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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:
JaceLancs · 04/02/2023 16:47

Guy reversed into me in a car park - 14 months ago - apologised profusively but wanted to settle outside insurance as my car was driveable and mainly cosmetic I agreed as felt sorry for him
after 3 months of him quibbling about the quotes I got - I went through insurance who sorted it straight away
Didn’t cost me anything - I’m lucky I took photos and saved all the messages including him admitting liability as he then tried to blame me!
His insurance company wanted to go 50:50 with mine but I refused so my insurers are now taking him to court and have included extra expenses for my inconvenience eg taking time off work to get repair quotes
never again - always always go straight to insurance

worried4698643 · 04/02/2023 16:54

GCWorkNightmare · 04/02/2023 12:58

Did you not beep your horn as he got close to you?

Completely irrelevant.

Go through insurance. Always. It's the reason you pay it.

DomesticShortHair · 04/02/2023 16:56

If you go through the insurance, it can affect your premium next year and beyond. Even if it’s decided not to be your fault, your risk profile increases because you’ve had an accident/incident. This might seem unfair, but insurance algorithms don’t get into each individual case when deciding premium levels. Having had one accident shows to them that you may be more likely to have an accident in future- just because it wasn’t your fault, they see at as you didn’t avoid an accident either.

Also, if there is no evidence, or they don’t get the evidence, or the insurance company can’t be bothered to put up a fight (as happened to me), then they might just decide to settle on a no fault basis. Which means you’ll have made a claim on your own insurance, which will also affect your premium going forward and could affect your no claims of not protected. Remember, it’s a no claim, not no blame, bonus.

I’m not saying that you shouldn’t go through insurance, but there are potential consequences for doing so that you should be aware of, so you can make an informed decision. Please do some research, and don’t rely on the usual MN position of always ‘just go through insurance’. I’m always amazed at how little people know about this kind of stuff.

Pardon44 · 04/02/2023 16:59

Go through the insurance. This happened to me. I was hit at less than 5 miles an hour. You'd expect very little damage. It came to €1200 in repairs.

DixonD · 04/02/2023 17:02

ChefsSalad · 04/02/2023 13:21

You're wrong.

Show quote history

Very wrong!

Overthehill123 · 04/02/2023 17:05

This happened to me OP, except they reversed out of a side road into a main road and straight into the side of me as I was waiting in the box to turn right into the road. They didn't stop and drove away, they badly damaged the passenger side of my car, I went through insurance but they denied it, no witnesses and no damage on their vechile (big sturdy van) the insurance did nothing and said it couldn't be proved!

Do you have a dash cam or witnesses?

amonsteronthehill · 04/02/2023 17:06

Report it right away. He was reversing in a parking lot and if he hit the side of your car, knows full well he's likely to be found at fault for the whole thing.

Original poster
NewMoon76 · 04/02/2023 17:10

I have a picture of the back of his car reversed /touching into the side of my car (passenger jumped out and took it after the incident). Would that be enough to prove it? Is there anyway he can wriggle out of it?

OP posts:
arghtriffid · 04/02/2023 17:12

This happened to me although I reversed into them. They wanted me to settle without going through insurance as their premium would increase. I declined and they decided to leave it - no claim.

woodhill · 04/02/2023 17:23

Trouble is it happens quickly but in slow motion at the same time and you can't react fast enough

SavoirFlair · 04/02/2023 17:24

DomesticShortHair · 04/02/2023 16:56

If you go through the insurance, it can affect your premium next year and beyond. Even if it’s decided not to be your fault, your risk profile increases because you’ve had an accident/incident. This might seem unfair, but insurance algorithms don’t get into each individual case when deciding premium levels. Having had one accident shows to them that you may be more likely to have an accident in future- just because it wasn’t your fault, they see at as you didn’t avoid an accident either.

Also, if there is no evidence, or they don’t get the evidence, or the insurance company can’t be bothered to put up a fight (as happened to me), then they might just decide to settle on a no fault basis. Which means you’ll have made a claim on your own insurance, which will also affect your premium going forward and could affect your no claims of not protected. Remember, it’s a no claim, not no blame, bonus.

I’m not saying that you shouldn’t go through insurance, but there are potential consequences for doing so that you should be aware of, so you can make an informed decision. Please do some research, and don’t rely on the usual MN position of always ‘just go through insurance’. I’m always amazed at how little people know about this kind of stuff.

This is absolutely terrible advice @DomesticShortHair .

Yes insurers often try and raise fees after a claim even if no fault.

But as a previous poster said, you can ask for a “no fault” letter to be written

How many posters on this thread alone have said they’ve tried to settle privately, waited ages, not had the person pay, and then had to go through insurance anyway?

