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Original poster

Someone reversed into my car - it's his fault, right?

169 replies

NewMoon76 · 04/02/2023 12:35

I was driving in a car park, and a man reversed and hit the side of my car while reversing out of a parking place.

There is a dent and scuffs where he hit my car on the rear wing. He says it's not his fault and it's a no fault incident, and doesn't want to go through insurers. He said 'I will play fair if you play fair', and wants to settle outside.

I will be getting a quote from a bodyworks next week but friends are telling me to go through insurers. What would you do?

OP posts:
Original poster
NewMoon76 · 04/02/2023 13:38

Yes I have his details and pictures etc. I wasn't stationary, I was driving past and he reversed into the rear side

OP posts:
bridgetreilly · 04/02/2023 13:39

Definitely insurance.

billy1966 · 04/02/2023 13:40

Report it to your insurance, no question.

Blanketpolicy · 04/02/2023 13:40

dh reversed into someone coming out of a retail park parking space. The guy was driving the wrong way in the one way system so dh wasn't looking out for him coming from that side.

Went through the insurance and it was, rightly, dh's fault for not checking the road was clear.

It is the guys fault, he is already being awkward, go though insurance.

Quveas · 04/02/2023 13:42

Go through insurance. Then your repairs are covered if anything goes wrong.

Reminds me of one I had many years ago when I was driving towards the exit of a car park, and a woman lietrally reversed at full speed into my car - she was reversing the wrong way down a one way system because it was the quicker route to the exit than going around the car park! She was so "distressed" that she had to go and get her husband from wherever he was (somewhere nearby) and he (who wasn't there) tried to claim that it was my fault that she reversed into my car! TRhen wanted to setlle it "amicably". I amicably settled it through the insurer, where they again tried to claim that her reversing at speed the wrong way around a one way system straight into the side of my car was my fault. Even their insurers didn't believe it!

Pasithean · 04/02/2023 13:43

As soon as someone mentions settling without insurance. 🚩. Go straight to insurance.

ClippClopp · 04/02/2023 13:45

Definitely insurance.

Manipulative saying it wasn't his fault and pulling that playing fair line!

halloumi1 · 04/02/2023 13:45

Someone did this to me years ago, my car was parked and they reversed into the side of it.
Came to admit it and give details but then decided to pass my contact information to their partner solely for them to try and persuade me to sort it outside of the insurance. Needless to say I didn’t.

MsMcGonagall · 04/02/2023 13:47

The great thing about insurance is that you'll just need to communicate with your insurers. and his insurers will communicate with him. So you don't need to worry about him being an arsehole.

Advicerequest · 04/02/2023 13:48

Go through insurers

LavenderHillMob · 04/02/2023 13:49

Bloke in a Range Rover reverses into the side of a woman's car.

Yeah, obviously the woman's fault Hmm

OP everyone is is right. Insurance all the way.

Hellsmovie · 04/02/2023 13:50
  1. This is why you should reverse into a space not out of it.
  1. If your reversing it's on you to make sure its clear
Izzieloo · 04/02/2023 13:50

this happened to me. I pulled out of The parking space without looking unfortunately I hit a car I wanted to do it not through insurance as it was a company car and I have just started a new job this man said no way and he tried to claim for more damage than what I’ve done in the end it was a car park and no one had the right of way so he got nothing.

he should have took my offer of me paying for the repairs .

MaybeSmaller · 04/02/2023 13:52

Go through insurance, definitely.

As for who was at fault - where were you when he started reversing? Did you see his reverse lights, and yet still drive forwards towards or past him? Unless the answer to both of those is "yes" then I don't see how it would be your fault.

This is why everyone should get a dash cam TBH.

BadNomad · 04/02/2023 13:54

By "settle outside" does he mean he will pay for your damages? Personally, I would take him up on that, if that is what he is offering, because it wasn't your fault, but your insurance premium will likely go up next year anyway if you go through them.

Hellsmovie · 04/02/2023 13:54

MaybeSmaller · 04/02/2023 13:52

Go through insurance, definitely.

As for who was at fault - where were you when he started reversing? Did you see his reverse lights, and yet still drive forwards towards or past him? Unless the answer to both of those is "yes" then I don't see how it would be your fault.

This is why everyone should get a dash cam TBH.

She doesnt have to stop because hes reversing. He has to stop until it clear for him to reverse out

Nocutenamesleft · 04/02/2023 13:56

Someone went into the back of my in laws. I was in the car. Totally the other parties fault

they went through insurance and got told they were at fault even though they got hit on the side like you. It was like the j strange people just didn’t get it we were also told car parks are private property and then weren’t covered by insurance

they got a cash can after that because they lost our. Was absolutely awful!

Original poster
NewMoon76 · 04/02/2023 13:56

Izzieloo · 04/02/2023 13:50

this happened to me. I pulled out of The parking space without looking unfortunately I hit a car I wanted to do it not through insurance as it was a company car and I have just started a new job this man said no way and he tried to claim for more damage than what I’ve done in the end it was a car park and no one had the right of way so he got nothing.

he should have took my offer of me paying for the repairs .

Is this true- no one has right of way in a car park?

OP posts:
Scoobyblue · 04/02/2023 13:57

Go through the insurance. Otherwise it will get messy and you could end up majorly out of pocket.

Dibbydoos · 04/02/2023 13:57

Go through insurers. Contact car park to find out if there's cctv. We're there witnesses? The accident engineer should be able to confirm you were reversed into.

The guy is playing you.

I had a woman reverse into me and I lost in court cos my lawyer was crap and didn't get the engineers report when that evidence would have sealed it.

woodhill · 04/02/2023 14:00

Nocutenamesleft · 04/02/2023 13:56

Someone went into the back of my in laws. I was in the car. Totally the other parties fault

they went through insurance and got told they were at fault even though they got hit on the side like you. It was like the j strange people just didn’t get it we were also told car parks are private property and then weren’t covered by insurance

they got a cash can after that because they lost our. Was absolutely awful!

It's ridiculous

That's what you pay your insurance for

I'm in a similar situation at the moment, not my fault but in wrong place at wrong time itms

Thehonestbadger · 04/02/2023 14:02

I worked in car insurance for many years for lots of the big brand names. I was the person whose desk accidents came to to decide who was at fault and run the claims accordingly.

This is a 100% fault claim on his part. I suspect he knows this. A very basic overview of ‘you’re always at fault’ is

  • if you’re completing a manoeuvre (e.g reversing, pulling in/out or joining an established flow of traffic
  • if you hit someone in the rear
  • if you hit an unattended/ parked/stationary vehicle
In any of these situations you have a 99% chance of being found at fault. whoever has this land on their desk won’t even blink. He was reversing and your damage is to the side of your vehicle so it’s a total no brainer

Hope that helps

goldennotyetoldie · 04/02/2023 14:08

This happened to me. The fact that he hit the side of car apparently was the clear deciding factor that it was his fault.

Do it through the insurance company.

woodhill · 04/02/2023 14:11

I hope so, that's what happened to me recently then got offered money

DillDanding · 04/02/2023 14:11

I can see why people opt not to go through insurance. Because even a no fault claim will almost definitely put up your insurance.

A van reversed into me. The driver asked to pay for the damage and no involve insurance. I got a quote and he paid up. But I can see this is not without risk.