Accident damage in Services car park

[Liquid_Entity]

Parked up to get a coffee in Membury services today and when I came back a woman was faffing around my car and her car. She'd parked next to me then reversed back out to straighten up and taken out my rear o/s quarter and bumper. It was hanging off around the tail lights.

We exchanged details and I took a photo of damage before taping it up so i could continue journey. I have her personal details and insurance details. Shall I call her insurers and discuss the situation. Not really sure what to do

 

[On Holiday]

Ultimately it comes down to whether you think you can have it repaired for less than the cost of the next few years premiums increase for having a claim - despite it being non-fault.

 

[Liquid_Entity]

True, I've emailed the person and suggested a non insurance settlement or not. See what happens now.

If she does say go through insurance route, do i just call hers or call mine?

 

[[TW]Fox]

I'd call hers. You'll need to notify yours that its happened, but that her insurer is dealing and you don't want them to act.

 

[bainbridge]

It's a myth that all non fault accidents load the premium because some insurers do and some don't. Granted, if you've no recorded accidents whatsoever then no insurer will load but I'd go on a case by case basis.

Sounds like your damage is more than a couple of hundred pounds and if there are no independent witnesses or other evidence and she tries to dispute liability it'll go 50/50 anyway.

Taking this into account, rather than letting time go by while repair bills are estimated and she has time for hubby to convince her to dispute liability I'd be straight on the phone to the tpi demanding hire and repair and also let my own insurer know.

 

[c1tro]

Act quickly. Premiums don't go up if you haven't another claim but for any damage less than £200 it is sometimes quicker to settle without getting insurers involved.

 

[ivrytwr3]

Taking this into account, rather than letting time go by while repair bills are estimated and she has time for hubby to convince her to dispute liability I'd be straight on the phone to the tpi demanding hire and repair and also let my own insurer know.

That is soooo true! Had some woman late for the school run plough into my wifes stationary car. Lots of apologies and "can we pay for the damage" etc.

After a week or so of no contact i call the wife to ask if they still wished to make payment the phone was passed to the husband who told me that he thinks my wife was at fault and at the very least it would be 50/50.

I didn't waste my breath arguing, put it through the insurance, wife actually ended up getting medical tests and physio and the other party were found at fault.

Car repaired, compo claim, all paid by other party and hopefully their premiums went up.

 

[Liquid_Entity]

Well after discussing today with a work colleague, who'd worked for 8 years in car insurance claims, that it should 100% go through as a non fault and saying my premium won't go up I've called my claims department. Cars being collected Wednesday and hire car also delivered on Wednesday. Great service so far.

 

[On Holiday]

Non faults do affect premiums.. Because "you become more likely to make a claim than somebody who doesn't" is what I was quoted.

Did for me anyway. At least 33% and that's with the value set to £100 because I actually don't know the cost of repairs

 

[Hades]

My insurance with Admiral went up a few years ago when I had a non fault claim directly with the other party's insurance. I moved to a new insurance company and it worked out slightly cheaper than the previous year.

 

[wesimmo]

Non faults do affect premiums.. Because "you become more likely to make a claim than somebody who doesn't" is what I was quoted.

Did for me anyway. At least 33% and that's with the value set to £100 because I actually don't know the cost of repairs

I don't get why people have an issue with this, in the main.

There are some non fault claims that you could have avoided by being more aware of what's going on. E.g. that car ahead in the inside lane that's blatantly going much quicker than the rest of the traffic is going to have to swing out into the outside line very soon, so I'd hang back, the missus wouldn't even notice and might well end up being hit.

It was annoying though when someone managed to write our car off while it was parked outside a restaurant....£2.5k worth of damage to the car when her "foot slipped while parking". Nothing you can do to avoid stuff like that.

 

[Dolph]

Ultimately it comes down to whether you think you can have it repaired for less than the cost of the next few years premiums increase for having a claim - despite it being non-fault.

The problem is if she claims off her insurance and provides the OP's details, it would have to be declared anyway.

Most insurers don't ask if you've claimed, but if you've been involved in an accident, and if the other party claimed, the record will be there...

 

[StevieP]

What you should have done is called her insurer (or more accurately, her insurer should have called you - this way they control the costs in arranging the repairs and getting you into a courtesy car as opposed to you getting an accident management company involved!) - in my experience this is the best way to deal with a non-fault accident. (this way your insurer isn't involved)

Yes she could dispute liability if she's a complete crook but I wouldn't have thought that is likely given that you weren't even in the car!

I tell everyone who will listen - the very first thing you do if you have even the most obvious of non-fault claims - grab the closest passer by or stopped driver and get a name and phone number in case the other party decide to make up a complete fantasy!!!

 

[~Divine~Wind~]

Well after discussing today with a work colleague, who'd worked for 8 years in car insurance claims, that it should 100% go through as a non fault and saying my premium won't go up I've called my claims department. Cars being collected Wednesday and hire car also delivered on Wednesday. Great service so far.

Goes to show that even colleagues that once worked in insurance are always rats

As above I'd have contatced her insurance co directly, if they faff about just tell them you'll go through a claims management company, normally gives them a kick up the ass

 

[snapdragon69]

As above I'd have contatced her insurance co directly, if they faff about just tell them you'll go through a claims management company, normally gives them a kick up the ass

Exactly what I have learned based on experiences over the decades.
In third party claims, only contact your own crooked insurer as a very last resort.