Other driver saying I owe him money

B4TOo

Hi, I need advice on what to do with a car incident please.

Last night, I was at a T junction, in North of England, turning left into the road, so clearly not crossing any cars path. There was a car parked blocking my view. I stopped at the giveway line and looked properly and it was clear to my right so I edged slowly forwards to go left into the road behind the car then go around it. I was going very slowly because I couldn't see.

Another car was driving in the middle of the road and seemed to be going quickly. As I was going round the corner he appeared "from no where" and we bumped into each other. My right bumper and the side of his car.

I reversed to remove the contact between the cars and put hazards on. He shouted at me and then after putting hazards on, we exchanged details and I took pictures of both of our cars. His car had absolutely no damage to it and nor did mine.

They left after taking my name , number and no. plate and I took a few moments to calm down before driving to my friends house round the corner. My friend was also in the car with me at the time and said the other car was speeding and she said there was no damage to the guys car

So, the guy has now rung me up demanding money for paintwork scratches on his car and says if I don't pay, he'll go through the insurance and he says it's 100% my fault so my insurance will go up and his won't so either way, he gets his car fixed and I'm out of pocket.

This is my first accident and it was so minor. Because I was edging out, and on my side of the road, I don't feel I'm 100% to blame. I've done that corner so many times and never had any problems and it's a tricky corner which is why you take it slowly.

The annoying thing is, the damage I have apparently done to his car doesn't match up with the height of my bumper either. He's saying the damage is below the window, whereas my bumper is a bit lower than that!! His car is 2004 and he's saying it has never had a scratch on it so I clearly did it.

He's blaming me completely and I feel it's an overreaction. We barely bumped cars and so originally I didn't think I needed to tell the company and it would increase my insurance a lot for something so small. However it has only been 17 hours since so I'm still within 24 hours.

Now I'm worried that because I didn't tell the insurance immediately, he'll go to the insurance and I'll have my insurance void for not reporting it immediately - however he didn't report it immediately either, he's just saying if I don't pay, he'll go to the insurance.

There's no actual evidence as to whose fault it really is either. My parents think it's a knock for knock. He was speeding and on the wrong side of the road and I couldn't see clearly.

OH and he's saying I hit his car twice which is completely not true. I feel so stressed. I have a heart condition which this has completely flared up and I feel so ill and can't think straight. My parents are telling me this is not a big deal at all, and I get that but I still do not know what the best thing to do is because I don't think it's all my fault so why should I have to pay hundreds for some scrapes that I don't think I did but then I risk having my insurance increased too and there is literally no winning here, is there?! This is my first accident/incident driving so I'm not sure what to do. The guy said he only just passed his test and was in a rush to get home. I have recorded our phone calls about his descriptions of the damage I apparently did just in case.

If anyone could be reassuring too, I'd appreciate that! Thank you!!
How much would my insurance go up by? Should I just pay him to damage? What do I do?! Will my insurance go up even if no claims are made??

societys_child

You must report this to your insurance co, it's not too late to do it now, it was only last night, they're not going to void your insurance.

Don't left him blackmail you!

B4TOo

Won't my insurance increase though whether it's my fault or not? How much will it go up by do you think? Thank you for the reply.

LadyDee

And whatever you do - do not be blackmailed into paying out hundreds of pounds for non-existent scratches. Insist this other driver claims through the insurance and if what you claim is true, that there was no damage to his car and you weren't to blame anyway, you probably won't hear another word from him. He sounds like a bully who is attempting to take advantage of you.

B4TOo

That's the thing, I'm doubting myself because that's who I am. My pictures do not show any damage and my friend didn't see any damage but the guy is telling us to go to his house and see the car for ourselves. The weird thing is these scratches are higher than where my bumper is so doesn't make sense.

It seems such an overreaction for some scratches though and apparently he can't get the car checked out until the weekend so I don't know whether to just wait until the weekend or just go to insurance now.

I'm pretty sure it's not all my fault but what if it was?! you know?! IT all happened so quickly and as he yelled at me straight away I felt to blame and felt guilty as the driver and worried about me and my friend and him as well as prayed for no injuries so I feel bad about the situation but I don't think it's al my fault??

BooJewels

My personal thought (I'm not any sort of insurance expert, but I am a Mum) is that I would certainly report it to your insurers, explaining that you hadn't done so earlier, because there wasn't seemingly any harm done and you weren't going to make any claim and didn't expect him to either, but he's now approaching you directly for recompense and applying pressure. Tell them that you have photos from the scene and the non-existent damage - and that the claimed damage doesn't even sound plausible from the nature of the contact.

I'd tell him that as you've now reported it to your insurer, that he should direct his claim through his own insurance company and let them sort it out, that you can no longer communicate with him directly - insist that everything is done by the book.

If he is applying direct personal pressure, it would suggest to me that maybe he isn't even insured or has the same sort of concerns you do about the potential future costs of a claim.

Do not - under any circumstances - part with any money directly. My gut feeling is that he's just trying it on and as others have said, nothing will come of it.

telemarks

Yep as others have said, you should simply tell the insurance company, then forget all about it. Just reply to the insurance as required and totally ignore him.

Lifes too short for worries, and deling with this sort of stuff is exactly why you pay insurance.

Skibunny40

I agree with the other posters - tell your insurance company. Yes it's possible that your premium will go up but at least you'll be able to stop stressing and chances are, the other guy will disappear as soon as he knows he has to deal with an insurance company.

davetrousers

Inform your insurer, it's not worth the risk of doing anything else.

The other person is after easy money and trying to scare you.

Norman_Castle

he says it's 100% my fault so my insurance will go up and his won't

Most car accidents are 100% the other drivers fault according to both drivers. His insurance will go up regardless of blame. Insurers like 50/50, it saves them arguing and doubles the amount of drivers losing ncb.

vacheron

You should report this, and out of interest, tell him you are going to declare it to your insurance and see how quickly he changes his tune.

Your policy may rise, but hopefully very little if it turns out to be resolved as a no fault or zero cost claim.

Also, his claim that his insurance will "definitely not increase" is not true as once you provide his registration number to your insurance company it will go on record as having been involved in an incident and so he will have to declare that on future policies.

I was hit from behind while stationary at traffic lights (I even had the handbrake on) by a guy who immediately threw his hands up and accepted all blame and I still have to declare it and pay slightly more each year for some totally illogical reason.

I'd be interested to hear his reaction as I think he's trying it on through intimidation. Also, if these messages from him are in writing this kind of intimidation / extorting money through threats could be of interest to them, or perhaps even the police.