difference, but you have every right to use the insurance, but the vehicle owner will need to determine the best method for sorting it out. If the repairs are only $2k they may prefer to pay for the repairs rather than insurance.

  • tonyjzx on 08/10/2016 - 10:09
    +1

    In practice they should pay the excess and they fix it and its out of your hands.

    I used to work in a govt. dept. and every so often someone would smash a govt. car.

    However if you think your job is in jeopardy I would not be adverse to paying the excess ($800 is no big deal) and then claiming it on tax.

    • tonyjzx on 08/10/2016 - 10:18
      +22

      I agree with you but its against the law to charge an employee with destruction of company property.

      To take it to the nth degree, if a truck driver smashes his semi trailer and writes off and burns a $500,000 rig, do you expect him to pay for it?

      If a pilot crashes a $50 mil. aeroplane does he pay?

      No.

      The company (and the govt.) is expected to take out insurance to cover employee accidents.

    • bargainslut on 08/10/2016 - 13:08
      +9

      Every so often as much as other people, people make errors that's life:)

    • arcticmonkey on 10/10/2016 - 13:13
      -1

      Ever injured yourself and went to hospital? Ever got sick and seen a doctor? Ever attended school or university?

      You're living off other taxpayers as well then, aren't you?

  • dlf73 on 08/10/2016 - 10:29
    +1

    You have stated it was a favor they gave you the car, and you want to do the right thing.
    Find out if you have any insurance that may cover this in any way, and then go to your employer, and discuss what should be done.
    Ask your Employer how they think it should be handled. Discuss options and if you both agree on something then surely that is best for both parties.

    P.S. - I damaged some work equipment once, accidentally, but we both agreed to pay half to have item fixed/replaced! This was only a few hundred dollar item though…..

    Hope this helps.

    • StewBalls on 08/10/2016 - 13:09
      -8

      This. Just be truthful & talk to them about it…

      Honestly OP, this is not a question you ever really needed to ask, let alone on OzB…is it so hard to know how to simply do the right thing when you acknowledge that the company has done you a solid?

      There's so many of these kind of posts now, it begs the question, are we as a society losing simple courtesy, decency, honesty, integrity & transparency as de rigueur of modern life???

      • ProspectiveDarkness on 08/10/2016 - 13:20
        +20

        Dial it down a notch. OP isn't asking how to get out of this, or how to get off scot-free. They never suggests they don't want to pay anything. They're asking how to go about compensation; insurance or out-of-pocket.

        • ProspectiveDarkness on 08/10/2016 - 16:28
          +24

          @StewBalls: If anyone's panties are in a bunch, I think it's undoubtedly yours. If you don't like the posts, don't comment and move on. Would've thought that were commonsense.

        • klownz on 10/10/2016 - 00:22
          -1

          @mpratty10:

          Stew had a really good point. We don't know enough about the situation, but I guess everyone can be an armchair expert and provide advice when you don't have to deal with the consequences.

          Simple answer is a conversation with the business owner and sensing the vibe.

      • Scrooge McDuck on 09/10/2016 - 20:36
        +1

        There's so many of these kind of posts now, it begs the question, are we as a society losing simple courtesy, decency, honesty, integrity & transparency as de rigueur of modern life???

        Or perhaps OzBargain has become a stomping ground for anthropology students and their social surveys…

        vallywon:

        Member Since
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  • Xyzzy on 08/10/2016 - 10:33
    +7

    They've got insurance for a reason, so use it. But as its a small family-run business, I'd offer to pay the excess.

  • cheesecactus on 08/10/2016 - 14:21

    Just ask them what their company policy is. See whats standard procedure for this sort of thing

  • chumlee on 08/10/2016 - 14:41
    -2

    What does your employment contract say about who pays the excess? If there is no mention of it company pays unless you want to pay it for them.

  • Karsta on 09/10/2016 - 08:42
    +1

    Accidents happen just tell the truth that way you have a clear conscious and the family company can trust you. All the best.

  • sheikyerbouti on 09/10/2016 - 09:32
    +1

    Not sure why you're asking OzB instead of your boss?

  • kima on 09/10/2016 - 11:41

    maybe just ask them to reduce your pay by $100 week until its paid off, and leave it up to them to decide how they want to go about it and how much they want to charge you. just tell them what you just told us - that you really appreciate what they do for you and your happy for them to decide because you feel awful about the whole thing and don't know how to handle it.

  • serpserpserp on 09/10/2016 - 20:15
    +1

    OP I would make a run for the border. Once your boss finds out no one is making it out of here alive…

    • vivasawadee on 09/10/2016 - 21:03

      Good advice but I don't remember the OP telling us his name is Anton Chigurh

  • DarkOz on 09/10/2016 - 21:31

    You can't do better than being honest with your employer either they like it or not. Report the incident to your company accordingly and let them claim the insurance.

    Regarding the excess fee and possibe future premium increase that's between you and your employer. I don't think the employer has the legal right to force you to pay but that doesn't mean you can't pay it if you want to. Have a chat with your employer. Maybe splitting it 50-50 would be a good solution.

  • tomsco on 09/10/2016 - 21:45

    I'd be on first plane to Mexico.

  • klownz on 10/10/2016 - 00:23
    -3

    OP hasn't been back yet…. clearly not a significant concern :/

  • CLoSeR on 10/10/2016 - 06:44

    Company should fit the bill, you're driving a company car for company business. I've had a bingle in a company car before, just spoke to the finance people and they took care of it.

  • pembajak_sejati on 10/10/2016 - 11:34
    +1

    are you work for a company in Lane Cove? C**?

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