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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Am I supposed to tell my insurer?

17 replies

Turbap · 27/09/2025 16:33

I was parked on a car park and someone turned into the space next to me. In doing so they appeared to hit the back bumper slightly as they mis judged the turn in. However, I was on a call at the time so not 100% but fairly certain. They got out of the car and flat out denied it and then started taking picture of my bumper saying there was no damage so what would I even claim for… they were being quite nasty. Anyway, I noted the registration number and then they drove off. I have bad anxiety and now I am not sure what to do. I don’t want to lie and want to tell the insurer if I am supposed to. Am I? Also why did he take photos of my car will he report me?!

OP posts:
OhDear111 · 27/09/2025 16:37

No. Of course not! What damage is there? You are surely not claiming for a minor bump and losing NCB are you? It’s just one of those very annoying things.

Pollqueen · 27/09/2025 16:39

Are you making a claim? It's not clear if there's any damage. If not, no need to tell your insurer

Owly11 · 27/09/2025 16:43

Thoroughly check the bumper to see if there is any damage to it or behind it and if there isn’t don’t do anything. Personally I wouldn’t claim for minor damage anyway- it’s cheaper to pay for it yourself. However if it had been a big knock on the bumper sometimes the damage is a lot more extensive and expensive than it looks so it would definitely be worth claiming. However it doesn’t sound like that’s the case here because it was a parking knock and a very tiny one at that. He took photos of your car to prove that there’s no damage in case you later tried to say that there was. He was protecting himself just as you were by taking his reg number.

Turbap · 27/09/2025 17:00

Online it says you have to tell insurer even if you don’t intend to claim or if there’s no damage?

OP posts:
SummerInSun · 27/09/2025 17:02

So just call them and tell them. You were stationary with the engine off. There is no damage. No claimed to be made. No big deal. But it protects you in the VERY unlikely situation that they damaged their car and somehow putting a claim saying it was your fault.

cinnamonbunlover · 27/09/2025 17:20

There is no way I would tell My insurer unless intended to claims. Your premium will go up.

this is you anxiety talking as you are worried you will be found out.

no damage, no harm don unpleasant experience forget it and move on.

Turbap · 27/09/2025 17:58

I just feel so shaken up and I’m questioning whether he even did hit it now. He took photos of my bumper and I don’t know why

OP posts:
cinnamonbunlover · 27/09/2025 18:40

Turbap · 27/09/2025 17:58

I just feel so shaken up and I’m questioning whether he even did hit it now. He took photos of my bumper and I don’t know why

Because some people are absolute idiots and would intentionally damage their car to make a false claim against the other driver

say you have a scratch or something that you want out and he hits you and he damages it then you get a new bumper. He is trying to prove that he did no damage so you cannot make a false claim.

like wise if he HAD damaged it, he could claim he hadn’t if you didn’t take a time stamped photo of the damage at the scene. It’s really a sensible thing to do.

he sounds like a bit of twat. My mild mannered DH is absolutely obsessed with his cars and would be a twat too. I have nothing to do with his cars and pretend they don’t exist and I never go in them.

Just try and forget it.

Coffeebreakneeds · 27/09/2025 21:16

SummerInSun · 27/09/2025 17:02

So just call them and tell them. You were stationary with the engine off. There is no damage. No claimed to be made. No big deal. But it protects you in the VERY unlikely situation that they damaged their car and somehow putting a claim saying it was your fault.

I would absolutely not tell my insurance company. Your premiums will be increased regardless if you make a claim. You don’t even know if they hit you. Forget about it and move on. It’s just one of those things.

Turbap · 27/09/2025 23:06

Coffeebreakneeds · 27/09/2025 21:16

I would absolutely not tell my insurance company. Your premiums will be increased regardless if you make a claim. You don’t even know if they hit you. Forget about it and move on. It’s just one of those things.

Edited

@Coffeebreakneeds but then why did he take photos of my car? What if he then does something weird like makes a claim because he thinks I might and then my insurer will question why I didn’t say

OP posts:
OhDear111 · 27/09/2025 23:23

He cannot claim on his insurance! For damage to your car? Why would he? He’s taken a photo to show there’s no damage should you claim! Not that you have got his insurance details. I’d just forget about it - he cannot claim off a stationary car!

Givenupshopping · 27/09/2025 23:45

Personally, I would have a thorough look at the area behind the bumper OP, to check that there really is no damage. If you don't feel confident to do this yourself, get someone who takes an interest in cars, like your DH, partner, etc. to do it for you. Sorry, I know I'm stereotyping here, but let's face it, not too many of us women are that interested in the bodywork of a car, or how it works.

The reason I say this, is that one day on my way to work, I was about to turn out of our road, when my wet shoe slipped off of the pedal as I was about to pull away, and I stalled, by the time I'd restarted it to pull away, the guy in the car behind me, who had assumed I was going to pull away, and so started to accelerate himself, unfortunately ran into me, albeit pretty gently. We got out of the cars to look for damage, but I couldn't see anything, and as I was in good business clothes, I couldn't exactly get on my hands and knees to have a proper look behind the bumper, so I asked the guy for his insurance details just in case there was any damage spotted later, but he refused, saying there was no damage. However, I did take his name and registration number. When I got home and told DH what had happened, he went out, and got down on his knees to have a proper look, and lo and behold there WAS some damage behind the bumper. I called my insurer, and said that the guy had refused to give me any insurance information, but had given me his name and I'd got the registration details. They were able to find him from that, and claim for the damage from his insurer, so long story short, it is ALWAYS worth checking properly. Only report to your insurer if you find any damage, because, as has been pointed out already, they will put your premium up if they know what happened, even if you don't need to claim.

Bjorkdidit · 28/09/2025 07:00

Technically you do have to tell your insurer, although I understand why people often don't when their car doesn't appear to have been damaged.

However it might be worth doing as I fear that he might have been planning to deliberately damage his car like @cinnamonbunlover has suggested and he might claim you hit him, because then it will come down to his word against yours which is very hard to prove and resolve.

Turbap · 28/09/2025 07:17

@Givenupshopping what was the damage to your car? Did your premium go up even though you claimed against him? I’m so stressed as to what to do

OP posts:
Turbap · 28/09/2025 07:19

Bjorkdidit · 28/09/2025 07:00

Technically you do have to tell your insurer, although I understand why people often don't when their car doesn't appear to have been damaged.

However it might be worth doing as I fear that he might have been planning to deliberately damage his car like @cinnamonbunlover has suggested and he might claim you hit him, because then it will come down to his word against yours which is very hard to prove and resolve.

@Bjorkdidit yes this was my worry though he did seem genuinely surprised that I thought he’d hit me. He took photos of my car after I started looking at the area on the bumper.

Couldn’t anyone claim any stationary car had hit them though?

OP posts:
araiwa · 28/09/2025 07:21

He took photos so that in case you claim against him that your car was wrecked and three passengers got whiplash , he can show nothing happened

OhDear111 · 29/09/2025 11:16

@Turbap You really need to try and calm down. He took photos to disprove any claim you might bring. You didn’t exchange any driver or insurance details did you? Honestly sit tight and do nothing. Just say the marks (if any) were there pre this minor bump and of course your insurance will go up if you claim! But why would you? Just forget about it.

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