Should I claim on car insurance?

hummingbirdegg · 2025-08-13T20:21:54+00:00

Hi, sorry not sure where was best to post this! Had a bump in my car today which wasn't my fault and really unsure what's best to do. I was stationary waiting at a temporary traffic lights, it was a really narrow road with awkward roadworks and had just been beckoned to squeeze past a lorry so I was at an awkward angle and as the other car came towards me it was obvious it wouldn't fit through. However instead of stopping so one of us could move it carried on anyway and hit the rear wheel arch of my car, there's not much damage but I'm guessing it will be a few hundred pounds, I haven't got a quote yet. The guy was really keen not to go through the insurers (understandably!) so I've taken his contact details but now don't know what's best to do The car is actually my sisters and I've been using temporary car insurance, so I don't know if I claimed whether it would affect my normal policy or not? I feel tempted to just leave it all and pay for the repairs to save the hassle, but obviously feels very unfair! Even though the other guy was at fault he won't admit this and I don't really have any proof, so don't know whether it would be better to go through the insurance or not in the long run? Thanks for any advice :)

Bluevelvetsofa · 13/08/2025 22:06

Had the lights turned green?

PotatoFan · 13/08/2025 22:09

Do you mean you went when the light was red because someone beckoned you on? You need to inform both insurance of any crashes anyway but will need to talk to them about whether they’ll cover that

whatwasthatnoise · 13/08/2025 22:13

Does your car have dash cam, front and/or rear?

Original poster

hummingbirdegg · 13/08/2025 22:21

No sorry I just meant that was why I was at an awkward angle as I was waiting, but I was stationary at the red light as the car come through, there just wasn't enough room and he just came through anyway (it's normally a road where you have to stop if a car comes the other way, really narrow)

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Original poster

hummingbirdegg · 13/08/2025 22:22

No I don't have a dash cam unfortunately :(

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Bluevelvetsofa · 13/08/2025 22:27

Surely, if the light was red on your side, it was green on his and therefore his right of way. I can’t really picture a scenario where you would be at an awkward angle at temporary lights.

Original poster

hummingbirdegg · 13/08/2025 22:31

Sorry just reading it back and still doesn't make much sense! Basically I had to squeeze past a lorry before I got to the traffic lights so wasn't as far to the left as I would be normally. (Very narrow road so you have to keep right over to the side) Then I was stationary waiting at the red light, the other guy came towards me and it became obvious there wasn't enough space but instead of stopping he just went straight through and bumped my car. I'm assuming he would be at fault as I wasn't moving but don't think I could prove it

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Overthebow · 13/08/2025 22:33

So you were blocking the route through the temporary traffic lights?

goodnightssleepbenice · 13/08/2025 22:39

The fact the other person was really keen not to go thru the insurance implies he knows he is at fault . It’s likely the repairs will be a lot more than you expect . I would get a quote and then get in touch with them and just say something like ‘ as per the accident on date …please find quote attached. Would you be thinking of paying this yourself or passing this to your insurers ? ‘ see what their response to that is . If they admit liability then all well and good if they don’t then you will need to tell the temporary insurers .

Original poster

hummingbirdegg · 13/08/2025 22:47

Overthebow · 13/08/2025 22:33

So you were blocking the route through the temporary traffic lights?

Yes technically! It all happened very quickly, I was about to move further over if I'd had the chance

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Original poster

hummingbirdegg · 13/08/2025 22:48

goodnightssleepbenice · 13/08/2025 22:39

The fact the other person was really keen not to go thru the insurance implies he knows he is at fault . It’s likely the repairs will be a lot more than you expect . I would get a quote and then get in touch with them and just say something like ‘ as per the accident on date …please find quote attached. Would you be thinking of paying this yourself or passing this to your insurers ? ‘ see what their response to that is . If they admit liability then all well and good if they don’t then you will need to tell the temporary insurers .

Thank you that's really helpful :)

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Original poster

hummingbirdegg · 13/08/2025 22:54

hummingbirdegg · 13/08/2025 22:47

Yes technically! It all happened very quickly, I was about to move further over if I'd had the chance

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Also barely any cars drive down that road so was quite likely I wouldn't need to move, but yes I was positioned badly

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Testerical · 13/08/2025 22:58

Just tell the insurers. You need to tell them about incidents even if you don’t make a claim. It’s a condition of all policies. Regardless of whether you claim, your premium will go up. It’s totally shit but it isn’t worth messing around with insurance as if you have your policy cancelled for non-disclosure, they you are really up thr creek.

Original poster

hummingbirdegg · 13/08/2025 23:16

Testerical · 13/08/2025 22:58

Just tell the insurers. You need to tell them about incidents even if you don’t make a claim. It’s a condition of all policies. Regardless of whether you claim, your premium will go up. It’s totally shit but it isn’t worth messing around with insurance as if you have your policy cancelled for non-disclosure, they you are really up thr creek.

Thank you, yeah I was hoping not to have my premium go up but I'll report it anyway

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goodnightssleepbenice · 13/08/2025 23:56

Post again if you need any help ( I worked in insurance for years )

Original poster

hummingbirdegg · 14/08/2025 00:02

goodnightssleepbenice · 13/08/2025 23:56

Post again if you need any help ( I worked in insurance for years )

Thank you :) do you know if a claim on my temporary insurance would have an effect on my normal car insurance?

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goodnightssleepbenice · 14/08/2025 10:47

Yes it would as you would have to declare that you have had an accident . Have you got in touch with the other person yet ?

Original poster

hummingbirdegg · 14/08/2025 12:53

goodnightssleepbenice · 14/08/2025 10:47

Yes it would as you would have to declare that you have had an accident . Have you got in touch with the other person yet ?

Oh ok thank you. No I'm waiting to hear back about a quote but I'm thinking I should probably ring the insurers soon to report the incident anyway

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Original poster

hummingbirdegg · 14/08/2025 13:47

hummingbirdegg · 14/08/2025 12:53

Oh ok thank you. No I'm waiting to hear back about a quote but I'm thinking I should probably ring the insurers soon to report the incident anyway

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It's been quoted for only £150, not sure if it would be worth going through the insurers especially if I can't prove he's at fault, not sure whether to just pay it myself :( or try and contact him anyway

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theriseandfallofFranklinSaint · 14/08/2025 13:52

Surely if he was coming through the lights, he would have to carry on as there may have been cars behind him which would then have been stuck in the narrow lane for the temporary traffic lights had he have stopped rather than eased past you?

So if you were sticking out and stopping him getting through, unless you reversed out of the way, he'd have nowhere to go? He had to try and get past or wait for you to move your car out of the way as he was probably unable to reverse back up through the lights?

Original poster

hummingbirdegg · 14/08/2025 13:58

theriseandfallofFranklinSaint · 14/08/2025 13:52

Surely if he was coming through the lights, he would have to carry on as there may have been cars behind him which would then have been stuck in the narrow lane for the temporary traffic lights had he have stopped rather than eased past you?

So if you were sticking out and stopping him getting through, unless you reversed out of the way, he'd have nowhere to go? He had to try and get past or wait for you to move your car out of the way as he was probably unable to reverse back up through the lights?

There were no other cars behind him, it's a very quiet road. One of us needed to move to let the other one past but he just tried to get through the gap without waiting and hit my car

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