Page 3 | I HIT A CAR FOR THE FIRST TIME

sleepdeprivedma · 2023-12-14T18:23:26+00:00

Currently panicking myself tonight I was parking in a pace and I pulled out and scratched the car beside me with my car being white and the other being black you can see it. I've left a note with my name and number and I'm just sitting shitting myself as I don't know what to expect and I have £17 in the bank so I'm worried about the money. Can my insurance cover this? Im posting on AIBU for traffic

edwardcullensotherwoman · 14/12/2023 19:21

They may not even bother to contact you OP, that looks like it'll polish out, might need some T-cut but might not. If that was my car I certainly wouldn't bother you about it.
Ours has been hit outside our house several times (busy street with no driveways 🙄), we currently have - a cracked wing mirror, scuffs on 2 wheel arches, a broke back light (second time as it was replaced for MOT!) and a large but shallow dent in the rear wing.

Shit happens, don't worry about it. It was very nice of you to leave your details though, we have no clue who caused any of the above!

WillowCraft · 14/12/2023 19:23

WhatNoUsername · 14/12/2023 19:20

Yes. They don't get to decide that. You just need to report the accident to your insurance company and give them the car registration. Hopefully the car owner will provide the other details but your insurer will be able to track them down via the reg anyway.

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That's not how it works. The other party has to claim from your insurance - it's not the job of your insurer's to track them down!

VisionsOfSplendour · 14/12/2023 19:25

XmasHamster · 14/12/2023 19:10

Shit happens, they will understand, but like I said the reason they haven't contacted you might be that they are cross right now. But that feeling fades

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You must know some super understanding people, I know several people who would not be understanding at all about any damage to their car however cosmetic

SnowSwan · 14/12/2023 19:26

When is your insurance due for renewal? It might be worth getting quotes now to see what a difference making a claim will have. My policy increased by £140 this month and that was without making any claims. Shit is getting expensive.

HarrietStyles · 14/12/2023 19:27

I scratched someone’s parked car when I was about 20, I was so upset as I was completely broke at the time, only earning min wage, high London living costs (relative to my earnings), no family to help me. I obviously left my contact details on the the car…… And to this day I don’t know whether they just weren’t arsed about the scratch, or if a big gust of wind blew the note away from under the windscreen wiper 🤷🏼‍♀️ but they never called me. And I was just so so relieved as I had no money to my name. So I’m hoping for you that the person either isn’t bothered about the scratch, or that they will be really understanding with you x

Shade17 · 14/12/2023 19:27

VisionsOfSplendour · 14/12/2023 19:25

You must know some super understanding people, I know several people who would not be understanding at all about any damage to their car however cosmetic

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I’d never be understanding about someone damaging my car. I wouldn’t be angry with them or anything but it would be repaired to my satisfaction.

FannyFifer · 14/12/2023 19:33

My neighbour scratched my car, reversed into it, they were so upset, I had to calm them down. Don't understand folk that get raging, it's only a car, as long as no one hurt, no biggie. Try not to worry OP.

BashfulClam · 14/12/2023 19:35

XmasHamster · 14/12/2023 19:07

To be honest OP, if I had got that damage on my car I would still be fuming and be waiting until I calmed down to call you.
Once the person contacts you, you get their insurance details, give them yours call your insurer or report the incident online and it will go from there.
I would always go through insurance for damage, as I want an approved repair unless it was very superficial and would polish out.

Really? I’d just be glad they actually left a note as most people don’t. Accidents happen, that’s why we have insurance. I wouldn’t be happy but it’s life and I wouldn’t be ‘fuming’ and having to calm down before I could act like a normal human being. Do you overreact like this often…you might need help with that oryour blood pressure will be a concern.

MooseBreath · 14/12/2023 19:35

Take a deep breath, it's ok. It was an accident. Nobody was hurt. You left your details, which was the right thing to do.

If it were my car that had been hit, I honestly would not care in the slightest. I would probably call you to thank you for telling me, but as it is purely aesthetic, I wouldn't be reporting it to insurance or bother chasing up yours.

The owner may not feel the way I do, but honestly, it's a car. When they're on their deathbed, they're not going to be thinking "sleepdeprivedma scratched my car".

