OTT/Stupid or Honest? | Motoring discussion | Back Room Forum

Mon 15 Nov 2010 14:34

OTT/Stupid or Honest? - bobbyd

*I've just realised this should be in the legal section - sorry*

I think I already know the answer, but thought I'd check and see if I've created more problems for myself through being honest.

Couple of weekends ago my wife and I went into town. She dropped me off outside our destination (I was carrying a heavy TV to be returned for repair) and she headed off to our usual multi-storey to park.

About 20 minutes later I get a call with her upset (she's pregnant - thus more hormonal than normal) saying she's just scraped the front of our car along the side of another while trying to park. I suggested she left a note on the windscreen with her details (she left an apology with her mobile number and offered to pay for repair). There was a couple who witnessed the bump and gave my wife their details in case anyone suggested we'd done more damage than we actually had.

So we do our shop and then head home. Car still parked where it was when we left, note still on the windscreen.

That night, no call. The next day, no call. This confused and slightly worried us. The weather the previous night had been shocking and we thought they might not have noticed the note and used the wipers, thus losing the note.

Now you are probably all saying "that's their problem - you did your bit", but, me being me, and a worrier, I did some trolling of trafficking forums and found a fair few posts where people were saying the "I left a note, it must have blown off" excuse didn't cut it if the owners reported the damage and found out who did it. There was also discussion of whether or not you should cover your back by notifying the local plod.

So, I gave our local station a call and explained what happened. They took the details and said we'd done the right thing, but not to worry as they would not notify the other party, but they'd pass them our details if they called to report damage to the car.

A few days later the owner of the car called, ever so thankful for us leaving our details, but that she wasn't overly fussed about the damage and if it couldn't be taken out with T-Cut then she didn't want the trouble of panels being taken off and re-sprayed etc. Good for us I guess.

So really what I'd like to know is have I potentially caused a future issue by having a "bump" recorded by the Police and might that affect our insurance when we come to renew it. The Police said not to bother telling our insurers and no claim was ever made.

Looking back on it I know we went a bit over the top, most people would just walk away and pretend it never happened, but I'd hate to have that done to us and so we thought we'd done the right thing, but it'd be a real kick in the nuts if it came back to bite us in ways we didn't expect.

Thoughts?

Edited by bobbyd on 15/11/2010 at 14:35

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Mon 15 Nov 2010 14:56

OTT/Stupid or Honest? - Stropley

If you're this worried about a scrape in a car park parenting is going to drive you absolutely mental.

CHILL!

I doubt the copper you spoke to even recorded your details but even if he did there's no way they will be passed on to anyone other than the owner of the car you hit - as he told you over the phone. Giving it to insurers (assuming he could even find out who you insure with), would surely be a breach of something or other.

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Mon 15 Nov 2010 15:02

OTT/Stupid or Honest? - bobbyd

I wasn't so worried about them passing on the details to the insurer, I'm just wondering if we should tell them. It does state in our policy that we should notify them of any accidents, but I don't know if this is such an occasion to do so, and if we don't, do they ever run checks to see if any of their insured cars have been involved in accidents.

And yes, I really do need to chill - I tend to go OTT when something happens I haven't dealt with before and try and follow everything to the letter - except telling the insurers, don't want them bumping up the premium for a little scratch, but also don't want them finding out!

b***** hell I can get myself worked up over nothing :)

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Mon 15 Nov 2010 15:03

OTT/Stupid or Honest? - injection doc

Bobbyd

Well done for all the effort and nice that you got a gentle reaction from the owner.

i would of thought nothing would of come of it and the police don't seem to record much these days as ther mostly disinterested unless its a tick box motoring offence!

Chill ! & top marks for honesty

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Mon 15 Nov 2010 15:15

OTT/Stupid or Honest? - bobbyd

thanks injection doc. I have to admit I felt like a bit of a t*** being so concerned over something many other people would have just brushed off and forgotten about (and done nothing about)

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Mon 15 Nov 2010 15:13

OTT/Stupid or Honest? - ForumNeedsModerating

I would read the caveats/disclaimers on your insurance policy, or check what their (the insurance company's) website asks for when you get a quote online (if available).

