Hit reversing from parking space, insurance advice

cumbrian82

I was reversing from a super market car parking space with cars to my left and a free space to my right. Having checked all was clear I started to back out. I then looked to my front right to check I was still ok to turn the wheel and nobody had started to walk across the empty space. As I turned back to looking into the lane I was hit in the back by another driver. I was a few feet out of the space at the time and the impact was on my rear bumper to the left of the number plate, on her car it is on the front left wing. I have no idea if there is CCTV to check and no witnesses as far as I know.
At the time we did nothing other than exchange details and I said to let me know if she wanted to pursue it through insurance or not, as I didn't want to get any repairs done before I found out what she wanted to do.
Having spoken to her since she is claiming I am 100% to blame and that I reversed into her, where as I believe she is partly to blame as she drove into the back of me however she is expecting me to pay any bills of hers if I want to keep it off insurance.
I know blame is normally put with the driver reversing however I believe with due care and attention she also could have avoided hitting me - she said she was looking around for a parking space.
I've had a look around and some older posts imply that this will most likely be settled with split liability by the insurance companies or blame put with me as I was in reverse.

There is a little damage on my bumper and I can get it repaired for below my excess cost, however the other driver has received a very high quote, so I'd like to have an idea of where things are likely to stand without speaking to my insurance who will no doubt make a note of the incident even if no claim comes of it.
My personal preference would be to leave it off the insurance and leave each other to sort out repairs ourself, especially if the insurance will come back 50/50 anyway.

InsideInsurance

It is most likely that you will be held 100% to blame as you were reversing so had a greater duty of care because of performing the higher risk manover than her that was proceeding forward

You must inform your insurer anyway, though if both parties were to decide to settle things privately then there would be little way for an insurer to know you've defrauded them by not declaring it.

Remember that the excess is not payable on TP claims so if your repairs are below the xs you can still allow them to settle the TP claim and not pay the excess

chanz4

Just say you were stopped at the time, handbreak on Nothing says the op was moving or had not then it would be upto her insurance to prove otherwise

InsideInsurance

chanz4 wrote: »

Just say you were stopped at the time, handbreak on Nothing says the op was moving or had not then it would be upto her insurance to prove otherwise

Of cause you can commit fraud, but why stop at that? Why not say your had 4 mates in the car too and all of you have whiplash and psychological damages since the incident?

cumbrian82

I certainly hadn't planned to outright lie about the incident by saying I wasn't moving, it would be hard to back up as well. What if I say that and some CCTV turns up? It seems a very stupid and hazardous thing to do.

I understand the duty to be aware of things when you are reversing and I don't feel I was negligent and should be able to reverse out of a space without somebody driving into me.
There is obviously only so much you can see when reversing due to neighbouring cars and I don't think I was reversing in a quick or dangerous manner.

If she doesn't want to leave it at 50/50 and pay our own costs then I guess I will be leaving it to the insurance, I just wanted to get an idea of how that will play out - partly to make the other party aware if they will have some liability with the insurance.

I didn't realise excess wasn't payable on third party claims, I assume I can't repair the damage without the insurance company inspecting it first but I may well continue with my own repairs.

InsideInsurance

The 50/50 situation in car parks tends to come around for one of two reasons

A) Both parties are reversing
Neither party agree on the circumstances and no indep evidence to support one version over the other

B is the classic case as suggested by Chanz where one party says they were stationary and the TP hit them but the TP says they were stationary and the other party hit them.

If you aren't claiming for damages to your vehicle then simply take a few photos of the damage and then repair it as and when you want. If you are intending to claim for damages then you'd most probably need an inspection done first but if it is low value damage this may be done remotely by photos

dalesrider

cumbrian82 wrote: »

There is obviously only so much you can see when reversing due to neighbouring cars .

Note for future. Reverse in, drive out....
Much better view.
You do not have to worry about hitting cars at the side of you and can see idiots looking for spaces & pushing trollies while talking on their phones.

As to her quote. If you do decide to pay. Get your own.

System

dalesrider wrote: »

Note for future. Reverse in, drive out....
Much better view.
You do not have to worry about hitting cars at the side of you and can see idiots looking for spaces & pushing trollies while talking on their phones.
.

No, you will have to watch for the other car driving forwards straight into the space you are aiming for. Then there will be a post on this forum "I was driving into a parking space when this idiot reversed straight into me".

The idiot will be at fault because the person reversing usually is.


If you can't see properly when reversing then only park in a straight-through slot.

carlsberger

dalesrider wrote: »

Note for future. Reverse in, drive out....
Much better view.
You do not have to worry about hitting cars at the side of you and can see idiots looking for spaces & pushing trollies while talking on their phones.

As to her quote. If you do decide to pay. Get your own.

I've always done it this way and it annoys the hell out of my missus, at least now I have a good excuse.

Btw dalesrider, I assume your signature is grammatically incorrect.

dalesrider

carlsberger wrote: »

Btw dalesrider, I assume your signature is grammatically incorrect.

Won't let me post A kind of donkey, so have to use 55

rs65

dalesrider wrote: »

Note for future. Reverse in, drive out....

Note for future ..... online shopping and get them to deliver.

I like my car too much to park it in a supermarket carpark.