The nonsense of your argument is that it assumes the sole focus is to keep insurance premiums down.

No.

The sole focus should be how to get your car repaired safely, and guarantee you actually get the repairs paid for.

If you always try and “go round it” by appealing to people’s better nature? You leave yourself liable to being dicked around by people who don’t pay……. And then you go through insurance anyway.

ArrrMeHearties · 04/02/2023 17:24

He reversed in to your car he is the one at fault

pairofrollerskates · 04/02/2023 17:32

Of course it's his fault. Get the quote. If he doesn't agree, THEN go through insurers. My reasons:

  1. Insurers faff about so much it'll take forever
  2. It will increase his premiums
  3. it might end up increasing your premiums
  4. if you can get it done at his expense and at a garage of your choice - you win!
DomesticShortHair · 04/02/2023 17:44

SavoirFlair · 04/02/2023 17:24

This is absolutely terrible advice @DomesticShortHair .

Yes insurers often try and raise fees after a claim even if no fault.

But as a previous poster said, you can ask for a “no fault” letter to be written

How many posters on this thread alone have said they’ve tried to settle privately, waited ages, not had the person pay, and then had to go through insurance anyway?

The nonsense of your argument is that it assumes the sole focus is to keep insurance premiums down.

No.

The sole focus should be how to get your car repaired safely, and guarantee you actually get the repairs paid for.

If you always try and “go round it” by appealing to people’s better nature? You leave yourself liable to being dicked around by people who don’t pay……. And then you go through insurance anyway.

Show quote history

Just because it’s your sole focus, doesn’t mean that it’s mine, or has to be the OPs.

But it is incredibly arrogant of you to tell us just what our focus on anything should be.

ifIwerenotanandroid · 04/02/2023 18:09

JaceLancs · 04/02/2023 16:47

Guy reversed into me in a car park - 14 months ago - apologised profusively but wanted to settle outside insurance as my car was driveable and mainly cosmetic I agreed as felt sorry for him
after 3 months of him quibbling about the quotes I got - I went through insurance who sorted it straight away
Didn’t cost me anything - I’m lucky I took photos and saved all the messages including him admitting liability as he then tried to blame me!
His insurance company wanted to go 50:50 with mine but I refused so my insurers are now taking him to court and have included extra expenses for my inconvenience eg taking time off work to get repair quotes
never again - always always go straight to insurance

Who are your insurers? I'm with Admiral & need better - see all the 1-star Trustpilot reviews!

ifIwerenotanandroid · 04/02/2023 18:12

NewMoon76 · 04/02/2023 17:10

I have a picture of the back of his car reversed /touching into the side of my car (passenger jumped out and took it after the incident). Would that be enough to prove it? Is there anyway he can wriggle out of it?

This is well worth having. My father was once in an accident & the bloke who drove into his car used photos of damage from a previous accident to claim that my father had driven into him & caused that damage. It was all sorted in the end. Congrat's to your quick-thinking passenger.

KatieB55 · 04/02/2023 18:29

Definitely insurance. Let them deal with it.

sanityisamyth · 04/02/2023 18:30

He's being a twat. 100% go through insurance.

manticlimactic0 · 04/02/2023 19:25

Wallywobbles · 04/02/2023 13:07

I thought car parks were 50/50. Happy to be wrong.

Hy would it be 50/50 if they drive into you?
Someone drove into my car and scraped it in the local Tesco. Their insurance paid up. I was stationary at the time

bobbytorq · 04/02/2023 19:26

Absolutely go through insurers. His fault and also they can do all the messing around chasing the claim.

purpledalmation · 04/02/2023 19:42

I understand why everyone is saying go through insurers, but regardless if it is a no fault claim, your insurance will go up for 3 years. Any claim results in this.

purpledalmation · 04/02/2023 19:46

He could also say it's 50/50 because you should have seen him reversing and stopped to let him go. You weren't paying attention. So it isn't always straightforward

Original poster
NewMoon76 · 04/02/2023 20:12

purpledalmation · 04/02/2023 19:46

He could also say it's 50/50 because you should have seen him reversing and stopped to let him go. You weren't paying attention. So it isn't always straightforward

But he wasn't reversing when I drove past, he went in to side of my car near the back/bumper. So my car was half way past him when he reversed back. It happened fast but he reversed out very quickly.

OP posts:
purpledalmation · 04/02/2023 20:24

Your insurance will still go up. Totally unfair but how they spun it to me was if you are in an accident, then you are the type of person who puts themselves in this position. Stupid logic, but still put my insurance up.

TowerRaven7 · 04/02/2023 20:26

This happened to me a month ago. Insurance told me absolutely the other drivers fault. Go through insurance and they may end up paying for your deductible too. My other driver is.