Do I need to tell my insurer of damage to my car even if I get it repaired myself?

I unfortunately very gently bumped into the back of a car. On inspection there wasn’t any damage to the car, but there was a little damage to mine. The other driver had to take particulars of my insurance as his car was a hire car. I will get my car fixed privately as I don’t want to go through the insurance. My question is, will the hire company contact my insurance company? And if I don’t tell the insurance company will it still affect me financially going forward?

Asked on 4 September 2025 by Annabel

Answered by Rhydian Jones

It’s important to ensure your insurer is aware of any incident involving your car, and you will be required to report this under your policy. As the other vehicle was a hire car, it’s possible that the hire company would pursue a claim - even if no damage was visible at the time.

So it’s best to be honest about everything with your insurer.

Tags: insurance minor damage

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