Minor car accident last night, now what to do with insurance?

[Raven11]

Last night I was coming up to a roundabout when a lorry went into the back of me. It was only a bump, I got out, had to yell at the lorry driver to get out, he didn't see the issue. We looked at my car and there's some minor scraping to the paint job. He was working for an UK company but didn't speak much english. I told him i'd call the police if he didn't give me his insurance details which I think he did (he had a form in his cabby that we both filled out). Now, he's with Aviva, do I just call up his insurance and tell them what happened? Or do I have to get the work priced up first? Or do I contact my insurers first?

I only passed my test 6 months ago, and i'm under 25 so I pay out of the roof for my insurance, this won't affect my insurance in any way?

I can't believe i'm so clueless what to do, i've done some googling, and looked around the Aviva site but no avail.

You need to contact your insurers and provide them with the information you have. They will do the rest.

Honestly? If it's just scraping of the paint and the actual chassis is not damaged I wouldn't try and claim. Your insurance premiums will go ^ whether it's your fault or not.
If you do claim , do so thru his insurance because you will get more.

Someone crashed into the back of me

I didn't even claim in my insurance and it's an extra 300 pound a year now.

🌚 Fab x

I would asses the costs. If there isn't proper Damage don't even tell your insurance.

Ifnot, the OPs insurers make the claim against the other company. Your last comment is not true.

You won't be able to tell if the damage is cosmetic only.

I'd strongly recommend you be honest with your insurance company.

To be honest in a lorry versus car situation I would err on the side of caution in case there is unseen damage.

Op give your insurers the details you have plus the registration number of the lorry and the name of the company who owned it and let them sort it out.

I'm afraid it will affect your insurance. Not as much as if you were at fault but you will pay more as a result. If there is no damage (or not damage you're bothered about) I would inform your insurance company but tell them you're not making a claim.

I had a no fault (on my part) bump a couple of years back. There was no damage to me or the car, but the driver of the original car (3 car shunt) was injured and needed an ambulance. The police attended the scene and said that even though I was clearly in no way at fault and even though there was no damage to the car, that I needed to let the insurance co know for information, in case the other drivers put a claim in. I did, and aside from the saga caused by the insurance co recording it wrong and initially putting it down as me being at fault, which only became apparent when I came to renew, even once this was corrected i still found my premium had gone up. I regret reporting it, even if it is the law, as I feel unfairly punished for something that was in no way my fault.

A lorry going into the back of you could cause problems, do check that all your doors open, shut and lock properly.

Your premium will definately go up regardless. After a man reversed into me my premiums went up considerably. This was despite that the claim wasn’t from my insurance. I strongly discussed the rationale with my insurers but was told that there is likelihood of you being involved in another accident in the 6 months following an accident, even when you are not at fault.
I have just been asked again when renewing if I have had any accidents in last 5 years, even where I was not at fault.
Really really annoying.
Another aspect though was the insurers dealt with the claim after the other drivers insurers tried to wriggle out of the claim with false witness statements and photos of an alternative supermarket car park to name but a few things that went on.

I've included a picture of the 'damage'. I could probably just fix it with some nail varnish but I'm worried that there could be some other damage that I don't know about. Looking at the other pictures I was about 5m from the roundabout and he was 5m behind me (so he pushed me 5m!) and it sounded bad.

I've also got a voicemail from a company telling me they'll help with the damage from the accident. It's not aviva, and not his lorry company so I'm not sure who I should call first. I've been trying to contact my insurers but there's 99 options to take out insurance but none to actually speak to someone. Ugh.

I wouldn’t chance it with it being a lorry tbh.

I wouldn't chance it with it being a lorry. If he pushed your car 5m that's quite a shunt.

My MIL's car was written off after a shunt with a lorry and on the outside it looked like very minor damage.

You need to work out if it’s worth going through your insurers for a small bit of paint. Although it’s not your fault and your insurance won’t go up because of it, when your renewal is due you will be considered a higher risk as you have been involved in an accident so are more likely to have another, therefore your insurance will go up. Also you will have to pay any excesses you have upfront. If you do want to do it, then you just call your insurance and they do t all for you

Your policy booklets will have the claim number, or google it.

Do call them quickly though. A lorry pushing you 5m could have done some serious damage.

Why is everyone saying the premiums will go up if the OP wasn't at fault? I'm with Aviva, and when someone reversed into my empty parked car (and fully accepted responsibility) it didn't affect my premium at all.

I just contacted them and they sorted it all out. That's what insurance is for.

I agree that you really do need to get the car looked at. A small bump from a lorry could have affected more than just the paintwork. Cars are built to withstand impact these days, so what might feel like a small bump might have caused more damage than you think.

Not all insurance companies put your premium up for a non fault Claim. I know direct line don’t for a fact. It’s best to tell your insurance company they will be able to pursue the lorry/aviva for your costs. They should also waive your excess if you have enough information for the lorry.

Just go directly to his insurers. Aviva will sort it out for you.

The other party's insurer will not enter in to communication with you.

The small print of your policy may say you have to report any accident to your insurer, no matter how minor. There may be damage to your car that is more serious than you first realised, particularly if you were shunted 5 metres. The lorry driver may have to report the accident to his employer, who will likely report it to their insurers.

Sorry. Should have added more. I work in insurance claims. In an accident where the other party is at fault clearly i would go to their insurers first. If they admit liability and start repairs happy days.

Just be aware of other companies or agencies ringing you up and offering to sort it all for you. Make sure you only speak to your proper insurance company.

(Our premiums didn’t go up at all after a no-fault claim.)