I like to think I'm an honest person & would have done the say as your & your wife in the circumstances, i.e. leave a note, follow-up call to police etc., but don't think you should be penalised 'by your own hand' by declaring an accident that:

- was resolved with recourse to any insurance company

- the other party hasn't reported

- caused no injury

- the police will not action/process further

This may ( I'm no expert on this, btw) be technically be 'hiding' relevant information for your next policy/renewal & you have to make up your own mind on whether (in exremis, i.e. claim) you may worry about your insurance company having a claim denial opportunity.

Personally, I'd take the 'hit' & fess up - logic being: regard the fact there was no claim as a 'bonus' & feel secure in the knowledge that if you do have (God forbid) a 'proper' accident there's absolutely no doubt about your insurance cover's validity. Whatever the police may genuinley say, there's still a record of your accident & information (these days) doesn't just vanish.

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Mon 15 Nov 2010 15:19

OTT/Stupid or Honest? - bobbyd

That's what I was thinking, sadly.

It's something I'm unable to do though as it's my wife's policy and she was the one driving, but I tend to be the one who deals with these things and checks if we're doing the right thing etc. I don't want to have to say to her "oh you need to phone the insurance company and tell them, and it might cost us more next year if we do". That's never going to go well, but it is probably the right course of action.

I at least wouldn't have thought we'd lose the no claims bonus, as no claims have been made. No turning back once you've found out though is there?

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Mon 15 Nov 2010 15:45

OTT/Stupid or Honest? - ForumNeedsModerating

I don't think you'll lose your NCB either, but I think they might load the premium - but how much could that be? Maybe not as much as you think - and your policy declaration is then rock solid in the event of any future claim.

My mind works like this: for the sake of X pounds (policy loading) I'll have no niggly doubts along the lines of 'what if they find out about it' if I make a claim.

I had insurance on a motorcycle - I thought I'd made it clear to the ins. co. that I needed 'business' cover, but on reading the policy I found the 'business cover' was rather ambiguous - and 'ambiguous' & I don't mix. I upgraded the cover to a no-nonsense 'class 1 business use' - yes. more expensive, but I didn't want to haggle if I'd needed to claim about the type of 'business' I was on at the time etc.

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Mon 15 Nov 2010 16:09

OTT/Stupid or Honest? - bobbyd

My mind works like this: for the sake of X pounds (policy loading) I'll have no niggly doubts along the lines of 'what if they find out about it' if I make a claim.

My mind works in the same way sadly, but it's not my policy, but at the same time as everything is shared cost and responsibility wise any fallout from not following proper procedure would hit us both.

I don't want to create more hassle for my wife than need be - it was my suggestion to report the incident to the police - but at the same time if it should be reported to them it should be reported.

I ran an online quote with our current insurer with identical details for our car, but included the "you hit 3rd party vehicle - no claim made" option and it only put the premium by about £50 over the years cost, which is fine by me.

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Thu 18 Nov 2010 07:49

OTT/Stupid or Honest? - bobbyd

Thought I'd post an update to finish this off.

Called the insurance company to inform them of the bump. No loss of no claims bonus and no more than a £40 increase next year. So that's all good.

Repair of other car now also dealt with - the owner was very very good about the whole thing.

So overall it was more expensive than driving away, but it's all worked out for the best.

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Thu 18 Nov 2010 19:21

OTT/Stupid or Honest? - AndyTheGreat

Thought I'd post an update to finish this off.

Called the insurance company to inform them of the bump. No loss of no claims bonus and no more than a £40 increase next year. So that's all good.

Repair of other car now also dealt with - the owner was very very good about the whole thing.

So overall it was more expensive than driving away, but it's all worked out for the best.

Maybe a few quid down, but you did the right thing and can hold your head up up high. If the UK had more decent people like you it would be a much nicer place for us all.

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