Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

AIBU to tell this woman to claim on HER insurance if shes so bothered!!!

124 replies

Longsleepneeded · 02/08/2017 13:19

Basically I opened the car door to put baby in, wind caught door and i went to grab it before it hit the car next to me, thought it was ok. Next thing i know woman jumps out of the car and peers at it then says'' you hit my car what are you going to do about it?''
I answered ''no I think its ok''
She pointed to a tiny mark size of a babys little finger nail and says ''there, what are you going to do about that?''
I rubbed it off with my finger, nothing left to see, she still wasn't happy.
Long silly conversation later we swopped numbers, me trying to stay calm. I have just had a text saying shes taken it to a garage for assessment and they will keep it all day next monday and she will let me know how much I owe them!!
I am not into aggro for the sake of it but this is a bit much I dont really know how to respond! Should i just tell her to claim herself if shes that upset about it?

OP posts:
MaryShelley1818 · 02/08/2017 14:00

An unfortunate accident but of course the other woman shouldn't have to claim in her insurance. It's your responsibility.

SummerMummy88 · 02/08/2017 14:00

No don't ring your insurance, you are not claiming on yours for anything. Text this silly woman and tell her to go through the insurance, she will need to pay all her excess to get this 'scratch' sorted you don't need to pay a penny unless you are claiming off your insurance for Your car. This silly woman will change her mind as soon as she realises she had to pay her silly amount of excess. It happens all the time, when people realise the scratch on their car will cost them they will soon change their mind. Don't you go paying the garage or anything silly like that.

Seenoevil · 02/08/2017 14:02

The fact is as well you have a I don't give a shit attitude, your not exactly sorry, maybe you should be careful. There probably is a small mark on her door if the wind was that strong it blew your door fully open and hit hers.

WooWooSister · 02/08/2017 14:02

You can wait and see what the garage comes back with or pass it to your insurance company and let them negotiate for you.
As a PP said, depending on the type of car and the damage even tiny dings can end up causing huge bills.

Laiste · 02/08/2017 14:03

That's sensible lima. It's a while ago now since i've had to do it (thank goodness) but when i last had to claim against someone else i had to get more than one quote. Mind you, that was for the repair of most of one side of my car which had been swiped almost off by a lorry :(

AlexanderHamilton · 02/08/2017 14:03

Did you car door hit hers or not. If it did then you need to pay (or your insurance does). If it didn't you need to dispute it & hope you have evidence.

Seenoevil · 02/08/2017 14:04

Summermummy - she isn't going to claim on her own insurance she will claim on the ops as she was the one that done the damage! So the women wouldn't need to pay her excess.

Need20yearsofsleep · 02/08/2017 14:08

If it's a tiny scratch should cost less than your excess anyway I had a dent and scratches from someone crashing into the side rear of my car only cos like 160 to get all that done if that. Can't remember proper amount as it was a few years ago in my old car so a little scratch that size would be like 60 quid if that. She more than likely has another dent or scratch on another bit of her car she's done and trying to get it fixed from your insurance. I'd ring the garage and ask them where it is and what the cost is see if it is on the side and door where your door opened up onto. If it's cheaper than excess just pay the garage just to get rid of her nagging Hmm

supermoon100 · 02/08/2017 14:08

Car lovers, If you don't want to get a scratch on your precious cars, park far away from other cars or get a life!

BarbaraofSeville · 02/08/2017 14:13

Sounds like it is a tiny mark if anything that is better off being fixed by Chipsaway or similar rather than a proper body shop. Should cost less than £100 to be sorted and not worth going through anyone's insurance.

If she does insist that you repair her car, suggest she uses one of these.
There will be similar companies if you google.

www.chipsaway.co.uk/

Laiste · 02/08/2017 14:16

supermoon the reason we are required by law to have insurance is to pay for damage we may do to another persons property. The idea is that those who wish to have their 'precious cars' kept in good nick can claim against the other parties insurance. The same would apply if the OPs car got damaged.

