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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To not know what to do after car crash

30 replies

autumn5678 · 02/03/2017 09:36

I went into the back of a van yesterday - completely my fault. I was stopped at a roundabout behind him, he moved off, I moved forward, looking right for space in traffic, finally move off and go into the back of him as he'd stopped again and I hadn't realised.

I was moving off from being stationary so less than 5mph, no visible damage to my car and a dent to the back of his door which isn't huge.

I said initially I'm happy to pay outright for the damage as it looks minor. He said he's busy at the moment so it might take a few days to get quotes, which is making me nervous as I want to just get it sorted. Is there a chance that he can report to his insurance while I'm waiting which can get me in trouble?

I've not been in this situation before so really don't know what to do. He seemed genuine but I'm worried!

OP posts:

User543210 · 02/03/2017 09:41

You should report to the police so its logged - he then can't say you were trying to get away with it. He probably will report to insurance to claim off of yours, if you know its your fault then just admit it, don't drag it out for the guy.

Majorgoodwinschickenbeatstrump · 02/03/2017 09:45

I had this years ago. Ended up meeting up in tesco car park, made him sign a statement if printed to say he had accepted the money and wasn't injured, never heard anything again. Don't worry, there are nice people out there.

Majorgoodwinschickenbeatstrump · 02/03/2017 09:46

Tenshidarkangel · 02/03/2017 09:46

He could but it would then go through the insurers rather than independently. It's unlikely he will though. Most people are pretty relaxed about it if it's minor. If he changes his mind his insurer will get in touch with yours.
You won't get into trouble. You're car is insured. You have a license. You stopped and swapped details. That's all the police care about.
I've done this once or twice... (I own a lot of other peoples cars) Generally most people aren't bothered as long a you pay for the damage.

Nicknacky · 02/03/2017 09:47

Report it to your insurance company. There is no requirement to report to police and they probably won't "log it" anyway.

Don't be too worried about him taking a few days to sort it, it's time consuming to do these things.

Itisnoteasybeingdifferent · 02/03/2017 09:51

Notify insurers but tell them you will wait until you have quotes before deciding if you are going to make a claim.

Sometimes the excess and loading next year are more expensive than making a claim.

Rufus200 · 02/03/2017 10:14

Legally you have to notify your insurer of ANY accident even if there is no damage to either vehicle incase someone then claims delayed injury.

weaseleyes · 02/03/2017 10:25

I had a similar thing in December. I exchanged details with other driver, gave her my policy details and car reg by text the same evening. She only had a small scratch but wanted to fix it as it was a lease car - only fair enough, as it was my fault. I said if she got a quote or two I'd simply pay as it would probably not be much more than my excess. However, she's still not got back to me. I'm a bit worried that if she came back to me now and the quote was higher than it should be that I wouldn't know if something else had happened subsequently. Is there a point at which I should say it's too late now?

stonecircle · 02/03/2017 13:33

Weaseleyes - I'm interested in any responses to your post. DS (18) reversed very slowly onto a van which was driving behind him. He didn't think to take photos but did swap details. DS's car has a dent in the back and apparently the van had a dent on the side. The driver rang up the same evening and DH spoke to him and said we'd pay for any damage. Van driver said he'd get some quotes and get back to us. That was in November and we've heard nothing since.

I'm wondering if he's just decided to leave it, or if he'll come back to us with a big bill for stuff in addition to the dent caused by DS. DS did have friends in the car but the longer we wait, the less reliable their memory will be. Or maybe after this length of time we can just say he's left it too late?!

specialsubject · 02/03/2017 13:40

Contact insurers. Your fault and not coming clean now could seriously come back to bite you.

IamFriedSpam · 02/03/2017 13:44

This has happened to a few friends (accident that was their fault they decided to pay out of pocket) mostly in turned out fine one friend had to eventually do it through insurance in the end (obviously she admitted to it being her fault) because the woman was claiming for huge damages (including emotional distress) when in fact she'd just scratched the paintwork going at 5mph in a car park. As PP said log it with the police and you'll be fine.

EchoesofEmpires · 02/03/2017 13:52

Report all accidents to your insurers regardless of whether you will be making a claim. Ask them to advise you of any quotes his insurers may forward and from there you will decide whether it's cheaper to pay out of pocket or have them pay and lose your no claims/excess.

Original poster

autumn5678 · 02/03/2017 14:06

Thanks all. I'm going to call insurers this afternoon and tell them what happened but not make a claim until I've heard from him. I'll call him tomorrow if I'm still yet to hear. Just still so annoyed with myself that it happened

OP posts:

squishysquirmy · 02/03/2017 14:11

If you log it with police, you could end up with points on your licence.

