To think this woman should be thoroughly ashamed of herself?

Nah it's "if you hit somebody from behind, it's automatically your fault" reversing into somebody is alot more complicated so very lucky it's happened near cameras actually

@Tarjet, please take the advice you have been given and report it to your insurers and police (online or 101). Use any online or 24-hour phone service you can. Don't wait until tomorrow or you will have added another day's delay. You are beyond the time limits for both, which puts you in breach of contract and law, but salvage what you can. Give outline details now for each to create a case file, and fill in with any more you are asked for later.

Same happened me. I was very angry over it. I actually beeped like a lunatic as she approached me. Worse still, when I got out of the car she sped off! I had her license number and reported it to the police and insurance.
Despite leaving the scene of an accident the police were absolutely useless.
She denied I was stationary and my insurance settled 50/50. They often just go for the easiest option to avoid fighting in court (which costs more).

I was in a 3 car pile up and the car at the very rear who hit us both tried to deny hitting anyone even when we had both felt what she did and the whole front of her car was crumpled in and the police attended the scene. I would never ever trust anyone who asked to deal outside the insurance. They can claim for all sorts and your insurer can void your policy if you fail to report an accident no matter whether you are claiming or the report is for information only. I used to work in liability. Some things are easy to figure out looking at areas and angles of impacts and what can and cannot happen. Other things can be decided as split liability in court or you can agree knock for knock but through the insurer so it is official and there is no comeback. And I would always recommend a dash cam for everyone of any age.

I’d send a breezy ‘don’t worry I’ve got hold of the cctv footage so I’ll pass it on to my insurer no problem’. See if she changes her tune!

This happened to me. Sadly I got nothing. My car was rubbish and she was in a brand new black range rover. Nice to start then horrible.

She owns a leading fashion brand and is worth millions. I just didn't have the money to fight her
I ended up paying for my own repairs.

This.

Dont contact the woman, don't stress, just let the insurance company deal with it. Life's too short!

Go through insurance let them deal with it

It should always go through insurance. It’s there to protect you and legally you have to tell them anyway. You’ve given your son really bad advice there. Insurance companies do also advise not to admit liability so there is that. Doesn’t mean lying is ok but oh crap let’s take photos and pass to insurance should always be the go to response. Also if there are any witnesses then ask if they’ll give their details. Make sure your son knows this in future. Also get him a dashcam. They’re relatively cheap and so worth it for situations like this. Practically, try to get the CCTV but other than that there’s not much you can do except let the insurers handle it. And if it helps you feel better RR lady is probably worrying her snazzy car is now uninsurable- they’re not easy to insure at the best of times due to all the thefts but it’ll be even harder after a crash.

Agree.

Yes to this.

It's a financial matter. Don't take any of it personally. There is no need for mud slinging.

The moving car is at fault.

He needs to emphasise to the insurance agent who will call that he was not moving at all, had his foot firmly on the brake, or in lark if an automatic,and was waiting for the other driver to vacate the space. Emphasise he was not moving forward.

He will also be asked what if anything he did to prevent the accident. Blowing the horn loudly is OK as far as it goes, but could he have reversed quickly? He may well be asked what kept him from doing this.

If there were witnesses to the accident that would be ideal.

Don't put that in writing you should always put an accident through insurance and theoretically tell the police you are putting yourself in the wrong. Just say it is going through your insurance, and that's it.

NC for this as friends have heard the story.

Of course she should be ashamed of herself but I will always be grateful to someone who didn’t insist on going through insurance:

As a young postgraduate student on a very low wage, I lightly scraped the expensive sports car parked next to my old banger as I was exiting a tight parking space in a poorly lit public garage. I really could not afford an increase in my premium and public transport was very poor.

No one was around and there wasn’t much CCTV in use in my country back then so I probably could have got away with leaving the scene. I left a note with all the necessary details, explained that I was a doctoral student on an assistantship, and asked the driver to consider ringing me. He did, I offered to pay directly, he started asking about my studies, my supervisor, etc. Turns out he was a (very well paid) professor in the medical school. He agreed to get some estimates and ring me back - he even knew my office via the campus directory - but I never heard from him again. My insurance remained unblemished.

I would never not report an incident to my insurance company. It’s what you pay insurance for and if you pay for free legal expenses on your policy you can get your excess back and possibly protect your NCD if the accident is not your fault. The insurance company won’t be happy that your son didn’t report this at the time. Why would you trust the word of a stranger who caused the accident

Slightly different.my DH was hit from behind while stationary.she kept apologising BUT she went and told insurers she’d been hit,years ago if you rear ended someone it was always your fault but apparently not anymore.DH eventually lost his job cos of that cow

this. lesson 1 always always always go through insurance. always.

Oh OP, I completely understand your frustration – the nerve of it! Your son did everything right, and now he's being manipulated into thinking it's his fault? Absolutely not.
Here’s a practical plan to tackle this (take a deep breath – you’ve got this):
Get That CCTV ASAP
Retail park CCTV might be the key. These places often store footage for a limited time (7–30 days), so act quickly. Visit in person if possible – they’re often more cooperative that way.
Bring the exact time and location of the incident.
Ask if they require a police or insurance reference number to release it.
If they won’t release it directly, request written confirmation that the footage exists so your insurer can access it.
Let Insurance Handle It
Since it’s an insurance claim now, let them take over. Avoid direct communication with her – stick to brief, polite written exchanges. Her inconsistency is a red flag and she might twist your son’s words.
Keep a Clear Record
Ensure your son documents everything:
A detailed timeline of events
Photos of the car damage
Screenshots of all messages with her
Notes from the initial call (her admission of fault is critical)
And Now… Dash Cams Are the Future
This incident highlights why dash cams are a must-have for drivers, especially newer ones without the “I’ve-seen-it-all” experience.
They’re affordable – £40–£70 for decent front + rear models.
They provide irrefutable evidence – no arguments, no memory gaps, no “he said/she said.”
Insurers often offer discounts for having one.
In cases like this, they can immediately disprove false claims.
If your son had a dash cam, this would already be resolved. It’s frustrating that we need to protect ourselves from dishonesty – but unfortunately, it’s necessary.
You’re absolutely justified in being upset – now it’s time to take action.

a bit late now but get him to fit a dash cam.

I’m a judge and so is my wife. I thought all judges have BMWs?

Over 10 years ago, a man backed into me in a supermarket car park, then drove off without stopping . Luckily, I got his numberplate and another woman who'd seen it said she'd be a witness. I reported it to the police and when they talked to the man, he denied all knowledge! However, the insurance company agreed he was entirely to blame and paid up in full. It was only a little dent in the driver's door but the bill was over £500. It didn't seem to affect my insurance premium.

‘Me and all my judge colleagues’ 🤣

just go through insurance. Report it now and get your side in. Damage to your sons car will prove she reversed into it