For some reason these days people seem to think it's some kind of personal affront that someone might actually claim against your insurance to - you know - actually use car insurance for it's intended purpose.

fleshmarketclose · 02/08/2017 14:17

Dd bumped someone's car, couldn't see any damage but took photos of her and their car and left her details. The person whose car she bumped involved the police who believed their tale that she had pretty much written off their car and left the scene. Funnily enough once dd sent the photos to the police the car owner didn't even contact dd's insurance company. Really hope you have photos OP.

Kailoer · 02/08/2017 14:18

Er, it sounds like you did do some damage and it needs assessment. you should have taken pictures though if you had a phone or camera on you (carry a little disposable one in your glove compartment for this type of thing if you don't have a phone).

Whether or not there is significant enuogh damage is beside the point - let it sort itself out between your insurer and her insurer.

you can't just opt to tell her to claim on her insurance if you admitted there was a mark & she's taken it to a garage for assessment Shock

Original poster
Longsleepneeded · 02/08/2017 14:18

But as far as I could see I didnt damage it! I honestly could not see the 'dent' she claimed was there! And yes I said sorry I didn't realise, then when I rubbed at the mark it went and I said look its gone. She insisted there was a dent!

OP posts:
SD60659 · 02/08/2017 14:18

Given your testimony that there was no mark, of any size, shape or form on her car after you rubbed it with your finger then YANBU.

However - if there was in fact a mark of any sort she can claim against you, provided she can provide evidence that you (or your car) caused it. It's not for you to "prove" you didn't do it - she has to prove you did

I realise in advance that it will be argued by many here that this next bit is besides the point, but I contend that it isn't besides the point...

What car was it? What overall condition was it in? I submit that this does matter. A friend of mine was in a similar situation ages ago, wind caught the door and door made contact with adjacent car. Man jumped out of car and tried it on saying that the dent (which was already there) was caused by this happening. Insurance disagreed as when they assessed the car they found that due to the shape of both vehicles, it was impossible for that particular incident to have caused this as there was no way for my friends door to make contact with the part of her panel that was dented.

Car park dings happen, for me there are bigger fish to fry. If all she has to worry about is a minute (or as per your post, non existent) mark she's doing pretty well out of life.

supermoon100 · 02/08/2017 14:19

Sorry I think there are more important things on life than worrying about tiny nicks on ones car!

supermoon100 · 02/08/2017 14:19

in life

Saracen · 02/08/2017 14:22

YABU. If you damaged her car, however minor the damage, you or your insurance company must pay. If you didn't damage the car, that fact will emerge when your insurer asks the garage. I think you probably did do some damage though. Why would she go through hassle if there is literally no damage at all?

I do think people are too precious about their cars and I don't understand why anyone would care about a little scratch or dent. But I accept that others are more attached to their cars than I am to my old banger car, and I have apologised profusely and paid up when I opened my door into another car.

BitOutOfPractice · 02/08/2017 14:23

Sorry, you're in the wrong so you / your insurance has to pay

StarHeartDiamond · 02/08/2017 14:28

Sorry but I think you'll have to suck it up and he more careful on future how you open the car door. The wind could only catch it if you let go. I've had 3dcs in baby seats and have had some inconsiderate packers leaving no room to open my door even but on those occasions I've opened the other side and manoeuvred car seat in across the seats.

StarHeartDiamond · 02/08/2017 14:29

*parkers

WooWooSister · 02/08/2017 14:29

Some people aren't that good at seeing dings. It doesn't mean they aren't there. It's why you're best taking pics or a video from different angles.

tiggytape · 02/08/2017 14:33

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Floralnomad · 02/08/2017 14:33

Just let your insurance deal with it , but if there is a dent there is and you caused it so ultimately it's your responsibility . Some people are very peculiar about small marks on their cars particularly if they are leased as they get charged for dings / dents etc .

Ainny12 · 02/08/2017 14:35

Ring your insurers and tell them you think she is going to make a claim for something you didn't do.

Swipe left for the next trending thread