VERY minor accident

aileth

Hi all, asking on behalf of my dad.

My sister (the driver) was stationary in traffic last night when a woman went in the back at her. Seems to have been at a very slow speed. The bumper is lightly scratched and a piece of the numberplate has chipped, seriously VERY minor damage. The woman very sorry, everyone took details, on their way.

My dad (main driver on insurance) isn't, of course, going to bother claiming as there really is nothing to claim for. However, her friend who was in the car in the time has started screaming whiplash, moaning about how her neck and back hurts etc. My dad has basically said she can sod off and he isn't entertaining her.

Now, with or without the friend crying whiplash, should my dad notify the insurers? It was technically an accident, but there is pretty much b*gger all damage. He is worried that if he notifies them, they will up his premium or damage his no claims. I've seen a lot on this forum that you should ring the insurance, but they've all been worse than a simple bumper 'graze.'

What do you think all?

zagfles

If it's a no-fault accident it won't affect the no-claims. You need to declare it and it might affect the renewal premium, but I've just renewed having had a no-fault accident in the last year and the price went down! Also a search on the comparison sites, declaring this accident, came back with quotes much cheaper than last year! So it doesn't seem to make a difference. Unless car insurance generally has gone down a lot this year?

Quentin

The friend should (and proobably will) get a solicitor who can claim off your dad (his insurer will sort everything with the third party) OR go direct to the third party.

Either way the incident will get reported and get on your Dad's record.

He is bound to report the incident to his insurer by the conditionbs of his policy, and because of the injury he needs reporting this to the police.

In any case he should get his car properly inspected, with bumper damage there may be hidden damage to the car body or the bumper internally.

aileth

zagfles wrote: »

If it's a no-fault accident it won't affect the no-claims. You need to declare it and it might affect the renewal premium, but I've just renewed having had a no-fault accident in the last year and the price went down! Also a search on the comparison sites, declaring this accident, came back with quotes much cheaper than last year! So it doesn't seem to make a difference. Unless car insurance generally has gone down a lot this year?

Entirely no fault. However, I've read a lot about people admitting liability at the scene then twisting the story around when telling their insurers!

alleycat`

If you genuinely think the friend is faking then tell her she can never go in the car again.

I wouldn't want someone, i think, is a liability to me in the car.

If she is genuinely hurt it is a different matter but imagine what she'll want from you if your sister shunts someone.

He needs to inform his insurer and pass over the other car drivers details even if he doesn't claim as there is a very real possibility little miss ££ signs will instruct an ambulance chaser to get a few quid.

aileth

alleycat` wrote: »

If you genuinely think the friend is faking then tell her she can never go in the car again.

I wouldn't want someone, i think, is a liability to me in the car.

If she is genuinely hurt it is a different matter but imagine what she'll want from you if your sister shunts someone.

He needs to inform his insurer and pass over the other car drivers details even if he doesn't claim as there is a very real possibility little miss ££ signs will instruct an ambulance chaser to get a few quid.

Thanks for the advice all, have done.

Yes, we are pretty convinced she has seen pound signs and is milking it. My sister is absolutely fine, nothing at all, and says the shunt wasn't even a shunt.

colino

Apart from the temptation to give her something to really moan about, if she is such a low-life, it would be wise to inform the insurance of the incident, "for information only" and carefully check over the car for additional damage. Plastic, streamlined "bumper" covers are remarkably resilient (apart from old Mondeos that were made of poppadoms) and while the actual metal reinforcing bar behind can deform and transmit damage to other parts of the car, the outer simply springs back into place.
Sounds like a, "friend" has limped herself off the Christmas card list.

scheming_gypsy

Set fire to the friend and don't bother reporting it to the insurance company. Yes you're supposed to tell them about any incidents but what accident? did it really happen? can anybody prove it happened?

aileth

scheming_gypsy wrote: »

Set fire to the friend and don't bother reporting it to the insurance company. Yes you're supposed to tell them about any incidents but what accident? did it really happen? can anybody prove it happened?

Thanks for the giggle :rotfl:

OddballJamie

I'd tell the insurance just incase your friend or the person that bumped you tells them first. It shouldn't affect your future premiums, but with three people involved it's better to be safe then worry about it.

If it was a nudge against your own garden wall and only you were involved then I wouldn't tell a soul.

I'd also get you car checked out as bumpers can hide damage underneath.

Ultrasonic

zagfles wrote: »

Unless car insurance generally has gone down a lot this year?

It has. But I had a non-fault claim within the last 12 months and out of interest got renewel quotes with and without this - the difference was about £5 I think. (The new policy I took out was of course one with the claim declared.)