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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

Car crash debacle

247 replies

guesswhatteapot · 26/05/2021 23:36

So I picked my son up from school and drove home the usual route. Pulled up outside my driveway on the left hand side of the road. We have a shop opposite and it's a main road so always busy with cars parked outside the shop. I sat in my car waiting for the traffic to go past, looked in my rear view mirror, no traffic. Started to reverse onto my driveway. Next thing a car hits the side of me and rips off the front of my car. She must have been parked across from me on the opposite side after going to the shop. She must have pulled out when no traffic coming, completely ignored my reverse lights and ploughed into the front of my car. We exchange numbers and she says she will text me later with her details... no text. I phoned my insurance company, my car is undriveable . I text her and she replies with "Your fault, I was stationary, you reversed into me, not going through insurance company, etc.
I replied that if she was stationary and I reversed into her A) why was the damage to my car at the front and not the back and B) why was she parked across my driveway blocking my access to my driveway?
AIBU to think that she just doesn't want to go through our insurance companies and is trying to blame me for this?

OP posts:

CovidCorvid · 27/05/2021 07:11

Report her to the police for failing to give details. Otherwise let your insurance deal with it....they can find her insurance details from the reg. so her not giving her details I don’t think matters in the grand scheme.

Is the damage to the side or front of your car? Might make a difference in who the insurance company blames. Be prepared though your insurance might be keen to go for a 50/50 blame.

There was an incident like this recently and it went to court. The judge found in the favour of the person in your position. The other driver argued the other car’s front end swung out and hit them as that car reversed into the drive and that the reversing car was liable for not rechecking their mirrors. The judge said the passing car should have been more patient and waited.

astuz · 27/05/2021 07:16

Like other PP, I can't work out why you haven't just rang your insurance company. I had someone drive into the back of me at a roundabout - totally their fault. I got their name & phone number, rang my insurance straight away and they dealt with everything. I never spoke to her again and I never asked permission from her whether to go through insurance, I just did it.

The repairs to my car were all paid for by her insurance, the insurance company did all of that, found out who her insurance company was etc. it's dead easy, you're making everything a lot more difficult than it needs to be, by contacting her.

CheeseCakeSunflowers · 27/05/2021 07:16

I had a similar situation to this, all you need to do is report this to your insurance company. They can easily trace her insurance company by using the car registration number, it is then up to the two insurance companies to decide who is at fault.

araiwa · 27/05/2021 07:19

She gave you her details. You have her name , phone number, car model and registration.

Phoning the police is a waste of your time and theirs

CovidCorvid · 27/05/2021 07:20

When someone reversed into the side of my car they tried to blame me and my insurance company tried to convince me to agree to 50/50. I refused to agree to it which you’re entitled to do.....though I guess there comes a point where you can’t ?? I think it’s easier for insurance companies. 🤷‍♀️

KatherineJaneway · 27/05/2021 07:21

I had a similar situation. Just report it to your insurance company, they will do the rest. She knows she is in the wrong hence the line she is taking about 'not going through insurance.'

LordEmsworth · 27/05/2021 07:21

All you need to do is call your insurance company & report it. You don't need her co-operation.

There is a database of insurance and they will be able to find out who she's insured with, and contact them to say you are claiming against her.

Francescaisstressed · 27/05/2021 07:25

Your insurance will be able to trace her with just the reg. They will contact her insurance who will then contact her.
Liability could be argued and drawn out, so check if there's any CCTV.

Imknackeredzzz · 27/05/2021 07:25

Jesus just report to your insurance company?! Makes no difference if she doesn’t want to go through her insurance or not just let yours get on with it. You are insured aren’t you?!

Francescaisstressed · 27/05/2021 07:26

@CovidCorvid

Your insurance gets the final say on liability, so you can disagree but ultimately they make the final choice as they are the ones paying out and have to weight up the cost of fighting liability and taking to court versus what the claim is actually worth and the prospects of winning when it's one word against the other.

NavigatingAdolescence · 27/05/2021 07:27

@guesswhatteapot

So I picked my son up from school and drove home the usual route. Pulled up outside my driveway on the left hand side of the road. We have a shop opposite and it's a main road so always busy with cars parked outside the shop. I sat in my car waiting for the traffic to go past, looked in my rear view mirror, no traffic. Started to reverse onto my driveway. Next thing a car hits the side of me and rips off the front of my car. She must have been parked across from me on the opposite side after going to the shop. She must have pulled out when no traffic coming, completely ignored my reverse lights and ploughed into the front of my car. We exchange numbers and she says she will text me later with her details... no text. I phoned my insurance company, my car is undriveable . I text her and she replies with "Your fault, I was stationary, you reversed into me, not going through insurance company, etc. I replied that if she was stationary and I reversed into her A) why was the damage to my car at the front and not the back and B) why was she parked across my driveway blocking my access to my driveway? AIBU to think that she just doesn't want to go through our insurance companies and is trying to blame me for this?

