Help regarding damage to car/store insurance

ALIMHOLT

Hi all,

The other day my car was damaged in a well known grocery superstore car park by an 'obstruction' which wasn't visible from the inside of my vehicle. I know it sounds crazy! I don't really know how to describe the 'protrusion' but it definitely couldn't be described as a bollard as they're visible. I parked up without any problem however, on leaving the parking space the 'protusion' damaged the rear of my car. I drive a Fiat 500, so a small car with very little bonnet. The obstacle stuck in the ground is approx. less than 1 foot high and wasn't visible to me when driving the car out of the space. I'm quite miffed about it as this is the first time (luckily for me) I've had an accident. The damage is going to cost £400 to repair and the excess on my insurance is £375 so it doesn't seem worth making a claim through my insurance. Money is very tight at the moment so the last thing I need is a bill for £400. I'm wondering if it's possible to make a claim on the supermarkets insurance and, if so, how I proceed with this? Many thanks 🙂

Brie

Going into the store and complain would be step one for me.

ALIMHOLT

I'm doing that this evening Brie 🙂. I've tried to arrange a meet with the store manager to show them the obstruction the damaged it's caused but the staff I've contacted so far have been very obstructive and are preventing me from escalating the problem. Am I allowed to name the supermarket on here?

MorningcoffeeIV

You can name them anywhere.

McKneff

Can you post a picture of this 'protrusion'

McKneff

Did you back in to the park and drive out.
Difficult to see how you didn't see it going towards it 

user1977

You can try complaining about it being a hazard, but I can't see that you're going to have a great legal case about a stationary object being in your way.

ALIMHOLT

That's my point McKneff.....it's small enough not to be visible from the drivers seat of a Fiat 500. It wasn't directly in front centre of the car, it was to the side and has damaged the rear passenger side panel. I've been to the store but apparently they don't own the car park. I have the name of the company who own it so my next step will be to contact them. It definitely is a hazard user1977 and if it's not a visible one, I haven't a clue why it's there at all. It's obvious on looking at it that it's been hit by other drivers so I'm not the first and probably won't be the last.

DullGreyGuy

You hit a static object, you will be held liable for the accident and in theory any damage you have done to the "protrusion" you'd have to pay for.

Smithcom

ALIMHOLT said:

Hi all,

The other day my car was damaged in a well known grocery superstore car park by an 'obstruction' which wasn't visible from the inside of my vehicle. I know it sounds crazy! I don't really know how to describe the 'protrusion' but it definitely couldn't be described as a bollard as they're visible. I parked up without any problem however, on leaving the parking space the 'protusion' damaged the rear of my car. I drive a Fiat 500, so a small car with very little bonnet. The obstacle stuck in the ground is approx. less than 1 foot high and wasn't visible to me when driving the car out of the space. I'm quite miffed about it as this is the first time (luckily for me) I've had an accident. The damage is going to cost £400 to repair and the excess on my insurance is £375 so it doesn't seem worth making a claim through my insurance. Money is very tight at the moment so the last thing I need is a bill for £400. I'm wondering if it's possible to make a claim on the supermarkets insurance and, if so, how I proceed with this? Many thanks 🙂

Yes.  It's possible.

You will have a lot of ground to cover, to establish liability against the supermarket.   But yes, it's possible.

Please be sure to notify your insurer of the loss, even if you are not claiming against your own policy

Good luck (you may need it !)

SC

DullGreyGuy

Smithcom said:

ALIMHOLT said:

Hi all,

The other day my car was damaged in a well known grocery superstore car park by an 'obstruction' which wasn't visible from the inside of my vehicle. I know it sounds crazy! I don't really know how to describe the 'protrusion' but it definitely couldn't be described as a bollard as they're visible. I parked up without any problem however, on leaving the parking space the 'protusion' damaged the rear of my car. I drive a Fiat 500, so a small car with very little bonnet. The obstacle stuck in the ground is approx. less than 1 foot high and wasn't visible to me when driving the car out of the space. I'm quite miffed about it as this is the first time (luckily for me) I've had an accident. The damage is going to cost £400 to repair and the excess on my insurance is £375 so it doesn't seem worth making a claim through my insurance. Money is very tight at the moment so the last thing I need is a bill for £400. I'm wondering if it's possible to make a claim on the supermarkets insurance and, if so, how I proceed with this? Many thanks 🙂

Yes.  It's possible.

Love to see the case law of a driver hitting a static object in a carpark and it being the car park owners responsibility @smithcom