Accidentally scratched a car - help?

Completely up to the OP to make an informed choice
If you buy a second car you should have the service/repair history and you note any modifications such as a resprayed bumper as a modification. Insurance notes and claim history is on the MIB register anyhow. Insurers are used to insuring second hand vehicles; the fact that it has changed hands doesn’t change the service history.

OP I am logging off for Christmas now but good luck!

It's not piffle, though 🤦‍♀️

Getting your insurance cancelled is no joke - lots of insurers won't touch you with a bargepole if you've had a policy invalidated - and it's not something that ever comes off your history, whereas claims "disappear" after a certain number of years.

Obviously lots of people take the risk and many will never get caught, but it's always worth pointing out the risks so OP can make a calculated choice.

"If you don’t declare and they find out, for instance because the other driver makes a claim or you later have an accident that you DO claim for and the garage notes that the side has been resprayed previously, but your insurer was not aware of that because you didn’t tell them, your insurer can cancel your policy and you get black-listed with the motor insurers panel so you will struggle to get insurance anywhere. So the problem does NOT go away if you settle in cash. I say this from working in industry and with a legal background."

So a previously resprayed bumper would invalidate a policy? My car is second-hand, how do I know whether bits have been damaged or resprayed in the past? What happens if you buy a car that has dents and damage already?

Proof that insurance companies really are (insert appropriate expletive here), as they were described to me by a solicitor that used to work for the insurance companies, he said they will try to weedle their way out of anything and never give a fair price, as I'm sure everyone on here will have experience of. I myself have had shocking repairs done by the insurance companies, whilst waiting for my car I was reading the trade magazine which was explaining how the spray shop staff could save money for the company by cutting corners.

I work in insurance and this happens all the time. I am afraid it’s in the terms and conditions of any motor insurance policy that you have to declare any incident or accident resulting in any damage to persons, property or animals EVEN if you are not claiming. This is simply put a note on your policy and does not affect pricing in most companies.

If you don’t declare and they find out, for instance because the other driver makes a claim or you later have an accident that you DO claim for and the garage notes that the side has been resprayed previously, but your insurer was not aware of that because you didn’t tell them, your insurer can cancel your policy and you get black-listed with the motor insurers panel so you will struggle to get insurance anywhere. So the problem does NOT go away if you settle in cash. I say this from working in industry and with a legal background.

This is a high price to pay for just not making a call for them to put a note on your file. It’s not a claim so you don’t lose your no claims.

OP it’s up to you whether you settle in cash or go through insurance but keep a record of it and always tell your insurer.

Someone hit us in similar circumstances and after checking the damage was cosmetic we didn’t pursue it either. They were apologetic at the scene and it felt almost uncharitable to take it further.

We saw them several months later and said an awkward “Hello” - made even more so when we realised where we knew each other from!

I scraped someone's car a week after passing my test too. I obviously didn't have enough room for my manoeuvre so I don't know what I was thinking!

It's really common for new drivers to have a few bumps. That's part of the reason why new drivers tend to have bangers. Please don't beat yourself up about it.

It sort of depends on your boot though. I need a good couple of foot clearance to open mine. I do reverse park automatically and then wander back with a trolley and think bollocks. I tend to just stick it in the middle as doors slide rather than open outwards

Don't cry, it really isn't worth getting upset about. They're not upset because you'll fix it.

If you pay, they can later go through insurance and you pay twice. However, I absolutely wouldn't go through insurance for this unless it's a company car etc and you're kind of forced to. They're likely reasonable people and going through insurance will cost them too. It is the "correct" thing to do but the cost via insurance will be nothing less than extortionate and cost you and them via increased premiums.

I used to work in claims.

I reported an accident to my insurance that was non claim. I skidded into the back of my neighbour in the snow. Her car was fine my car had a broken headlight. I reported it just in case. It stayed on file for five months (time limit to make a claim?) then dropped off didn’t affect the premium.

This happened to me recently. I'd say the damage was very slightly more than yours (so paint stripped down and I could see another colour in places ). They got a quote for less than £400 which we were happy to pay. So far it's been a few weeks and I don't think they've reported to insurance.

I did similar op many moons ago. I had just started driving and scraped a car side in the lidl carpark. I was a week postpartum and not myself. It was missing down with rain and I needed to get back for school pick up. I waited for about half an hour. Then decided to go into the supermarket to ask someone to put a message on the annoyed speakers. I got 4 steps away from my car and a lady was screaming at me not to disappear..... I wasn't love. My ars parked and I have been waiting half an hour and the rain will ruin any letter. She wouldn't let me go into the supermarket. She was horrible. Anyways whilst this was going on the owner came out and started shouting at me too. Saying it was his late dad's car. Which I understand but not really the point! He kept huffing and puffing. Made me feel like I killed someone. Eventually his wife came out told him to shut up and finally.let me exchange details.

Imo. Always go through Insurance because I wouldn't trust others not to take the cash and go through insurance too!

I only shop in lidl at 8am on a say morning so spose I don't have an issue for that reason. And mainly put shopping on passenger seat/floor well hence put the trolley next to the front of the car or to the side

5 stars for hanging about to take responsibility ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️. 100% your fault and how they were parked is irrelevant. Hopefully not a mistake you'll make again.

Legally your contract with your insurer is you must tell them, even if you don't make a claim, and it will bump up your premiums.

In real life many people agree to compensate without involving insurance.

The risk you take doing it without insurance is you are putting a lot of trust in a stranger not to bump the cost up, change their mind, or take cash from you and still go through insurance and your insurance will not be interested in your previous agreement with them.

Same. I've seen some v overweight people struggle but otherwise can't see the issue. Tbh I mainly dump shopping on the front seat as only get 4 bags max

was somewhat caught off guard and managed to reverse too far (a driver was zooming up onto my right while another came right up to my backside). The car I scratched was sticking out of its parking slot by a fair margin,

With respect, absolutely none of this matters, I say this not to be mean but as a driver you need to know when things are your fault.

That being said, I promise you this will be absolutely fine, go through insurance and let them handle it- its why they're there

I agree with this. I’ve done it before and offered to pay them directly. And vice versa.

Please tell insurers - if this ever comes up it will effect your husbands insurance (invalidating) it and if they decide to do the claim through there insurance they will know anyway and it will impact

cash in hand and not involving insurance was a lot easier before everything was online and in databases

same is true if you decide to fix something without telling insurance it could render it invalid

How much space do your supermarket places have behind them. You can barely walk between cars in mine never mind open the boot and somehow ferry the shopping from the trolley between two cars

How is that hard to Imagine?

Perspective is everything, but we've all been there, where something is just the final straw! Hope you are feeling calmer about it now & enjoy your Christmas! x

You ANBU to be a bit shaken - it is upsetting, however it seems they were very reasonable after you damaged their car, nobody was hurt, I dont think it warrants repeated crying. I would think you won't hear from them for a few days due to the time of year. If you can afford to pay rather than go through insurance I would ...