Hi Guys,
Thank you for all your advice, I really do appreciate it, like I say i'm very new to all this.
I contacted my insurers and they informed me that I wouldn't have to pay the excess on a third party claim (phew) so i've gone ahead with that. I knew I would have to inform future insurers of the accident but was just really trying to avoid the claim as it would reduce my insurance by at least a couple of hundred pounds (although I understand that having an accident on my record would alter this).
Bonnielass I was actually very fortunate with the bike, it appears to be mainly cosmetic damage. The headlamp bracket is a little skewed but the rest is just fairing work. Dad's on ebay as we speak ;D
