What to do? Hit and run in car park...

Hades · 18 Jul 2016 at 10:51

Steedie said:
Even if I don't make the claim, won't they still potentially increase my premiums for letting them know as it will be on my record?

Yes. been there, done that.

I had a very similar issue a few years ago. Someone damagaed my car in a car park but drove off. A witness kindly left a note so I checked online for their insurer. I went through the other parties insurance but informed my own. It was a bit of a pain in the rear to be honest. The other insurance company initially refused to deal with me and said I should go through my own insurance - until I said I'd simply go through an accident management company which would likely double their costs.

About 6 months later I got a payout from them. I don't regret the decision at all because it was more a point of principle after so many times having people damage my car and simply drive off. I would do the same again. But my insurance did go up slightly at renewal and I have a non fault accident on my record. I was with Admiral at the time. So I just went to a new company and got insurance cheaper than the prevous year. Presumably it would be even cheaper if I didn't have the "accident" on there.

Mind you I'm an old fogey now so a slight percentage increase on my policy isn't much money overall.

Jamesyboyjim · 18 Jul 2016 at 11:58

Op, if the person who hit your car had their way, they would have gotten away with it and you'd have never found them, you'd be left with a hefty bill. Keep that in mind.

I find it outrageous that your own insurance should increase as a result of something like this! How are you statistically more likely to have another accident if your car was crashed into in a car park when you wasn't even at the scene?!

Steedie · 18 Jul 2016 at 12:16

I've had a couple of quotes from recommended bodyshops in my area ranging from £180-240

For that should I just avoid insurance?

Jamesyboyjim said:
I find it outrageous that your own insurance should increase as a result of something like this! How are you statistically more likely to have another accident if your car was crashed into in a car park when you wasn't even at the scene?!

Absolutely, it's crazy. I even parked out of the way in a bit of the car park that had no-one in it when I arrived. She happened to be the only one that parked there after and still managed to hit me, yet I'm now the one more likely to make a claim? Mental

xs2man · 18 Jul 2016 at 12:21

Jamesyboyjim said:
I find it outrageous that your own insurance should increase as a result of something like this! How are you statistically more likely to have another accident if your car was crashed into in a car park when you wasn't even at the scene?!

Been answered:

Kenai said:
You need only watch the many 'not my fault but so determined to maintain being in the right that I'll plow into an avoidable accident anyway' that appear now everyone are getting dashcams to have an insight into why this is.

Other typical examples are things like insisting on parking close to the supermarket where all the kids bang their doors around and mum is distracted by them rather than at the back where it's empty. Parking opposite a T junction at the bottom of a hill in the snow (think that was someone here). Parking on a tight road with few passing places etc.

All things that might not be your fault but statistics show that the people making those sorts of claims, generally end up doing so again more often than others do it for the first time.

George Hincapie · 18 Jul 2016 at 12:37

I don't think that car parking spaces generally have increased in size sufficiently. Ignoring driver skill obviously.

Orionaut · 18 Jul 2016 at 13:00

Steedie said:
yet I'm now the one more likely to make a claim? Mental

Isnt mental at all.

The statistical analysis of millions of claims shows that having made a claim, you are slightly more likely to make further future claims.

The Insco neither needs to know nor care what the causal mechanism is.

All they need to know is that you just are.

Mind, I would just love to see the "Dark Stats Files" held by the inscos.

IE the ones containing all the statistical data that they know is valid and would like to use, but are legally prevented from doing so!

(EG, I would risk a small wager that there is a statistically significant corrolation in favour of Whippy claims and Asian names. And I am certain that there will be many others to go with that)

peterwalkley · 18 Jul 2016 at 13:05

Steedie said:
I've had a couple of quotes from recommended bodyshops in my area ranging from £180-240

For that should I just avoid insurance?

I would ... even if having to fork out from my own pocket. See what the driver says when you tell her.

Orionaut · 18 Jul 2016 at 13:06

George Hincapie said:
I don't think that car parking spaces generally have increased in size sufficiently. Ignoring driver skill obviously.

Indeed, in many cases parking spaces have got smaller (and in particular narrower) while cars have got larger (and in particular, wider)

I remember some years ago parking my old Range Rover "Classic" next to a BMW Mini and noting that both vehicles were actually about the same size on the ground! :eek:

Couple that with Papier Mache bumpers and people getting fatter (and therefore needing more rather than less opening space for the doors) no wonder people have car park problems these days.

