What would you do??

[darich]

A couple of weeks ago I had a very minor bump in my employer's car. No big deal.
I did the necessary at the roadside and exchanged details then we both went on our way.
Damage to my car was minor scrape and dent on rear passenger door, and minor scrape on rear wing and bumper. His large Vauxhall van was unmarked as far as I could see.....he may have had some VERY minor paint damage to his front wheel arch but it was hardly noticeable.
I completed the necessary paperwork back in the office and sent it off to the Risk Management section while the car was taken to the body shop.
As far as my employer is concerned, the car was bumped, I've owned up, declared it and the car is fixed. I have no problems at work regarding this incident.

As for fault.....being totally honest - probably mine. I changed lane to my right and hit him. I'll argue that he was travelling far too fast because I checked my blindspot and he wasn't there (I ride a bike so always do a shoulder check regardless of vehicle I'm in). But it would probably be argued that I still moved into him and his speed was/is irrelevant.

That's the background but here's the question......

Would you tell your own car insurance when renewal came round that you had been in a bump??

[KGB83]

If it was me (easy for me to say possibly) I wouldnt, happened with your work not your own car or fault. Keep it quiet.

[Mike2.0TQ]

No way for me, they will screw you for years!! Had a very minor scrape myself a few years back, reported it at the time but then settled with the other driver not through insurance. Even just reporting it bumped my premium up by 200 quid and I didn't even claim!!

I guess this is through your work insurance and tough won't be named on the insurance database?

[c.grex]

When insurance companies start being far with us, that's when I would be fair back! I have had some real issues with high renewal quotes and once when I made a claim they offered £2000 less than book price and I had to photo copy the glasses guide page to prove the pay out for my car was a joke! I once swapped my car 6 months into a policy and they wanted double other companies for the new car! And then wouldnt give me my no claims proof if I left 6 months in!


Dont tell them!

[zollaf]

agree with everything that has been said, but be careful as not telling them may, and i empasise may, just come back and bite you at some stage in the future.
(in my case it never did, under similar circumstances though, but we won't go into that, poor sharan, rip)

[Eshrules]

Generally, the question is "have you or anyone driving your car been involved in any accident or claim in the last 5 years" - to which you can't honestly answer 'no'.

It's your call, but we all know what insurance companies are like for wriggling out of claims and it could have further implications regards driving a vehicle with invalid insurance.

[darich]

Thanks for all the replies.

I have no problem keeping quiet about this. I’ll feel absolutely no guilt in saying nothing.

But as Eshrules points out it could bite me later. My fear is that I’ll be logged as the driver in some large database and should I have to make a claim at some point in the next 5 years, my name will pop up and the insurer will rub his hands and decline whatever payout I need.

Mike2.0TQ - yes. It will be on my works insurance but being the driver I had to fill in some paperwork with my version. So I’m not sure how easily I can be attached to the claim. Probably quite easily I’d imagine.

I’ve had experience of this years ago where a taxi driver claimed I had bumped his car while he was in it. Police were called and documents checked. After they were satisfied that he was not being truthful, they advised me to contact my insurer just incase he made a claim. So I did although I did not make a claim.
They withheld my NCD for something like 6months so instead of going from 3 years to 4 years (it was a long time ago!) I went from 3 down to 1 with a pending claim. I ended up paying something like an extra £100 per month for 6 months until they were satisfied he wouldn’t claim.

This has made me uneasy about telling insurance more than they need to know but at the same time, I’d rather not leave myself in a position where they can refuse a claim should I need to make one.

My renewal is not until April next year so I’ve got plenty time to think about it.

Many thanks for all the input

[darich]

I’ve spoken to my employer’s Risk Management section and he’s cleared up a few things for me………
1 – I work for a local authority so they self insure but the insurance covers third party claims.

2 – the excess is £100k so any repairs to our vehicles are carried out and paid for by the council.

3 – our insurer is informed of incidents at the end of the year via a spreadsheet. The only personal details given to the insurer is my name.

4 – I think the 3rd party is unlikely to claim given the minor damage to his van. I was driving a Peugeot and even that piece of crap has minimal damage so his Vauxhall Vivaro will have even less.

The guy I spoke to could obviously not advise me to withhold that information from my insurer and said it would be a type of fraud (which I knew) but I’m now thinking that if the 3rd party makes no claim, then there is no insurance claim made so I can answer honestly “no” when asked if any claims have been made.
Being involved in an incident/accident is different but given that the only personal details passed to the insurer is my name there’s much smaller chance of me being linked with that incident.

I have until late April to decide what I’m going to do!!

[jdp1962]

A lot will come down to the precise wording of the question on the renewal.