Pokinganose · 14/12/2023 19:37

They might just be glad you left a number rather than fuming.Like others have said they might not even bother claiming. You did the right thing. You can't do anything at the moment. Just sit tight and wait and see if they contact you.
You can always explain to your situation and as many people are struggling they'll probably be understanding. Try not to worry OP.

Marmunia10666 · 14/12/2023 19:38

OP - I had a person hit me and drive off. Luckily a workman handed me the registration of the car. I was fuming.

CateringPanic · 14/12/2023 19:39

@sleepdeprivedma as others have said it will probably be cheaper not to go through insurance as you will need to pay your excess which is probably at least £200 plus however much your premiums go up.

Someone hit our car earlier this year and the respray was £350.

You will need to come to some arrangement with the person whose car you hit but don’t talk about having no money too much - it’s not fair for them to feel pressured into paying for it themselves.

CateringPanic · 14/12/2023 19:40

On the other hand I hit someone’s car in June 2022 and they contacted me to talk about getting it fixed. I said cool let me know how much it costs and then I never heard from them again - I guess they decided it wasn’t worth the agg!

Fummymummy · 14/12/2023 19:41

It's unlikely the cost of repair would be more than your excess. If it was me you'd hit, ok it's not great just before Xmas but purely the fact you were honest and left your details would make me like you. Wait for them to ring and ask them if they'll consider waiting until new year and you'll pay for it. They may want to go through insurance in which case, so be it. Don't panic, these things happen all the time!

BashfulClam · 14/12/2023 19:43

MooseBreath · 14/12/2023 19:35

Take a deep breath, it's ok. It was an accident. Nobody was hurt. You left your details, which was the right thing to do.

If it were my car that had been hit, I honestly would not care in the slightest. I would probably call you to thank you for telling me, but as it is purely aesthetic, I wouldn't be reporting it to insurance or bother chasing up yours.

The owner may not feel the way I do, but honestly, it's a car. When they're on their deathbed, they're not going to be thinking "sleepdeprivedma scratched my car".

I’d probably ask ‘how do you want to sort this? I can claim on your insurance or let you know what a repair will cost?’ Then go from there. Shit happens and as long as no one was hurt then it’s fine as it’s just a bit of metal at the end of the day. I crashed and wrote off my parents car and was terrified to tell my mum. She was silent for a second on the phone then said ‘are you ok?’ I was surprised and she said ‘I don’t give a flying fuck about some bit of metal, it’s insured and will be sorted. You are what I care about!’ She was a bit pissed off though.

Perfectlystill · 14/12/2023 19:44

Do not go through insurance for a scrape that'll be cheaper to sort yourself.

If you do that, your insurance will be much more next year. Seriously don't.

Floopani · 14/12/2023 19:44

I drive a 22 year old banger, I wouldn't give a shiny shit if someone hit it and caused cosmetic damage that didnt affect its safety to drive. I wouldn't pursue it, although I might pop someone a message to tell them not to worry if they had left their details.

I took the wing mirror clean off a parked car once, I don't know how I managed it, I just fucked up. Left all my details and the guy called me, told me he worked at a car mechanics and not to to worry about it.

Your insurance will handle it. To be honest, I think this would just T-cut off, it's just stark because it's white on black. Try not to worry OP!

ThreeIsACrowd · 14/12/2023 19:44

Hi, please talk to your insurance when the other party call. Most of the policies, excess does not apply for third party claims. It would probably affect your premium next year but for now you will probably not have to pay anything out if your pocket. Going through insurance will also take the headache of dealing with third party out.

XmasHamster · 14/12/2023 19:44

BashfulClam · 14/12/2023 19:35

Really? I’d just be glad they actually left a note as most people don’t. Accidents happen, that’s why we have insurance. I wouldn’t be happy but it’s life and I wouldn’t be ‘fuming’ and having to calm down before I could act like a normal human being. Do you overreact like this often…you might need help with that oryour blood pressure will be a concern.

