What's the excess? If its say 500 quid and the scratch repair is less than that , then no it's not worth claiming. Need more info.

If its a minor ding I'd just move on. A 15 year old car isn't going to last forever and the insurance company will probably write it off to get the case closed asap.

A write-off is pretty likely at 15 years old. A rear door of SWMBO's 2008 Pug 207 was dented by a reversing motorist in March. Insured value was estimated at £1350 so the car was written off without question. We chose to keep the car (and repair - our choice) and got a reduced payout of £850 - which exactly covered the repair at our local bodyshop.

I would definitely suggest following that route if you want to keep the car. Much less hassle than finding another, and you don't have to repair unless you want to.

My daughter is keen to get a quote from a local garage tomorrow, and will decide then (v. proud of her car). My concern is that, if she makes a claim, it could affect her own insurance premium.

It sounds as if the damage is superficial and not worth claiming (tho you should make this position clear to your insurers). Go to any local bodyshop and get a quick guesstimate for cost. Or you could try one of the mobile dents-away people who come to your place. All the better if the third party is prepared to cough up.

But don't forget that owning and using a car has costs which sometimes have to come out of your pocket, not your insurer's :-)