Minor Car Accident

Ultarune

Last night I hit a car in front of me going 5-10 miles per an hour in a turn lane. I was so preoccupied with seeing if any of the oncoming cars were in my lane (poor depth perception), I didn't realize the person in front of me was having the same problem and hadn't moved, so when I started moving I hit him, my bad. I got out, there was no damage on my vehicle, and slight scratches on his rear bumper, as well as him claiming his front driver side door no longer functioning. We exchanged insurance policy and contact information. Do I need to contact my Insurance company and inform them of this, or just let them handle the claim when he makes it? Thanks for the help.

Djeet

You're going to be found at fault, but I'd inform my insurance company of the incident anyways. I'd be really surprised if the door handle not working had anything to do with the tap you gave him, but your insurance claims adjuster would see to that.

MegaMan001

Let your insurance company know about it. Your other option is getting slapped with a bill for the accident from his company and you have no recourse but to pay it. Let your insurance know, they will follow up with your own adjuster and pay the damages and you'll pay an increase in premium. It's no big deal, move on drive safer and your premiums will go back down over the next few years.

Deusfaux

If it's just a few scratches, isn't it cheaper to cover this out of pocket and avoid insurance and increased premiums altogether?

MegaMan001

Deusfaux wrote:

If it's just a few scratches, isn't it cheaper to cover this out of pocket and avoid insurance and increased premiums altogether?

It certainly is possible. It depends on the year of the car that he hit, how expensive the paint is, and where the other party gets it fixed. However, without his own insurance company to investigate the bill, he will basically have to pay whatever the other guy asks when providing the estimate. There's no defense.

I just was in a very small accident, trading paint with a fucking mini cooper I didn't see past a row of parked cars. The damage came to $1045, verified by State Farm (my company) - for maybe three separate scratches on the cooper's bumper. I have no idea if they use powdered diamonds in that shit or something. So they paid everything and I'll pay an extra $600 annually until it goes back down. Then again it was my fault.

My point is, without your own insurance adjuster looking into things, you are really at the mercy of the other guy.

EDIT: I forgot to mention, the initial estimate (per State Farm) was $2400 from the official Mini Cooper dealer.

MichaelLC

Yeah, report it to your company.

Since the hitee already showed sinces of goosery by talking about his door, you'll want to be covered.

Deusfaux

at the mercy of the other party? you get 2 estimates minimum, one from your place of choice, one from his, and you go with the lower of the 2. This is how I experienced handling minor fender benders all my life.

It doesn't make monetary sense to report every last little thing to insurance and to make a pile of claims. Save insurance for when someone gets hurt or their is substantial damage.

MichaelLC

Normally agree, but since the guy he hit was already making comments about his door -- really, a door from a rear-bump? -- thought it'd better to covered when he inevitably experiences 'back pain' or 'stiff neck'.

Ultarune

I appreciate all the advice and went ahead and contacted my insurance. Deusfaux, your advice was in the back of my mind when I made this thread, but there was a bit of a language problem when we exchanged information, and I had to explain to them how to exchange information/contact their insurance company/etc. so I felt letting insurance handle it was better than trying to work personally with someone who doesn't have much experience with our language or traffic law, no offense to the man of course, he was very polite.