Someone bumped the car, WWYD?

[bingandflop]

Hi

On Tuesday somebody left a note on the car in a car park as they had pranged it. The front left bumper has a considerable scrape and looks kind of cracked. They left their number so we phoned them and it was a teenage boy who did it but his father's number.

The father asked if we could avoid going through the insurance and said he has a friend who will be able to fix it. We thought ok.

DH text the guy 2 days later as we hadn't heard anything further and the guy was a bit hostile but said he would get the guy to come and look at it the next day (the next day being yesterday). He did not do so.DH and I feel he is making excuses and has no intention of getting this sorted (the prang being caused by his son not him).

WWYD? At this stage we would rather just go through the insurance but we don't have their insurance details and doubt they will give them to us. We do have their name, tel, address and the original note from the boy admitting culpability.

Is there anything we can do? Is there anything the insurers can do without the other party's insurance details?

Many thanks in advance for any suggestions

[CostaAddict]

Very doubtful they will pay up OP so I'd go straight to insurance company.

When an elderly man reversed into my car & drove off, a witness luckily put a note on my windscreen with the reg no and her contact number. I reported to my insurance and they advised I still needed a police incident number so reported to 101. Without that they wouldn't process the claim. Not exactly the same situation but your insurance may still ask for a police incident number.

[PUGaLUGS]

JustAnother no need to be so

[NameChange30]

Accidents only have to be reported to the police if someone is injured or if the parties don't exchange details (as PPs have said). Since the OP has the other party's name, address and phone number, I guess that's enough for their car registration details to be traced by insurance companies and (if necessary) police. Presumably the other party took down the OP's registration number and now has her details since she has contacted him. So I see no need to involve the police.

[NameChange30]

kit30
"Off base"?
Unless you work in car insurance maybe check your facts before telling someone they're wrong.
See www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/cars/article-3052191/How-drivers-insurance-costs-soar-no-fault-accidents-don-t-claim.html

[Flipthebirdy]

The offending driver left his details - you did not give him yours at the scene. While you are innocent here, who knows what lies these people might come up with if they find out the repairs will be more expensive than they thought?

She did not have the opportunity to give him her details at the scene. They now have her details. How does reporting it to the police stop them coming up with lies exactly?

Why would you choose to put yourself at risk of a police investigation, a fine, penalty points or prison for failure to report an accident?

Police investigation, a fine, penalty points. For what?? It is not illegal to not report a car accident to the police.

If nothing illegal has taken place why should the police be involved?? For goodness sake leave them to deal with crime!

[barinatxe]

To clarify, this incident should be reported to the police as a non-emergency.

Incidents must be reported to the police in occasions where affected parties do not exchange details at the scene of the incident.

The offending driver left his details - you did not give him yours at the scene. While you are innocent here, who knows what lies these people might come up with if they find out the repairs will be more expensive than they thought?

It's a question of common-sense. Why would you choose to put yourself at risk of a police investigation, a fine, penalty points or prison for failure to report an accident? Why would you deliberately risk it when you can dial 101 and eliminate the risk?

I agree that there is a 99% chance that it won't come to these drastic eventualities, but I would personally prefer a 100% chance to a 99% one!

[barinatxe]

Contact the police on 101 to report the incident, and contact your insurance company. The driver's insurance premium will increase but it should do because he caused a collision that damaged someone's car! Keeping the insurance company out of the loop is fraud, albeit by omission rather than by deliberate act.

You might say who cares, why should the insurance company be told if the claim does not go through them? Well, insurance policies usually require the holder to declare any incidents which could have resulted in a claim being made on the policy even if a claim isn't made. Failure to abide by one condition can mean the WHOLE policy is invalidated.

You owe it to the next victim of this driver's inexperience or carelessness. If they find out about this incident, the insurance company might invalidate the whole policy and the victim will be in the situation of having a claim against an uninsured driver.

To be honest the whole thing sounds dodgy. I would not be surprised if the reason that they don't want to involved the insurance company is because they don't even have one. Even if they do, getting their mate to do the work to save them a few quid is full of risks. Will they do a good job, how long will it take for them to get it done? But you're the innocent party in this. Why should you take these risks, which at best will leave you in the same position as if you reported it?

[Flipthebirdy]

Do not call 101. The police are not there to deal with every minor car accident. Report it to your insurers and give them the driver's details, including reg number if you can get it. If you can snap some pics of their car safely as well that would be handy.
As Yellow said they may be trying to sort the damage to their car so they can deny everything so don't dely any further.

