Car damaged, no note left. Can I do anything with a number plate?

[JadeTurtle]

Hi,

Just looking for a bit of advice really please.

I bought my car last year, it's not brand new but it's the nicest car I've owned by a long way and I'm quite precious about it. I've been taking good care of it to avoid any damage, and it was spotless, but yesterday whilst parked in a public car park I came back to quite a significant dent in the door, presumably from a car door being opened onto it. No note was left, but I have been able to find the registration number of the car that was parked next to me from my dashcam (they had left by the time I came back), although I have no actual footage proving it was them that caused the damage.

I am appealing to the supermarket to see if they have any CCTV footage of the actual incident, but is there anything I can do with the numberplate alone?

Perhaps I'm overreacting but I'm faced with a £450 bill to fix the bodywork through no fault of my own. I could leave it but it's upsetting me every time I see it. It's an extra blow that I only finished paying it off to own it outright 6 days ago.

Definitely going to look into bodywork insurance for the future, if anyone knows of any good companies...

Thanks in advance!

You tell your insurance company. I’ve been accused of an incident in the past (I could prove it wasn’t me) so the insurance company can find them.

Not without any proof at all that they damaged your car.

Pass the details to your insurance company, they should be able to chase the drive and their insurance.

Someone hit me some time ago, all I had was her car plate number. I didn't report it as there was no damage really to my car, but she tried to claim it was my fault through her insurance company. They must have filed a claim with their insurance company, as mine rang me to find out what had happened. So they can trace the driver that way.

Also why isn't the work covered under your insurance. Surely if you have fully comprehensive then there is no need for a separate body work insurance, unless you have a high excess.

If it’s just a dent can it be sucked out with one of those dent remover thingies?

I do have fully comp but I think generally the advice is that unless it’s £1000+ worth of damage, it usually not worth the increased premiums and loss of no claims discount etc. to claim off your normal insurance. Especially if it’s a regular occurrence in busy public car parks

I will try and speak to my insurance whilst making clear I don’t want to claim off my own policy for it. I’d rather fork out £400 than lose 9 years NCB and have a huge hike in premiums in subsequent years :)

You can protect your NCD with an add on. This way you don’t lose it unless you have loads of claims in a certain amount of time.

100% pass the number plate on to your insurers, they can track down owners etc. hopefully CCTV will have captured the incident

Personally I wouldn't report a dent in a door to your insurance.

Low chance they will find the culprit and either way your premiums will go up.

If it's just a small debt can it not be sucked out by a cheaper place?

dent not debt!

Op get no claims protection on your insurance.

I wouldn't pass the details to your insurance company, unless you can get the CCTV footage. You have no proof it was the car on your dashcam. It is likely your premium will go up then too.

No claims protection doesn't, AFIAK, stop the insurance company increasing your premium the following year because you're an increased 'risk' for an accident - it only preserves the 5% discount you get between, say, 8 and 9 years no claims.

You should be paying to protect your no claims discount as well, then you would be able to actually use your insurance in cases like this

although I have no actual footage proving it was them that caused the damage.

Then no, not really. We parked in a public carpark midweek last week and saw a car leave, another car reverse into their space, open the door of their car and absolutely whack the car next door, and then drive away.

We left a note with our details and the reg number of the car, but haven’t heard anything yet. The same could have happened here. You’ve no proof that it was that car, unless CCTV can help.

I am sorry, it’s really rubbish. I’d be gutted if my car was dented.

Sadly no CCTV footage for the area I was parked - I was hopeful because it’s literally right outside the shop and near their cash machine but apparently not.

Guess I’m taking the hit this time and just gotta hope I can get it done for a reasonable price (been quoted between £250-450 so far, heartbreaking forking out hundreds of your hard-earned cash for someone else’s selfishness).

Any recommendations going forward? Side facing cameras? Wrap my car in bubble wrap? 😂 or do I just have to accept that this is something that will happen periodically because people don’t respect other people’s belongings.

You buy no claims bonus protection.

I have claimed once for damage done to my car. I didn’t lose my bonus.

I wouldn't go through insurance. You have no proof it is the other car. They won't pursue them.

The insurance will charge far more repairing your car through their approved body shop and, if you car is a few years old, might even write it off, even when the damage is minor.

Whatever the outcome, they will put your insurance premium up, even with a protected no claims discount.

It's horrible and annoying, but I think you have to just suck it up and pay for the repair yourself.

I already have this, but as mentioned above it doesn’t protect you from raised premiums. It’s rarely worth claiming for cosmetic damage if it’s less than £500, after you’ve factored in your excess and the bumped premiums in the future etc.

Don't tell insurance unless you're claiming, they will load your premium just for telling them.

Biggest recommendation is to look for somewhere that sucks dents out rather than repairing.Or even try DIY, eg https://thecarxpert.com/remove-car-dent/ - one of the first hits I got, not a particular recommendation.