So she was in the blind spot you didn’t check?

extravirginoliveoil · 27/05/2021 07:27

I agree. Just call your insurance to sort it and don’t engage further with the other driver.

GnomeDePlume · 27/05/2021 07:30

It is quite possible she doesnt have insurance. All sorts of people dont have insurance, working in a school isnt relevant.

As pretty much everyone is saying, you claim on your insurance and let them sort it out.

DD was hit by a driver without insurance, nice respectable middle aged man. No idea why he didnt have insurance (though at the time of the accident he claimed he did). The claim was eventually handled by MIB who paid for the write off to the car and personal injury for DD's severe whiplash.

skodadoda · 27/05/2021 07:33

@Grumblesigh

Tell all of this to your insurance company. You don't need her permission or any further information.

This. Make a claim through your insurer. They should pursue it for you. If she is liable she must pay whether or not it’s through her insurance - if she has any. Don’t debate it with her.

AllAussieAdventures · 27/05/2021 07:38

She is pretty irrelevant to you at this point.

Pass everything on to YOUR insurance company. Sort your car out with them.

They will then pursue her. That is what insurance is. She is their problem not yours.

Don't contact her again. Get contact details for your claim manager and if she contacts you again tell her to take it up with them.

Chasanddive · 27/05/2021 07:42

I have had two accidents since I have been driving. One the car was a right off, like yours and I never contacted the guy who drove into me, it was all done through the insurance. The second, a slight hit to the wing mirror and we sorted it out between ourselves as it was minor. I don’t know why you need to contact this other women. Phone the police and get a crime number or whatever it’s called, then phone your insurance and they deal with everything

Doris86 · 27/05/2021 07:46

Agreed, just tell your insurance company everything and they will resolve it and determine liability. So she doesn’t want to go through insurance company? Tough. She has to if that’s what you want to do.

Hellocatshome · 27/05/2021 07:52

She has to be insured she works in a primary school is the funniest thing I've read all morning, you do realise working in a primary school has no bearing on car insurance right?! Anyway call your insurers tell them what happened end of story.

narkyspirit · 27/05/2021 07:54

I would report to your insurers and also the police. screen shot the text messages.

try and get CCTV from shop, but be mindful that they cannot just share it so the police may obtain it. just be aware that the police may just fob you off with a incident number.

PegasusReturns · 27/05/2021 07:56

As others have said you don’t need her permission.

Years ago someone claimed I drove into them. I was actually interviewed by the police but could prove I was 100s of miles away when the incident occurred. I also didn’t look anything like the description the person who’d apparently been driven into gave and the police examined my car and found no evidence of an accident or repair.

I have no idea who reported me and whether it was malicious or mistake but my point is they reported it to their instance company without any involvement from me.

AphroditeGoddessOfLove · 27/05/2021 07:58

You don't need her insurance details. I had an accident which wrote off my car and the other driver's reg and phone number were enough to start a claim. I got a payout for my car and for personal injury so the details you have should be enough.

Mellonsprite · 27/05/2021 08:01

Just report it to your insurance, but prepare for it to be 50/50.
Were you indicating as well as reversing? She probably wasn’t expecting you to swing out like you said, but I think I’d is how 50% could be pinned on you.

HeadNorth · 27/05/2021 08:02

Don't get involved, you insurance company will deal with the whole thing - that is what you pay your premiums for. It would be a better use of your time to did out your insurance documents and see if you are covered for a courtesy car while yours is off the road.

Horehound · 27/05/2021 08:03

Well it's not really up to her!
Report to your insurers and it'll be taken care of.

RozHuntleysStump · 27/05/2021 08:04

You have to tell your insurers of all accidents whether you’re claiming or not. Also, don’t ever i]engage with the other party after the accident. Never admit fault, just get details and leave. Now tell your insurers your version and forget about it. Hopefully, you’ll have cover for a courtesy/? It’s your insurers that will fix your car and if the other party is found at fault they will seek money from them. Otherwise yours will cover it.

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