"Hit and walk" incident

kandatoo

Just one day after collecting my "new to me" 11 month old car it has been damaged in a private car park by someone reversing into it.

They obviously don't have a conscience as they must have been aware of the damage yet parked up and left the premises to visit another business unrelated to the car park owners before driving off.

I actually witnessed the driver parking from a distance and was that concerned I made a mental note of the vehicle make and colour and the registration number when he left some while later. I went back to my vehicle and left the car park, but it wasn't until some time later that I noticed the damage.

In an effort to find the identity of the driver I visited my local police station who were helpful enough to run a vehicle check on the registration plate details I could remember after several hours, but nothing came up on the search. It is such a distinctive vehicle that there is unlikely to be another registered locally.

I have revisited the premises in the hope that CCTV had recorded the incident without which the police are uninterested and tried every possible combination of the characters I remember of the number on the DVLA site but nothing came up.

Am I resigned to taking a hit on my NCB, are there any other courses of action open to me or should I just shrug and pay up myself?

The estimated cost of repair back to showroom standard is getting on for £600 which seems a bit steep to me but there are parts involved.

bryanb

Probably cheaper overall for you to Pay the £600

arcon5

It may be cheaper to pay the £600 - but we'd need to know what your current insurance premiums are, how many NCB you've accrued, your age group etc etc.
Although of course a moneysaving tactic may ot work for everybody if like you say the £600 isn't something cashflow allows at the moment... unless the repairs can be put off?

kandatoo

Max NCB as I haven't claimed or had any accidents for years.

Looking at the figures via a requote it's probably best to let the insurance company take the hit even if I have to drop down to just a few years NCB as a result of the claim.

The metalwork is priority, of course, but the plastics which are cosmetic are what's inflating the cost of the repair. I've always kept my excesses low on the basis whenever I've had to claim in the past it's usually been when someone's "done a runner" and I've had to claim off my own policy.

peter_the_piper

Problem that I see is proving the other driver did any damage seeing as you did not notice till later.

phill99

Unless you have an independent witness or CCTV footage, you wont get anywhere. You ate only summising that the 3rd party damaged your car but have no proof. Circumstantial evidence is not acceptable by the courts.

Therefore you heed to take a hit on your insurance. You would be better getting alternative quotes.

kandatoo

I think the paint from his car on the back of mine might be a giveaway:( Not to mention the fact I saw him take several attempts at the space before getting out of his vehicle. It was clear he was very close to my vehicle when reversing.

Can't get another quote 'til Tuesday now, but I wouldn't imagine there'd be much in it from past experience.

marc7

the fact that you saw him taking several attempts at parking near your vehicle means nothing I'm afraid

AdrianC

A claim will only go one way.

You tell your insurer that he did it.
He tells his insurer that he didn't do it...
Your insurer tells you that it's coming off your tab.

You cannot prove anything. It's your word against his.