LokiDokey · 02/03/2017 14:49

DS was the one that was hit in our case. Other driver wanted to settle out of insurance. His then 4 year old Punto went into the local Fiat dealer and there was just over £1000 worth of damage underneath the car. This was from an impact of around 5mph, barely a scratch on the bumper.
The woman who hit him stamped her feet a bit and tried to insist he went to a 'friends' garage but DS was rightly insistent that his car be returned to the condition it was in before she rear ended him and with the dealer that the car was still under warranty with. She opted to go through insurance.

Just because you can't see damage immediately doesn't mean there isn't any.

Blobby10 · 02/03/2017 16:12

A car hit my ex's car when it was parked outside my house - completely the other persons fault.. Initially there didn't look much damage apart from the bumper but ex insisted car went to a BMW garage to be repaired rather than other chaps 'friend' - turned out that the whole underneath of the car and all the brake loom wiring had been damaged so badly they nearly wrote the car off! All repaired in the end but I dread to think how much this chaps insurance will increase by at his next renewal!

suitsyousir79 · 02/03/2017 16:16

Im an insurance claims investigator. Yes report it to your insurer, but tell them that you may be willing to pay for the damage yourself depending on the cost.

All accidents should be reported to the police within 24 hours, no matter how minor. If he reports it and you dont, you could be in trouble for failing to report. If theres no injury and no damage (apart from to both vehicles) the Police wont take any action against you if you report it.

minionsrule · 02/03/2017 16:21

Squishy - why would OP end up with points on licence by informing police?? Genuinely interested? Will they charge her with DWDC&A for a minor bump? God help me in my earlier days, I would have been banned!
OP I don't believe you need to notify police anyone as long as no one was injured at the time (whiplash later doesn't count!)

pinkie1982 · 02/03/2017 16:48

This happened to me a few years ago. Slowing for a red light and the car in front suddenly slammed on his breaks. We hit it slightly, just rolled into it really. No visible damage on either car. Exchanged details. A few months later I had my insurance renewal. It had jumped up to £121 a month! I rang the insurers to inform them of the 'mistake'. They said they had paid out a large amount for the other car to be fixed. I had no contact from my insurers and asked for the details. They sent through photos and the damage costs. A new rear bumper, floor of boot, lights, back windscreen, spare wheel. The damage in the photos looked like they had reversed into something - fast! As we hadn't taken photos at the time we had no proof that it wasn't us once we had admitted to rolling into their car, claiming liability in a sense. Even though I did say then surely my car would be badly damaged too!

Fortheloveofdog · 02/03/2017 16:50

If you notify insurer then your premium will be increased going forward even if you don't claim.

Megatherium · 02/03/2017 16:55

All accidents should be reported to the police within 24 hours, no matter how minor.

Not true. There is only a duty to report minor accidents if you haven't stopped and exchanged details with the other driver.

Nicknacky · 02/03/2017 17:00

The op wouldn't be likely to relieve points for such a minor incident.

And as it is a damage only accident with details exchanged to the other party then there is no require to report to police.

Pitchforktotheface · 02/03/2017 17:10

You only have a duty to swap details with the other party and notify your insurance, whether you will be making a claim or not. Your insurance will go up, but would whether it was your fault or not.

Worst case scenario, you don't inform your insurer, he does, your insurer HAS to pay out (by law) they claim it back from you (because you didn't notify them therefore are breaking your contract), they cancel your insurance and you have to declare that on every insurance policy (car, home, life) forever.

UsedToBeAPaxmanFan · 02/03/2017 17:17

Why do you have to report to police if no one is hurt and you've swapped details with the other driver?

I got hot a few years ago by a driver who admitted full responsibility. We swapped details and thought about ringing the police but we were in the outside lane of a dual carriageway when it happened and I just wanted to get somewhere safe! Both as were drivable although mine ended up being written off.

I reported it to the insurance company as soon as I got he, as did he, but neither of us went to the police and nobody suggested we should. Were we supposed to?

tigerrun · 02/03/2017 17:17

Your insurance will go up if you enquire even if you don't claim. Also if he gets his van repaired even on your insurance his insurance premium will go up dramatically (ours was doubled after someone reversed into DP's empty van in a car park - the driver who did it was caught on CCTV leaving the scene. The driver had to claim on his insurance to repair DP's van - we have to state it on every application and our insurance is still higher several years later, such a ridiculous system!).

That alone is likely to put your van driver off claiming via insurance, especially as you have offered to pay willingly.

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