So....I was trying to manoeuvrer my car from a tight parking spot outside my house, and exchanged a bit of my paint onto the car parked very tightly in front of me.
The driver of the car had previously just got in the car, started it up then got out and went back to their house, there was a man in the passenger seat.
I didn't realise I'd touched bumpers so not even 1 mph, but the passenger got out and pointed out I'd let a mark on the bumper (yes I had exchanged some of my paint so cant deny that).
I said I was boxed in so could barely get out of the space and that the mark would t-cut out, and would do that later if he agreed. He said it was a company vehicle (it has company branding on it), so would have to notify the employer.
In the evening I applied some t-cut and removed the marks, and took before and after photos.
This afternoon I get a knock on the door from the driver, saying she had notified her employer and they wanted my insurance details 'just in case', we both looked at the bumper and I said I had t-cut the marks off, there was no dents or any other damage so really unsure where this was going. I also pointed out that the other end of the bumper was damaged, apparently this is going through a claim already.
Do I give my insurance company the heads up and provide the before and after photos, or see if the other party tries to pursue this? Would this also count against me if there is no claim?
I'm also keen that my insurer wouldn't just admit liability for a non existent respray, which would hit my NCB
Was it an expensive Mercedes?
Yes. You hit their car, albeit very gently, and so should do the honest thing and supply the details as requested to them and your Ins Co.
I'd also include photos of the damage and your repair in your report to your insurers. But it's not up to you at this point to decide if the repair you've made is sufficient, it's not your property that got "damaged".
And as the other person was in a company vehicle they will be following their obligations as the keeper of the car…
I can’t possibly comment as I’m not an expert.
Looks like it's gonna have to be an insurance job, so yes, call yours.
I also pointed out that the other end of the bumper was damaged, apparently this is going through a claim already.
This is key, do your photos show this? if there was pre-existing damage to the bumper that you can reasonably proove, then that might dissuade the insurace companies from trying to claim for an entire new bumper and rear subframe, which is how these things normaly go.
He said it was a company vehicle (it has company branding on it), so would have to notify the employer.
This is true.
However, IF the extent of the damage is "you marked the bumper and wiped it off" (ie, there's no internal hidden damage) than I'm not sure what they'd actually be able to report, let alone claim for.
Erm....you don't say whether they agreed to you using t-cut?
Did you drop your keys and phone at any point?
He said it was a company vehicle (it has company branding on it), so would have to notify the employer.
Would he notify the employer if he returned to the car in a carpark and there was a trace of paint with no further damage?
It's an incident and there was loss (albeit a spoonful of T-Cut and a few nm of paint), so yes, it should be reported
Are they going to "pay you a visit"?
When the guy got out the car and we looked at the bumper, I said they were minor marks - some rubbed off with a finger, I suggested I could apply some t-cut later as there was nothing more than a small paint transfer mark, so yes they agreed.
This afternoon when I was looking at the bumper again with the woman, and explained I had t-cut the marks off, which she acknowledged. I stated I'd taken before and after pictures, which show the difference, so why are insurance details required?
I understand she wants to cover herself with a company vehicle, as it's her responsibility.
why are insurance details required
Because you hit their car, albeit gently and with minimal damage. And then you repaired it, and declared the repair good and done, but it's not your car and not your right to make that decision.
She wants the details and you are legally obliged to give them
https://www.gov.uk/vehicle-insurance/if-youre-in-an-accident
and consequently if your details are provided to the other party's insurer you'd be better informing your own so they don't find out by other means and then penalise you for not telling them.
This is heading into a 'Give me some advice....NO NOT THAT ADVICE!!' thread isn't it.
You don't have to provide insurance details unless someone was injured. You do have to provide name, address, reg number type details, it's an accident/collision
TOJV types quicker
You also have to tell your insurer
yes, strictly timba is right, you don't have to give your insurance details but you do have to give your details and your car reg, which is what the other party's insurer needs to then get your insurance details.
So OK, don't give them, but the other party's insurer will get them and hence you need to tell your insurer. Ergo, might as well provide them anyway.
Last time this happened to me the other driver just shrugged and said nothing happened, denied his car had touched mine. There was a small amount of paint exchanged which rubbed of. Nothing to prove anything happened 🤷♂️ You could do the same, your choice though.
