Someone hit my car then drove away

JanetG

Hi

I'm really angry about this. Last night I went to pick my son up from his judo lesson and parked the car by the kerb near the judo hall (the car park is tiny and there's never any space on it).

It was there for about 10-15 minutes. During this time, someone hit the car then drove away without stopping and leaving any identification. Both the passenger side doors are scratched, scraped and buckled. Also, the back passenger side wing? (the piece behind the rear passenger door) is buckled and scraped too.

There were no witnesses (well, none who were prepared to admit to seeing anything). The 2 blokes who were standing outside a house nearby turned out to be Polish and just kept pointing at the judo hall car park.

What do I need to do now? I've taken some photographs of the damage, and I was thinking about popping up to the local police station to report it. Will they be interested? I guess that I'm now lumbered, and will have to either pay for the damage to be repaired myself or claim on my own insurance :mad: Do I call the insurance company first, or go and get a quote or two for the repairs first?

Any advice gratefully received!

Janet

skylight

I had this last year - someone slammed into the side of my parked car and he/she must have been drunk as they reveresed out of mine, into another car and whacked 2 more cars as they pulled away.

We had CCTV footage from the pub next door, but it was too grainy to get an identification.

Police are not interested as there is no-one for them to "get" and you will be liable for full costs as there is no-one to claim off. Bummer. Your insurance may want a crime reference number anyway, but it may be worth getting some quotes before you report it - which would be cheaper, extra insurance price next year or fixing it (I suspect extra insurance will be cheaper)

However, check your insurance, mine states I must report anything within 48hrs so that would not give me enough time to get quotes.

And I am sure you are hopping. I was, for weeks (still am!!)

Bossyboots

Perhaps the polish fellas were telling you that the car that hit yours had gone into the car park and it would have been worth inspecting vehicles there to see if any had damage.

JanetG

Bossyboots wrote:

Perhaps the polish fellas were telling you that the car that hit yours had gone into the car park and it would have been worth inspecting vehicles there to see if any had damage.

I did think about that. However, we were last out of the hall, so the car park was empty by then (it's only used by people using the hall where the judo lessons are, and only holds about 6 cars. Everyone else has to park in the road with the local residents). It's more likely that they were indicating that the car came out of the car park and hit mine. Which means it's likely that it's one of the other parents. Unfortunately, we won't be around for next weeks lesson, so I can't skulk around the car park inspecting the other parent's cars for damage.

Bossyboots

JanetG wrote:

I did think about that. However, we were last out of the hall, so the car park was empty by then (it's only used by people using the hall where the judo lessons are, and only holds about 6 cars. Everyone else has to park in the road with the local residents). It's more likely that they were indicating that the car came out of the car park and hit mine. Which means it's likely that it's one of the other parents. Unfortunately, we won't be around for next weeks lesson, so I can't skulk around the car park inspecting the other parent's cars for damage.

Isn't there anyone you could ask to go down and have a look for you. I suspect though that the culprit may well keep their child away until their own repairs are done so you can't work it out. Is there any paint on your car which came from the other car to point you in the right direction?

Chloepad1

Hi
For car damage caused by untraced or uninsured drivers, try the Motor Insurers Bureau. https://www.mib.org.uk

cutesee

all i can say for the mib is they are crap, been waiting nearly 5 years for them to deal with my claim, so just be aware it could take a while.

Sadly someone drove into me last week, cant believe how many dishonest ppl there are in the world, i'd feel so bad if i did that and walked away, i wouldnt be able to live with myself.

JanetG

Thanks everyone.

I went to the police on Saturday morning, and though sympathetic, they couldn't help. Without a suspect, they wouldn't even log an incident. They assured me that an incident number wouldn't be required for the insurance.

I looked into the MIB. Their excess is £300 (ouch!). I hunted out my own insurance policy and discovered that my no claims bonus is protected, and my excess is £200. So, I've reluctantly claimed on my own policy (annoying, but in true MSE fashion, it's the cheapest option).

Janet

Astaroth

If you are insured with Direct Line then it wont count as a fault claim, if you are insured with most other insurers then it will so even though you will still get the same discount from your NCD your base premiums would go up.

violetta

Astaroth wrote:

if you are insured with most other insurers then it will so even though you will still get the same discount from your NCD your base premiums would go up.

This is what happened to my dad a few years ago - he took the blame for a knock-for-knock because the other driver was only third party and he was fully comp and thought he was safe with a protected no claims. NCD remained the same but, as you say, base premium shot up, and the intact NCD could not be transferred to a different insurer. In the eyes of any other insurer, he had had an accident for which he was blameworthy (of course).

Since that experience, I have never bothered with paying extra to 'protect' my NCD.

wdyw

JanetG wrote:

Hi

I'm really angry about this. Last night I went to pick my son up from his judo lesson and parked the car by the kerb near the judo hall (the car park is tiny and there's never any space on it).

It was there for about 10-15 minutes. During this time, someone hit the car then drove away without stopping and leaving any identification. Both the passenger side doors are scratched, scraped and buckled. Also, the back passenger side wing? (the piece behind the rear passenger door) is buckled and scraped too.


Janet

for your future attention - if the damage was on your passenger side then by the sound of things you were parked facing the onxoming traffic and as it was night means you were parked illegally.