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Of course I would be fuming that someone had damaged something of mine that cost nearly £50,000.
That is not an overreaction. Most people I know care very much about their cars getting damaged.
I can only assume you are one of the people who drive round in a beaten up car and think the rest of us feel the same.
And I'm sure you feel very superior but really I just think you are an idiot.
And most likely a bad driver or none driver.
(Who will now claim to own a ferrari that they don't care in the slightest if it gets damaged - there's more to life than money you know etc etc)

easylikeasundaymorn · 14/12/2023 19:45

edwardcullensotherwoman · 14/12/2023 19:21

They may not even bother to contact you OP, that looks like it'll polish out, might need some T-cut but might not. If that was my car I certainly wouldn't bother you about it.
Ours has been hit outside our house several times (busy street with no driveways 🙄), we currently have - a cracked wing mirror, scuffs on 2 wheel arches, a broke back light (second time as it was replaced for MOT!) and a large but shallow dent in the rear wing.

Shit happens, don't worry about it. It was very nice of you to leave your details though, we have no clue who caused any of the above!

I know a lot of people don't bother, but it doesn't mean it was 'very nice' of the OP to leave her details, it's the bare minimum (both morally and legally)!

Shade17 · 14/12/2023 19:45

OP, ignore the posters talking about the excess, they don’t have a clue what they’re talking about.

terraced · 14/12/2023 19:48

Hubby did a similar thing recently. Spoke to the other driver who said he'd get a quote for repair and we'd take it from there. He rang us a day later to say it wasn't worth bothering with so no further action. Hopefully it works out OP.

BashfulClam · 14/12/2023 19:50

XmasHamster · 14/12/2023 19:44

Of course I would be fuming that someone had damaged something of mine that cost nearly £50,000.
That is not an overreaction. Most people I know care very much about their cars getting damaged.
I can only assume you are one of the people who drive round in a beaten up car and think the rest of us feel the same.
And I'm sure you feel very superior but really I just think you are an idiot.
And most likely a bad driver or none driver.
(Who will now claim to own a ferrari that they don't care in the slightest if it gets damaged - there's more to life than money you know etc etc)

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I do drive a nice car but I also realise accidents happen and I might get annoyed bout I wouldn’t need to be calming myself down to call and sort it rationally. You sound unhinged.

Floopani · 14/12/2023 19:50

XmasHamster · 14/12/2023 19:44

Of course I would be fuming that someone had damaged something of mine that cost nearly £50,000.
That is not an overreaction. Most people I know care very much about their cars getting damaged.
I can only assume you are one of the people who drive round in a beaten up car and think the rest of us feel the same.
And I'm sure you feel very superior but really I just think you are an idiot.
And most likely a bad driver or none driver.
(Who will now claim to own a ferrari that they don't care in the slightest if it gets damaged - there's more to life than money you know etc etc)

Show quote history

As the driver of an old banger, I could see your point of view having a £50,000 car that you would be much more pissed off because that is clearly something you value a lot and any of us would be upset at something special to us being damaged.

You lost my sympathy a bit with the rest of it though.

ChocolateTea · 14/12/2023 19:51

I’ve had two small accidents, both my fault. One I couldn’t stop in time on a country road bend and hit their back wheel arch. I swapped details and it looked superficial so said we could probably pay between us. I still informed my insurance company. About six hours later I got photos and told it had bent the wheel arch which was now rubbing on the wheel. I said I couldn’t afford that much of a repair, and I was going to be going through my insurance. They were rude and ranted at me that their premiums would go up etc and I was a bitch and I should pay and not go through insurance. I sent all this to my company, and reported to the police for harassment. They never made a claim against me, it was written off by my insurance company six months later.

the second one I was startled by a van driving towards me and misjudged pulling into a space. Similar scratch to yours. I reported to my insurance but paid privately (was about £250 from memory) . I’d left a note. Yes the lady was cross, but when I explained and said I was happy to pay and supported with quotes (I asked her to get two, one from a company of my choice one from hers) and I paid in full, she was actually ok. I think no one wants to be without their car to be fixed.

my premiums barely changed because I made no claim for the small damage to my own car either time. So you might be ok.

if your excess is a lot, you may be able to come to an agreement with your insurance company.

it’s horrible when you do something like this because you want to kick yourself, but nearly everyone has done a little bumper like this at some point