Clipped wing mirrors - should I have reported to insurance company?!

[hullaballoo19]

Hi, hoping this is the right place to post..

Was on holiday, returned home very late Saturday. On Friday, whilst driving from our campsite to the local town, a woman and I clipped wing mirrors. Narrow country lanes, I slowed down as I saw her coming (I wasn't going above 30 for the whole road as quite windy and narrow at times, so can't have been doing more than 20 when I slowed) but she was driving pretty fast and didn't seem to slow until we were very close (I'm being reasonable here as I didn't feel she slowed at all until after we clipped wing mirrors!). We each had a widened bit of road that we could have pulled over in before we reached each other on a slightly narrower section of road, but neither one of us did. Clipped wing mirrors. Stopped to check for any damage and had a bit of a confrontation with the other driver. Nothing too extreme but we were both blaming the other, she said I should have stopped in the widened bit, dp said she she could have also stopped at widened bit on her side and was driving really fast. I checked her wing mirror (had already checked my own as I got out of car). I said to her that there's no damage to either wing mirror so let's just leave it be rather than continue arguing. It didn't occur to me to exchange insurance details as no damage, but I would have done if she'd stated that she wanted to. I've never had any kind of collision with another driver before and kind of assumed that unless there's damage you don't actually do anything. Forgot about it and didn't notify my insurance company as no harm done, just a bit unpleasant with the confrontation. Sunday I get a text from my insurance company saying something along lines of 'reminder, must report incidents within 24 hours or etc etc', reminds me of the occurrence as I'd completely forgotten about it! Coincidence, or do I assume that this lady has reported it?! So now I assume I'll have to ring them to report it myself and obviously worried that I didn't report within 24 hours. How big of a deal is it likely to be?? Thanks for any advice

Bump

Hi, I don’t think you have to if there’s no damage on either side. Neither party would be claiming so why report it to insurance as premiums would go up next year. Perhaps the text was just a coincidence. I sometimes get random emails from my insurance company.

Why don't you just contact them? It's unlikely to be a massive deal but you won't know until you tell them. If the other driver is trying to claim against you then you definitely need to engage with them, asap!

www.beckettandco.co.uk/notifying-motor-insurers/
www.confused.com/car-insurance/guides/when-should-you-report-a-car-accident

I wouldn't have reported either if you are sure there was no damage. Her motor may have been damaged though even if the housing looked ok. Given the text I would probably call my insurance company to report but that is very annoying as will probably put your premiums up. That sort of claim will almost definitely go down 50/50 so I would t have reported it if I was her.

Even if you don't claim on your insurance, but you notify them, it still goes on your record and likely will put your premium up. In this case I wouldn't bother as there was no damage to either vehicle.

Thanks everyone. I'm worried I'll get in trouble for not reporting sooner and also worried about premium going up 😬 dp and parents think I should report

There is likely a condition in your policy that states all incidents should be reported, regardless of whether you intend making a claim, ASAP.

Can you check your policy online & see if you have any open claims? If she has reported it & is blaming you, then you'll have to engage with your insurance company. It will probably settle 50/50 (narrow Lane collisions usually do, unless there is evidence to say 1 person was stationary at the time).

If the other person hasn't reported it, I wouldn't bother. Just remember to not mention if asked in the future if you have been 'involved in any incidents, regardless of whether a claim has been made' (pretty standard question when taking out motor insurance/making a claim)

If you do decide to tell your insurer now, the worst you'll likely get is a reminder to report all incidents ASAP.

Very similar thing recently happened to me . Driving down a lane , car came along at speed and smashed into my wing mirror , glass gone, crack in back. His was completely smashed off. We both stopped , he blamed me saying I should have got out of his way
We exchanged details , but him still saying my fault .
My car is old, so I wasn't too bothered about the crack on the back, intact dh ordered and fitted new glass for less than a tenner. I reported to my insurance , and tbh was a bit shook up / worried that he would make up some story to get my insurance to pay out . Got sent the paperwork but didn't fill it out. Other driver obviously realised he didn't have a leg to stand on , as never heard anything more.

It didn't occur to me to exchange insurance details as no damage, but I would have done if she'd stated that she wanted to. I've never had any kind of collision with another driver before and kind of assumed that unless there's damage you don't actually do anything.

Just a general piece of advice for the future, you should always exchange details if you have a collision because you may think there is no damage but there maybe that you only identify later.

Classic example is a rear end bash. Modern springy bumpers take the brunt of it and it all looks fine. You feel fine. Then within the next 24 hours you develop whiplash. This actually happened to a friend of mine and she was in serious pain for a while.

Sometimes it's just not possible to know if there is damage - same for hairline cracks, internal damage that isn't immediately visible.