[Allthebestnamesareused]

A girl reversed off her drive into the side of my husband's car.

Damaged part of the bumper (crack) and side wing. However it was a painted bumper and the repairs and replacement bumper was going to be over £2k because they have to spray to match and also take 3 days because of painting during which time my husband needed a hire crae.

The mother wanted to not go through insurance initially and then queried all the costs as she was told by her daughter it was just a little bump. I offered for them to come to see the car and the quotes. It went through the insurance after that!

Also you have come back if the repairs aren't good enough and as it was as the result of another party hitting you you'd be entitled to a hire car whilst it was being repaired.
#Call them and say that as they have not come round you need their insurance details and address etc.

If they refuse to give them call your insurance company for them to deal with it. However while this is being dealt with if your insurance is up for renewal they will quote as if there is an outstanding claim

[JustAnotherPoster00]

I would log the prang with 101

Umm, what?

Contact your insurance as other pp's have suggested it removes any of the he said she said stuff and probably block their number.

[Iamtheresurrection]

I was involved in two non fault accidents last year, both with company vehicles whose owners wanted to pay rather than claim through insurance. My insurance company is still trying to get the money from both, solicitors are now involved and whilst waiting for resolution my renewal quote has increased substantially. (Apparently I'll be refunded when the monies are finally received.)

[wideboy26]

Another Emma is right. Insurers will want to know about no-fault claims you've had in the past. Whether accidents are your fault or not, it creates a picture of how often a person is involved in accidents and gives them another excuse to rate what sort of a risk that person presents.

[Arkhamasylum]

Just phone your insurance company.

[19lottie82]

I'm not convinced the insurance company would be able to trace the other parties details with just a mobile number of the guys father. Plus your premiums will go up.

Personally I'd get a quote from a reputable garage and give the guy one last chance to pay it within 48 hours or tell him you WILL be going through the insurance.

[Oldraver]

If you have the address I would pop round there and see if you can get the reg number, then pass onto your insurance.

[PUGaLUGS]

I would log the prang with 101 and let the dad know you have done this. Tell him you want to go through the insurance. I would want someone reputable doing repairs to my car if it was me.

[Kit30]

AnotherEmma - sorry but you're off base on the higher insurance premium argument. If bump not OPs fault then insurers will recover in full from other driver; even if he's not insured then there's cover available via the Motor Insurers Bureau. And if he isn't insured, police will get involved and prosecute, taking a potentially reckless driver off the road.

[JT05]

This happened to our son when he was a new driver on his own, in his dad's car. He had braked a little late and had touched the bumper of the car in front. There was no visible damage to either car. The older other driver insisted on exchange of details and he would get a quote for his ' repair'. He wanted us to settle privately, without the insurance companies being involved.
We immediately informed our insurers and wrote to the other driver telling him. We never heard another thing from him!

[Kit30]

You pay for your insurance so use it. More importantly if you don't tell them you're in breach of your insurance contract - don't risk them finding out as your policy could be voided. Leave it to them to sort it - less stress and hassle for you and at least you know your car will get repaired.
Friend went down the bo insurance route a few years ago -took ages, repair was botched and it turned out other party got a kick back on the job!

[Getnakedorgohome]

I had similar. The boy's dad messed me about when I called, didn't commit to how or when he would pay and seemed very cagey. I hung up on him and called my insurance. They dealt with it all.for me, all I had was registration number and phone number.

[NameChange30]

It is actually in your best interest to resolve this directly (rather than through the insurance) if you can. But you should arrange the repair yourself through a garage of your own choice, and they should pay for it. If they refuse then go through the insurance or credit hire company.

A similar thing happened to me recently and I found out that your insurance premiums can go up in future if you claim, even if it's not your fault. It depends on the insurance company but some increase your premiums as they consider that you are statistically more likely to claim in future.

[YellowDinosaur]

I'd also be concerned this is a delaying tactic while they get the matching damage on their car fixed...

[Mol1628]

Phone insurance and pass the details on. Don't speak to them anymore yourself. This is why you pay insurance

[PassTheWineAndFags]

Phone your insurance company and soon. They aren't complying so disregard them for now.

[YellowDinosaur]

No benefit whatsoever to you in allowing their mate to do a dodgy botch job.

I might, in your situation, agree to do it off insurance if it was done by a garage you trusted and they gave you money upfront.

In this situation where they're dicking you about? Insurance all the way.