How much is your excess? Chances are it would be cheaper not going through the insurance company.
Protected no claims is a false economy if you ask me. If you claim and stay with the same company for the following years policy, there is a good chance it will rise considerably as "most" policies do, hence why its cheaper to shop about every year.
But if you do claim you then have to declare it to a new company!!! Catch 22.
I took my daughters car for
some correction work to a couple of guys in Cambuslang and they highly recommended a spray painter 2 doors down from where their unit was. Considering these guys are perfectionists I thought the spray painters work must have been 1st class to be recommended by them.
Maybe worthwhile dropping in to see what he can do.