Minor accident - should I report?

Hades said:
Sadly not true. My premium went up after a non fault claim directly on a driver who hit my parked car. I claimed against their insurance directly and simply informed my own.
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After being in a similar position to OP today, minor accident not my fault, I have since found out from someone that worked in car insurance for 15 years that it’s illegal for the price to go up due to a claim when it’s not your fault, and you claimed on the other party’s insurance for full costs.

If your insurer has to pay for anything, because liability isn’t 100% them, it could go up, but otherwise it’s illegal.
 
MrRockliffe said:
After being in a similar position to OP today, minor accident not my fault, I have since found out from someone that worked in car insurance for 15 years that it’s illegal for the price to go up due to a claim when it’s not your fault, and you claimed on the other party’s insurance for full costs.

If your insurer has to pay for anything, because liability isn’t 100% them, it could go up, but otherwise it’s illegal.
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I very much doubt there is a law about it but happy to be proven wrong.

But if that's the case then why do they ask whether you have had any claims or accidents regardless of fault? Also at the time (a few years ago now admittedly) the comparison websites were higher for me for the same quote but putting a non fault accident on there.

The reason a non fault accident is still relevant is quite simple. Driving defensively, or parking defensively, means you are less likely to get into an accident. A non fault claim might indicate you drive less defensively than someone without any accident history. So the risk to the insurance company is higher. They increase the premium to cover the risk.
 
MrRockliffe said:
Sorry, not law but insurance regulation
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When I had a non fault claim (someone hit me from behind) my insurance went up on renewal. I asked why and the advisor went on to explain regardless of whose fault, statistically if someone has had an accident once they are more likely to have another one, hence why their premiums are likely to go up. This was over 10 years ago, maybe things have changed now, although I doubt it. Insurance companies are out there to make money, they will try to fleece you for as much as they can and try not to pay out if they can help it.
 
MrRockliffe said:
After being in a similar position to OP today, minor accident not my fault, I have since found out from someone that worked in car insurance for 15 years that it’s illegal for the price to go up due to a claim when it’s not your fault, and you claimed on the other party’s insurance for full costs.

If your insurer has to pay for anything, because liability isn’t 100% them, it could go up, but otherwise it’s illegal.
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I just don’t believe that.
 
How minor is minor, in terms of telling insurance? Someone opens a door on you in a carpark? Taps you with a supermarket trolley? What if you scrape a gate post, scratch a wing mirror?

Does it make a difference if you bother to repair or not?
 
clv101 said:
How minor is minor, in terms of telling insurance? Someone opens a door on you in a carpark? Taps you with a supermarket trolley? What if you scrape a gate post, scratch a wing mirror?

Does it make a difference if you bother to repair or not?
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I'd expect third party involved
 
Jimbo Mahoney said:
Just had a minor scuff with someone and not my fault.

He's stuck behind a car turning right at lights and decided to pull into my lane without warning.

He's basically stationary and I'm doing about 20 mph in the left lane.

His front arch grazed my rear arch - mostly his plastic on my paintwork.

99% of the scuff rubs off, but there some very minor scratches.

Got his details (well, only first name, phone number, licence plate) and photos of the damage and he's admitted fault (although I realise that can count for nothing).

I'm not going to bother pursuing it as the damage is so minor and my car's old anyway.

My only concern is if he decides for some reason to claim to his insurer that it's MY fault (basically the exact opposite of the truth!) and start playing silly beggars.

How do I cover myself against this?

Do I report to the police and my insurance company that there has been an incident but that I don't intend to take any action?
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I’ve had this a couple of times, I’ve driven a succession of older cars and never reported the incidents I suspect the other guy will just be happy to not be paying up! If he does report it and blame you then you just contest it and if they ask you were going to report it that day.
 
clv101 said:
How minor is minor, in terms of telling insurance? Someone opens a door on you in a carpark? Taps you with a supermarket trolley? What if you scrape a gate post, scratch a wing mirror?

Does it make a difference if you bother to repair or not?
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Personally, I would base the decision on whether I thought the other person would be likely to report it - in the case of a shopping trolley/door ding, the chances are negligible, in the case of an inanimate object then basically non-existent (unless the owner happens to be watching you at the time)
 
Pentland said:
I just don’t believe that.
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They got back to me, and advised that it would be in breach of “Treating Customers Fairly”, a set of regulations first introduced by the FCA into the finance world and later adopted by the insurance sector.

He advised that increasing your premium for an accident deemed not your fault, and with no expense incurred by your insurer, would be in direct breach of this policy.
 
OP if your sentence about "him being stationary, you doing 20mph" is correct, doesn't that mean you hit a stationary car?

This might become awkward if TP disputes liability.
 
Whether or not your premiums increase due to a non-fault is entirely dependent on who the underwriter is, some do it some don't.

It's not illegal but some insurers like UKI don't load premiums for non-fault.
 
clv101 said:
How minor is minor, in terms of telling insurance? Someone opens a door on you in a carpark? Taps you with a supermarket trolley? What if you scrape a gate post, scratch a wing mirror?

Does it make a difference if you bother to repair or not?
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Yeah that's what i was thinking.

If every driver was 100% honest and reported every minor event (such as opening a car door into someone else's), then they'd be getting millions of notifications a week. Should you also be notifying your insurer if you reversed into a post/wall/fence even if you caused no damage to your car or to the physical obstacle.

Frankly if it's minor damage and both parties have agreed not to pursue it any further, then that should be the end of it.
 
(In addition to Q of whether TP was moving)

Did his/tp behaviour indicate he wouldn't contact his insurance, or, he said so ? otherwise you can imagine tp having same concerns about you, and contacting his.
if you went as far as exchanging names/phone, seems like an intention to contact them; nothing to loose to contact him and confirm you will not. ?

usually you would mutually agree at the scene you wouldn't pursue .... as I did years ago when someone backed into me, in retrospect it was a mistake as a subsequently realised bumper had shifted.
 
Update:

1) When I say "he's stationary" - I mean he wasn't moving at the time I overtook him on the left - he moved out left just as I was moving past him, hence why his front wing touched my rear wing.

2) I've phoned him to confirm that neither of us intend to take it any further. Both cars are scuffed, but not really paintwork damaged. It's almost invisible on both cars. He seems cool... If I had scratches or dents, I would ask him to sort it out and let him pay for it or sort it through insurance.

Fingers crossed that's the end of it...
 
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