I bumped a CAR in a CARPARK. Help.

Today I was in a car park, pulling out (forwards). My view was blocked by a big vehicle to my left, so I wasn't coming out fast, I looked both ways but I was stupidly looking right as I drove out and drove straight into the side of a car. She was driving fast but of course its my fault.

Got out and looked at both cars, there was a little scratch on her car, and small bit of red paint (my car is red) I wiped her car and most of the paint came off. I did hit her car with a bang but thats all the damage I saw. My car is fine.

So we exchanged details, she was fine about it, she said she'd get a private estimate and contact me.

An hour later I get a call and she says she got home and her back door is bent. But I hit her front door? She said as she was driving home she thought her back window was open but it was actually the door that was bent. This will have to go through insurance she said. She seemed like a really nice woman I don't think she'd lie about this, we both work in the hosptial. But surely I'd notice a bent door?

What do I do now? Do I need to contact my insurance company or do I wait for her to contact hers? Do I trust that her door is bent? How much is this likely to cost?

I've just had a total loss claim on my car last month. I can't believe this. I know I'm an idiot but its just one of those things I guess..

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Reply 1

Krissycontagious

gosh i feel aweful for you. people are so bloody cruel :frown:

Reply 2

katy_j87

I feel so bad for you, I know what it's like to have someone milk the life out of a minor incident, it's pathetic. Unfortunately a lot of people out there are selfish and greedy and will claim for whatever they can :frown:

not sure what to advise but I hope it works out ok.

Reply 3

Lil Piranha

Is there no CCTV you can consult?

Reply 4

Helpful_Charlie

And women are 'safer' drivers.

Reply 5

shark67

Did you take any pictures?

Reply 6

something_vague

Original post by Krissycontagious

gosh i feel aweful for you. people are so bloody cruel :frown:

Original post by katy_j87

not sure what to advise but I hope it works out ok.

Original post by Lil Piranha

Is there no CCTV you can consult?

Original post by shark67

Did you take any pictures?

I've just literally paid a £550 excess for my total loss (and that WASN'T my fault..the driver just drove off) so I guess I'm in to pay another, and my premium will shoot up.

I'm already working 55 hours a week to pay off my car I just bought (the insurance pay out wasn't enough for a car) so I'll have to work more to pay this off. I know its my fault but it was an accident and I feel awful. I'm still shaking now.

So do I ring my insurance to report the accident?

I'm just confused how bumping her front door and causing a scratch, can end up BENDING her back door on the drive home, hmm.. As we parted ways we agreed the damage would be in the region of £100. now shes saying £1000.

I didn't get pictures unfortunately as my phone was at work and I was just popping to the shops during my lunch break. I don't think there are cameras in that car park, its a tiny (very windy!) car park, operated by a traffic warden.

Reply 7

Krissycontagious

surely the story will prove you innocent? can they really get away with that? i mean £1000 no way it would cost that much for a bent door even if you had done it

i hope it gets sorted. its added stress for you isnt it :frown:

Reply 8

DOAADI

Original post by something_vague

An hour later I get a call and she says she got home and her back door is bent. But I hit her front door? She said as she was driving home she thought her back window was open but it was actually the door that was bent. This will have to go through insurance she said. She seemed like a really nice woman I don't think she'd lie about this, we both work in the hosptial. But surely I'd notice a bent door?

What do I do now? Do I need to contact my insurance company or do I wait for her to contact hers? Do I trust that her door is bent? How much is this likely to cost?

A couple of years ago, one of my pupils passed her test. She got a car a week later, and within two days had an accident. She phoned me for advice. What happened was that someone pulled out in front of her and clipped her front wing - I had to drag that detail out of her (crucially, the damage to her car was on the offside wing, and not on the front).

I warned her that the other driver would put in an inflated claim and that she should notify her insurance company to protect herself when he did. Most of them do this.

Her dad didn't want to mention it to the insurance because - in his words - "she had only just passed and they were bound to blame her".

A week or so later I asked her how she had got on. She said that she'd heard nothing from the other driver, and was hoping he'd "forgotten about it". I asked what age his car was - it was an '07 or '08, and this happened in late '09/early '10. I again advised her that there was no way he wasn't going to claim on her insurance for a car that new.

