Car "accident"

android-fan

android-fan

android-fan

Associate
Joined
23 Nov 2011
Posts
357
Some advice please...

I was parking up outside a shop at the weekend. To make room for the car in front to leave, I reserved and bumped into the car behind me, smashing his number plate.

Offered to pay for the plate, but said he wanted to have the car checked out a garage...

Come today, have a call indicating the bumper is smashed/cracked under the plate.

Took plenty of pictures at the time, and from my view point, can't see how the bumper would crack, considering only the fascia of the number was cracked?

Obscured his number for privacy reasons.


gavuTH
 
Good job you have insurance then. Let the insurance company worry about the costs, that is what you pay them for.
 
You'd be surprised at how much damage can be done to the front bumper of a modern car. I think it's perfectly feasible that the bumper could have cracked behind the plate - especially seeing as it looks like that bumper sort of comes to a point, and you've hit it right at the apex. As above, I'd see what the costs are but be prepared to contact your insurance, the repairs can be surprisingly expensive too.
 
Agreed, the shape of the bumper would make it possible to crack it on the apex behind the plate.
 
touch said:
Is the crack not visible in your photo?

On the lower lip running almost the full width?
Click to expand...

I would also say it is and that looks reasonably fresh.

Also quite a bump to split the plate like that or do you have a tow bar?

@android-fan Personally, given the car brand and likely cost of bodyshop repair, I would just let him claim off your insurance. If you don't need to claim then at least no excesses to pay so no hassle to you bar loss of some NCB. Worth speaking to your company but little chance they would dispute.
 
Modern cars with their crumple zones to protect the occupants and other measures to reduce the severity of impacts on pedestrians tend to be rather easily damaged in low speed bumps vs older cars
 
android-fan said:
No that crack is just in the lacquer.

No tow bar.

My bumper was completely undamaged
Click to expand...

Yes but a crack it is whether in paint / lacquer or bumper itself.

If the bumper has deformed, they don't always reshape and it is a new bumper time, especially on the very angular ones. You must have hit pretty hard to crack the plate like that so I can believe there is damage behind it. Something like that could have damaged the retention brackets too.

I had this on my last car. Colleague reversed into it in the car park and the hidden damage was surprising.
 
I cracked a number plate with my knee the other day, no damage to me. I would say ask for photos of the bumper damage or go through your insurance. Lots of scammers about, don't just take their word ;)
 
My wife's car's rear bumper was ran into very gently a few years ago. Didn't even break the number plate. When looking at the rear bumper in sunlight though the paint had hundreds of hairline cracks running all throughout it and so from I experience I can see why this is entirely possible.

There would be zero benefit in the guy lying about this to get the bumper sprayed and going through his insurance company (thus increasing his own premiums by adding a 3rd party fault claim). Unless you were planning to pay him cash? If this is the case then maybe go around to his house to drop the cash off and see the damage for yourself before paying?

Check your own bumper too very closely after washing. I wouldn't be surprised if you had similar hairline cracks in the paint but just haven't seen them.
 
Chris Wilson said:
Looks like a bad paint job on a flexible section with the lacquer un-bonding from the base coat to me. They may well be trying to get it sorted as a freebie...
Click to expand...

Possibly could be true but the OP clearly hit his car from the evidence presented, admitted liability already and there is clearly visible damage as a result; so if the Owner wants to claim off the OP's insurance it will be a straightforward claim. Unless they are willing to go through a smart repair or fix not replace type bodyshop. Even then it's going to be a few hundred ££.

There is nothing to contest now sadly. A cash settlement on this car will be north of £1k for the OP as at any point the Owner can go through the insurance.

I would expect a new bumper, spray and any brackets replaced etc.
 
My insurance will cover fully, and my NCB's are protected; however, I don't want the other person to take advantage of the situation. The plastic covering on the number plate is cracked, but, not the plate itself. The black border around the plate also looks to be intact.

Will pass the my photos onto my insurance company and see what they come back with.

Thanks all
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom