Accidentally scratched a car - help?

[Idkw2d]

Hi Mumsnetters and a Merry Christmas to you all,

I am a new driver and have got myself in a situation.

As I was leaving an Asda car park this morning with my child, I managed to reverse too far back and scraped the side of someone’s very big car. I say big because it didn’t look like a scruffy runaround car, it was a big shiny car.

I am usually incredibly careful and slow, especially as I only passed my test in January this year. I am insured as an additional driver on my husband’s car and it’s just a small scruffy car that is easy to drive.

I have managed perfectly fine in this car park for years but due to a number of factors, I was somewhat caught off guard and managed to reverse too far (a driver was zooming up onto my right while another came right up to my backside). The car I scratched was sticking out of its parking slot by a fair margin, which is why I didn’t expect or realise what I’d done until it was too late :(

The bottom of the back of the car had visible marks where some black paint had come off and there was one very very very tiny scratch on the body. A few bystanders said “it doesn’t look too bad at all” and I took photos.

I waited for the owners to show up, told them what happened and gave my name, number, reg and home address. They said they would get a quote and get back to me, but if I didn’t want to pay then we could go through insurance. They said it could be around £200-300 to “paint over the panel”. said as it was my fault I was more than happy to compensate them. They haven’t gotten in touch yet so I’m still waiting.

Anyway, this is my first experience of anything like this and I have been a mess. I’m embarrassed to say I have cried over this multiple times today. I feel stupid for getting into a situation like this but even more stupid for now having to fork up what could be potentially a few hundred pounds.

Long story short, I had some questions:

1. If they ask me to pay, say, £300 and I agree, can they turn around and claim through insurance as well? I am a ‘new’ driver and worried about how this could affect my status.

2. Should insurance be informed regardless? I’ve heard conflicting info and don’t want to get in trouble.

3. Did I deal with this right? Some people have said I shouldn’t have given my home address.

4. Any advice or words of support? I feel so disappointed in myself today and am worried the owners will take advantage of the situation and charge me extra. I’ve heard and seen so many scams where people are forced to fork out exaggerated amounts for minor damage.

5. I’m also annoyed because they were parked in a Child & Parent spot when they clearly didn’t have any with them! Just makes it sting a little more lol.

I work in insurance and this happens all the time. I am afraid it’s in the terms and conditions of any motor insurance policy that you have to declare any incident or accident resulting in any damage to persons, property or animals EVEN if you are not claiming. This is simply put a note on your policy and does not affect pricing in most companies.

If you don’t declare and they find out, for instance because the other driver makes a claim or you later have an accident that you DO claim for and the garage notes that the side has been resprayed previously, but your insurer was not aware of that because you didn’t tell them, your insurer can cancel your policy and you get black-listed with the motor insurers panel so you will struggle to get insurance anywhere. So the problem does NOT go away if you settle in cash. I say this from working in industry and with a legal background.

This is a high price to pay for just not making a call for them to put a note on your file. It’s not a claim so you don’t lose your no claims.

OP it’s up to you whether you settle in cash or go through insurance but keep a record of it and always tell your insurer.

"If you don’t declare and they find out, for instance because the other driver makes a claim or you later have an accident that you DO claim for and the garage notes that the side has been resprayed previously, but your insurer was not aware of that because you didn’t tell them, your insurer can cancel your policy and you get black-listed with the motor insurers panel so you will struggle to get insurance anywhere. So the problem does NOT go away if you settle in cash. I say this from working in industry and with a legal background."

So a previously resprayed bumper would invalidate a policy? My car is second-hand, how do I know whether bits have been damaged or resprayed in the past? What happens if you buy a car that has dents and damage already?

Proof that insurance companies really are (insert appropriate expletive here), as they were described to me by a solicitor that used to work for the insurance companies, he said they will try to weedle their way out of anything and never give a fair price, as I'm sure everyone on here will have experience of. I myself have had shocking repairs done by the insurance companies, whilst waiting for my car I was reading the trade magazine which was explaining how the spray shop staff could save money for the company by cutting corners.

It's not piffle, though 🤦‍♀️

Getting your insurance cancelled is no joke - lots of insurers won't touch you with a bargepole if you've had a policy invalidated - and it's not something that ever comes off your history, whereas claims "disappear" after a certain number of years.

Obviously lots of people take the risk and many will never get caught, but it's always worth pointing out the risks so OP can make a calculated choice.

Completely up to the OP to make an informed choice
If you buy a second car you should have the service/repair history and you note any modifications such as a resprayed bumper as a modification. Insurance notes and claim history is on the MIB register anyhow. Insurers are used to insuring second hand vehicles; the fact that it has changed hands doesn’t change the service history.

OP I am logging off for Christmas now but good luck!

Do people that buy second hand cars get full history of every scratch and dent that has happened to them, I think not.

Do you seriously think that people keep meticulous records of all the work done on their car that are then carefully handed on to each new owner to carry on documenting and report to their insurers?

These things happen, chalk it up to experience. I'm confused how you've been fine in the car park for years but only passed your test in January?
That amount sounds about right for a bumper respray for a large SUV. My Range Rover cost £350 for some stone chips repaired on the front bonnet.

That would be illegal.

I'd defo try and keep it off the insurance if possible. If it's towards the lower bit it mightn't be too hard to fix. The worst is when they need to spray the whole panel to blend it, which shouldn't be the case here.

I had somebody dink the door of my brand new GTI by opening a door onto it, right onto the sharp contour. It was tiny but I was told it might be £600 to fix if they couldn't pop it out and I might be better buying a new door - they would've had to fill it, sand it, and then spray the whole panel to blend it. Luckily it popped out for £40.

The damage looks to be limited to the gloss black insert. These are not painted so you’re looking a replacement of the entire piece.

To be fair to the poster who works in industry above, they didn’t mention ‘every dent and scratch’ at all, just any claims, incidents or modifications, which would generally be on the MIB register or your existing policy. I work in industry but on the tech side and that’s why when you apply or renew online we have the question ‘Has your car had any modifications?’ (Or similar)

When you sell a used car in a dealership, you handover the ‘MARS’ paperwork, (so MOT including Advices, Repairs and Service history). This will be consistent across the big dealerships but obviously if you buy your car from a private individual they will handover what they want/have.

Good luck with your claim/settlement OP. I can’t tell you what to do in a professional capacity but I can tell you that it will be in your policy to let the insurer know. Where I work it doesn’t affect pricing. Don’t sweat it; more than likely it will turn out fine x

Oh god I hope not.

just an update today guys… you will think I’m joking but I can’t even think straight right now - my car has just been stolen. Yes, the one which I was driving when I scraped this car and the one this entire thread is about.

the bloody car has been stolen. On CHRISTMAS!

I don’t know if I’m in shock but I don’t know what to say.

I’m so sorry! Defo report that one to your insurance! Xxx

At least things can only improve from here? lol.

All in serious, that is really shit - and hopefully both issues get solved ASAP. My parents car got stolen a few years ago and the police were amazing - found it a few days later (destroyed, unfortunately) but insurance were great and paid without a fuss.

@Idkw2d not to worry you but a new driver went into the back of me and it was a new panel needed over £1000 we went through the insurance and had to anyway as mine was a work car, but got the quote of what they did and was a new back panel…mine was a Honda jazz so a tiny car

edited to say I saw your update about your car being stolen… I hope you manage to sort that out asap. Report both to your insurance

oh jeez!!

Where was it stolen from?

Oh dear me - get on to the insurance and get both logged.

They'll have heard worse

And have a stiff drink! This too shall pass and at least you're all safe and unharmed, just a lump of metal

Holy shitballs! Really sorry to hear that!

You're actually sticking the boot in, on Christmas Day, when the OP has just had her car stolen?

That's low

I'm really sorry to hear that, OP. Was it an expensive model?