A few days later, she phoned and told me he had claimed it was HER fault - and that she'd driven into him while he was stationary. The last I heard was that her insurance (once it was told) was disputing his story, as the damage didn't match up with it.

My advice would be to go through your insurance to protect yourself.

If you choose to keep the insurance company out of it then you'll just have to pay whatever the other driver comes up with - so imagine a number between 1 and 9 and stick two or three 0s on the end of it.

Reply 9

LaughingBro

Original post by something_vague

*car

Reply 10

Hammyster

Ok long and short of it is it is possible to bend the door with a minor shunt and it isnt noticeable until the door gets opened. Depending on the car it can cost a fair few quid to fix as it can end up being a non repairable job meaning a new door (unlikely but still possible).

Any work to repair will cost around 200 for paint per panel minimum if using a decent repairer anda new door could cost around 2-400 quid. Labour on top and its easily 1k pounds.

If your excess is 500 quid contact her and ask her to take it to an approved workshop local to herself and get a repair estimate from them.

If it's about 1k pounds ask her if you can pay for it outside insurance as your excess is half the claim value and your claiming means her insurance will go up as well as yours.

Reply 11

katy_j87

I agree with what a previous poster said and would advise you to tell your insurance company so they are forewarned.

A few years ago, my mum was driving up our road and had to pull close to the left as an ambulance was coming down the road. As she drove past, she managed to scrape our neighbour's parked car. She got out and checked the damage, it was just a tiny scratch with a bit of our car's paint left on similar to what happened to you. She exchanged details and thought that would be the end of it. A few weeks later, she got a letter through from the neighbour's insurance company that had been mistakenly sent to her detailing his claims. He was claiming for EVERYTHING, saying that he had to pay to have the car looked at by mechanics at a garage, the chassis was damaged, just a load of crap. She even got a court summons letter which was ridiculous. You can't trust other drivers, they're not honest. Luckily, she told her insurance company and they sorted it out for her.

It puts you off driving sometimes! My mum hasn't really driven since and I'm sure it's because of this. It's a total joke what people try and get away with.

Reply 12

philistine

At least you didn't bump a car.

Reply 13

ChrisBan

You should inform your insurance company regardless of who was at fault. Some companies go as far as having this in the terms of their policy

Reply 14

Arekkusu

The scandal is that the value of the OP's excess is probably up to twice as much as the woman's whole insurance.

Reply 15

Hammyster

Original post by ChrisBan

You should inform your insurance company regardless of who was at fault. Some companies go as far as having this in the terms of their policy

Absolutely not!!!

This is the first in a line of bad mistakes to make.

You have to remember that your premium will go up with or without a claim. ie if you call your insurer to tell them you had an accident but wont be claiming as you are paying for the other parties damage your insurance premium will go up regardless.

If there was a possibility that the other party may claim for personal injuries then and only then inform your insurers.

Reply 16

SnoochToTheBooch

hey if you think she's lying then go with that instinct. this is serious money you're talking about losing for the sake of being polite to someone who seemed nice. **** that.

Reply 17

jessiainscough

This reminds me of an accident I had about a year ago - I was in the wrong lane on a roundabout which resulted in me having a side-on collision with another car - I was so traumatised by the whole thing (first car and first time driving around uni city) so I didn't think to take a picture or even look at the damage to his car - but he ended up claiming £800 - when you look at my car you can hardly tell, there are only a few tiny scratches! He could well have been telling the truth, about the amount of damage, but having never looked at his car, I don't know :frown:

I was absolutely bricking it when my insurance came up for renewal this year, but somehow it went down? :confused:

Horrible experience nonetheless, even though it was only a minor accident!

(edited 12 years ago)

Reply 18

DOAADI

Original post by Hammyster

Absolutely not!!!

This is the first in a line of bad mistakes to make.

It's not actually a mistake. It's using the insurance the way it was supposed to be used.

If you don't like the idea of your premium being affected, then keep the insurance out of it - but only for that reason - and just cough up whatever imagined-up number the other person comes up with.

From what the OP said, her premiums have already been affected by a previous accident. They don't rise and rise indefinitely.

Reply 19

shark67

There are some **** who will screw others over if they get the chance, like in your case. Don't even think about paying her a sum like that. Fight your corner!