SWMBO was in a line of cars waiting to join a busy main road when some git decided to mount the pavement and undertake the cars. He managed to prang our wing/bumper during this manoeuvre before forcing his way into the traffic flow and taking off before anyone got his number.
Involving the insurance will almost certainly end up costing more in compulsory excess / lost NCB / increased premiums so I think it's cheaper to just pay for the repair.
Pictures of damage here:
(1) I know it's hard to tell from a couple of pics, but does that look like the sort of dent that can be pushed out or is it likely a new body panel?
(2) If it can be pushed out, is there a ball park figure (in W.Yorks if it makes a difference)? £100? £200? £500?
(3) Any tips for choosing a bodyshop? I'm assuming main dealers and accident repair places that are associated with insurance companies are going to be expensive.
A quick Google for body shops near our post code finds a couple of standard, back street type places. The nearest is in an Asian area with a fair size East European population and, on Google Street View, there's a Jewish hearse parked on the forecourt. Might this be aimed at the cost-conscious consumer?