Nasher · 18 Jul 2016 at 13:54

Parking spaces have definitely got smaller. I'm driving a Fiesta ST these days and even I find some spaces tight :/

Steedie said:
I've had a couple of quotes from recommended bodyshops in my area ranging from £180-240

Thats not bad if it includes painting. Chances are it will cost you more over the next 5 years if you have to claim through insurance.

Quartz · 18 Jul 2016 at 13:58

The thing to do is to tell your insurer of the incident but say that you are NOT making a claim but reserve the right to do so. Get the damage professionally assessed and go after the guy's insurer in the Small Claims Court.

Nasher · 18 Jul 2016 at 14:00

Even if you don't make a claim they will hike your premium if you tell them.

Steedie · 18 Jul 2016 at 14:17

Quartz said:
The thing to do is to tell your insurer of the incident but say that you are NOT making a claim but reserve the right to do so. Get the damage professionally assessed and go after the guy's insurer in the Small Claims Court.

As above, the general consensus is that even just telling them will hike premiums, even if you don't pursue the claim

Quartz · 18 Jul 2016 at 15:06

Steedie said:
As above, the general consensus is that even just telling them will hike premiums, even if you don't pursue the claim

If you don't tell them, they can retro-actively invalidate your insurance if they find out.

Nasher · 18 Jul 2016 at 15:09

Quartz said:
If you don't tell them, they can retro-actively invalidate your insurance if they find out.

Except how would they find out?

It's not like they inspect the body/paintwork when you buy the car.

kaptainmarc · 18 Jul 2016 at 16:21

My claim never bumped my price up, As it was an obvious fault of the third party as they hit me whilst I was stationary.

It even went down as I got another years NCB

faheemrazzaq · 18 Jul 2016 at 16:27

It may be my ignorance but last time I checked my insurance policy T&Cs. It asked for any incidents to be reported within 24 hrs. Be careful with it.

Banzai_Joe · 18 Jul 2016 at 16:34

Biggest problem with declaring an accident, whether you claim or not, as in my particular case is that you then get hounded by claims companies almost begging you to make a claim by trying to convice you that you have whiplash from the car that reversed into you at 2mph in a car park.
Sheesh! Those people are low-level scum, they lie and coerse to get you to claim.

Burnsy2023 · 18 Jul 2016 at 16:41

Banzai_Joe said:
Biggest problem with declaring an accident, whether you claim or not, as in my particular case is that you then get hounded by claims companies almost begging you to make a claim by trying to convice you that you have whiplash from the car that reversed into you at 2mph in a car park.
Sheesh! Those people are low-level scum, they lie and coerse to get you to claim.

I don't give my insurance company my phone number anymore. They can't be trusted with it.

hlxbravo · 18 Jul 2016 at 18:55

kaptainmarc said:
My claim never bumped my price up, As it was an obvious fault of the third party as they hit me whilst I was stationary.

It even went down as I got another years NCB

When my last motor was rear ended (wife's fault apparently, on my policy :confused:

) my insurance went up, fair do's I guess as it went through as fault...however...

Whilst it was being repaired, a nice Belgian arctic driver decided to hit the parked up courtesy car outside my house...I was in bed as it was 12.30 am. There was no issue as it all went through as non fault. However when my motorbike insurance was due, I asked old broker for proof of NCB and it came through with a fault claim (the wife) and a non fault. They took no action for the fault as she was driving but they hiked the price for the non fault one, even stating this was the reason...I was seething to the point of cancelling but the wife said it will no doubt be the same elsewhere.

Modern day dick turpin's the lot of 'em.

Steedie · 19 Jul 2016 at 14:19

A quick update for anyone interested...

Had a few quotes and settled on one that got a lot of recommendations from colleagues at work who had similar work done. Came to just over £200, let her know and fair play to her, she paid straight away and was really nice about it. She might have driven off, but I genuinely think that was because her friend lied and said there was no damage seeing as she did initially stop. She's been really nice since, and I facebook stalked her once I got the name and...daaaaaaayum!

So I have the money in my account now and the car booked in Friday!