I just reversed into a car which has no insurance, tax or MOT. What happens now?

[notthisnowaswell]

driving home, residential streets with lots of parked cars obstructing views...edged out of a t-junction to turn left. there was a car coming down the road, so I reversed back....into the car which had followed me out of the junction.

his car is scuffed over the passenger wheel arch (mostly paint transfer from my car) and I have quite a crunch to the right back corner

he was really cross and wanted me to bank transfer him money to repair his car. which I declined and said I want to go through insurance (as I'm skint), gave him my name, number and registration. I have his registration and phone number.

I have checked online and the vehicle tax expired in march 2024, MOT expired march this year. so he has no insurance. what will happen now?? I am not planning on telling my insurance company unless he makes a claim because I am financially really really struggling and don't want my premium to increase

Just get a grip and report to your insurer like a normal person. No need to claim victimhood or start frothing about it. You made a mistake - own up to it and let other people deal with their own lack of insurance.

OP had said she drove into him, so why would he be at fault?

He’d have to report you to police for failing to give your details. However he shouldn’t have been driving without insurance. Does he have a valid licence? Might get a bit messy but he’ll have to suck up the costs.

Happened to me not so long ago - other driver was I suspect driving without licence or insurance as had other dings in their car and her son said they were already on her car. Tried to report it to police and they weren’t bothered at all and said they were busy but to leave it with them. I’ve not heard anything and it was a few months ago.

I said if she didn't admit to it and no CCTV.

Mm..

If he had been insured/mot/taxed... and the exact same scenario happened, you'd still have hit him.

Generally speaking, the only time someone elses offence negates yours is if them not committing it means the accident wouldn't have happened.

Ie, you're pulling out of a junction and are hit by a car going SO fast you could not have seen it or avoided it (highly unlikely). So the only reason the accident occurred was because the other party was speeding.

I'd suggest 50/50 here, you were doing a 'peep and creep' and yes, you failed to check behind you.

He was trying to sneak out to turn the other way whilst you were still pulling out of the junction/trying to see if it was safe to go - that isn't driving with due care and attention.

Not necessarily - they have side wheel damage don’t they? Not rear end damage to which that assumption might apply

even then, it can be ruled 50:50 if no one takes responsibility. It’s not automatic, it depends on the damage/ circumstances

I would just tell your insurance company and let them deal with it, think it would be safer and simpler that way.

It is not worth the stress of settling it privately really as if he is happy driving without tax or mot he could easily keep hounding you for money. I doubt he was on his way to get mot as he’s had the car for ages without one!

Sadly I wouldn’t trust anyone to settle it privately so would always prefer to go the insurance.

So that would mean lying to the insurance company.

I can’t believe how your went from ‘totally my fault’ at the beginning of the thread, to ‘he probably drove in to me as much as I did him’.

Most people have been totally clear here that you should not have been reversing while there was any vehicle behind you, no matter how close or far. Also to your point around him not being in the correct place - a lot of people will position on both sides at a T junction if they’re going in different directions - there is enough space.

His MOT and insurance status is irrelevant. As is the make of his car, or how much ‘bling’ he is wearing.

Give him your insurance details and inform your insurer. That’s it. It’s illegal not to. Insurers can also deem a 50/50 fault if they believe both parties were to blame.

I am not changing the narrative. I am just processing what happened. I didn't at the time, because I was shaken up and the guy was screaming in my face and I had my daughter in the car. I was trying to get away as quick as I could

I am not saying that I didn't reverse

S'pose you have form for lying then....

Here you go - YOUR POST:

20.19 says....(drumroll.....)

"my approach was not to tell the insurance company"

Ergo, lie.

Oh leave her alone. She’s upset she doesn’t need someone virtually following her around correcting her

And you’re even worse. “Ergo”- honestly.

Yeah some of the comments are unfair. Accidents happen, don’t let people who enjoy kicking other people get to you.

butbthe underlying advice to not lie to insurance is spot on, even if it is being said a bit harshly.

We have insurance companies so we do not have to engage personally.

Text him.
Tell him his insurance company ( yes I know he isn’t insured ) will be able to find out all of your car insurance details and they will take it from there.
Tell him he shouldn’t be contacting you direct as this is a matter for your insurance company
Block his number

you really shouldn’t be giving him any personal details
All he needs is your car reg.

Usually though if you are behind someone reversing you beep like crazy. Light is on, you don’t want to be hit , It sounds like he couldn’t wait a minute

also if you want to drive a nice car tax and MOT it.

It sounds like 50-50 to me. You reversed, which is fine - we’ve all done it at junctions like that, when we can’t see clearly so edge out a bit, then have to pull back. What you did wrong was not check your mirror before reversing. But equally, it sounds as if he wasn’t paying attention either.

I would tell him you need to exchange insurance company details, because you think it’s 50-50, and you want the insurance company to decide. If he doesn’t have insurance, he’ll probably go quiet.

I’m also pretty sure that driving a car without an MOT invalidates the insurance. So even if he did have insurance, it won’t be valid. And as for this bollocks about being on the way to the garage for the MOT - it expired over a year ago, so it must be a bloody long journey!

@notthisnowaswell is it possible he has had the car off road and has just got it ready to sell and was going to get an MOT? If so he might have insured it that day and it wouldn't yet have an MOT (not sure if you managed to check the insurance yes). It does seem more likely he is a total liar who’s driving uninsured but there is a chance he is not. Unfortunately, even if he did try to turn right rather than wait for you to complete your manoeuvre, the onus is on you to make sure it is safe to reverse. As others have said, I think best let your insurer know what’s happened, explain there was minimal damage and don’t engage with him any further. Hope you get it all sorted ok.

Dhs car is sorned but insured without tax or mot. He can't drive it to a garage for an mot without tax and insurance.
Dd is an apprentice mechanic . She can take dhs car for an mot on trade insurance- but it must be taxed.
Insurance or not, the guys car isn't taxed.
Ask for his details to pass on. He's a chancer and will probably drop it.

yeah, that sounds like a true description of what happened I would say

I’m sure if you were the other driver you’d not want a group of strangers trying to encourage the driver who’s damaged your car to try and worm their way out of it.

Take responsibility, the other drivers tax/MOT makes zero difference to the mistake OP made, those are the facts. Someone who has openly said they are struggling financially, disabled and reliant on the car shouldn’t take any risk of getting their insurance cancelled due to not reporting because OP will be fucked if she can’t afford to re-insure.

Under normal circumstances, the parties involved advise their own insurance companies of the other persons registration etc. the insurance companies then deal with each other. You do not have to give your insurance details. Just tell him you will advise your insurance company, and he should do the same.

OK.

Remember, when your premiums go up, you can thank the OP for lying :)

Ergo, no cry baby tears when you have to pay more than the previous year.

But in reality if it all happens fairly quickly and unexpectedly people's reactions will be too late. If a car in front of me at a junction pulls away, I move forward to take up my position, and naturally wouldnt expect the person leaving the junction to suddenly reverse, and the next minute they are reversing into me I might not have time to be flashing lights and beeping.

Notify your insurance company.

Block his number.