FTO AUSTRALIA

I had to go to magnetic island (off townsville) today to meet a contractor onsite to supervise a concreting job at one of my sewage treatment plants and as the ferry to the island leaves at 7am, i wasn't able to get a council car. So i drove my own, straight to the ferry from home.

I parked in the nearby carpark (which also acts as a carpark for the local boaties with their trailers. Anyway, i get back from the island at about 1pm, drive back to the office, get the laptop out of the boot walk round the passanger side of the vehicle only to see the front left panel and front back quite busted up. By the looks of it a boat trailer has been backed into it or scraped right round the edge.

So of course im like wtf. No note left, no video evidence of the arpark as the cameras were pointed the other way and no witnesses coming forward. So basically im stuck with the bill.

I took the car to a panel beaters (which the partner of a friend owns) and the quote is approx 3600. Im fully insured with unique car insurance, however im concerned that if i claim the insurance money, my rating will drop and premiums go up.

I'm also trying to get council to pay some of the bill (excess or otherwise), but they reckon that because it aint a council car, they aint giving me anything. They say that i shouldn't have been using a private vehicle for council business (despite the fact that there are no council vehicles available for my use at the time needed, which they acknowledge.)

I dunno what to do, I cant afford to have my premiums go up on me and i cant afford to pay 3600 for repairs.

That really sucks dude. I'd be totally ropeable. You could put a notice down at the ramp offering a reward for information leading to identification of the offender. There's often no love lost between boaties.

yeah do what he said.

lol

if you in a fit of rage... just burn the whole joint down...

um... probably wont solve his problem with the bill

good idea though lol

your gonna have to pay the excess for sure as u can't give them the details of the person that did the damage..

sux though...

but this is the way of the world...

I'd say probably pay the excess, i dont think your insurance premium will go up, it just wont go down next year.
sorry to hear it man.. hope it works out for u

well don't take this as legal advise but...

Since the council could not provide you with the "required" tools to conduct your duties, you "in good faith" used your vehicle to conduct official council work.

This means that the council could be held liable for the insurance of the vehicle used to carry out such duties, unless the is an especific clause that forbids council employees to use personal vehicles, but in any case you could have a case. Ring up legal aid to see if you can get proper "legal advise"...