My car has been damaged while parked - should I report it?
Someone damaged my parked car and left the scene. A passer-by took their registration and left the details under my wiper. Is it worth reporting the incident to the police?
How do I trace the owner? Should I just put it down to experience? What do you recommend?
How do I trace the owner? Should I just put it down to experience? What do you recommend?
Asked on 29 October 2021 by
Answered by
Sarah Tooze
It is an offence under the Road Traffic Act to leave the scene of an accident without leaving your details so yes it is worth reporting it to the police.
As you have the registration details, you can find out who the other driver is insured through by going onto ‘askMID’: www.askmid.com/askmidenquiry.aspx (you’ll need to pay a small fee). You can then contact the other driver's insurer to report the damage.
They will then contact the driver, as will the police.
The at-fault insurer may want to see photos of the damage or assist in arranging repairs.
The alternative is to pay for the repairs yourself but you will still need to inform your insurance provider about the incident as not notifying them about damage could invalidate your insurance.
As you have the registration details, you can find out who the other driver is insured through by going onto ‘askMID’: www.askmid.com/askmidenquiry.aspx (you’ll need to pay a small fee). You can then contact the other driver's insurer to report the damage.
They will then contact the driver, as will the police.
The at-fault insurer may want to see photos of the damage or assist in arranging repairs.
The alternative is to pay for the repairs yourself but you will still need to inform your insurance provider about the incident as not notifying them about damage could invalidate your insurance.
Tags:
insurance
damaged cars
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