Car Park Accident and Insurance

Lshooting_stars000 on 13/11/2014 - 04:29

Any advice would be appreciated and if anyone has gone through something similar, then please share.

I'm in WA and had an accident a week ago. I was in a one way car park and saw a parking lot. Indicated and reversed into the parking lot. At that time there was no one coming out. My vehicle was straight and I was half inside the parking lot already. At that point I heard a bang. The vehicle to my right had reversed out of his parking lot and overturned so his right hand side of his front bumper hit my right side of passenger door and back wheel.

Thing is he apologised at the scene. His wife called a few days later and wanted me to go to a specific repairer and offered to pay the bill. She said they contacted their insurer but thought the excess was too high and wanted to solve it privately. Given I have paid more for car hire through my own insurance and I did not wish to use a repairer of their choice I told them that I would lodge a claim with my insurer and it could be sorted with them. She said that they will contact their insurer again.

This has bit me in the arm as my insurer was of the view that we were both at fault as we were both reversing. She was of the view that we both just fix our own cars. I asked if they would even try recovering from other party and they said no. I have not formally lodged a claim with my insurer and it is probably the claims officer view. My excess is $450. I basically want to be fair in this situation and am unsure how to proceed. Should I just formally lodge a claim with my insurer or contact other party again?

I am afraid that the other party would have contacted their insurer again and they have something similar. I have not heard from their insurer or spoken to other party since. Also would I be 50% at fault given I was in half my parking lot

General Discussion

Comments

  • Dumax on 13/11/2014 - 08:40

    Send a letter of demand to them with the costs of repair and rental costs.

  • chloden on 13/11/2014 - 08:46
    +1

    My neighbour and I both reversed out of our driveways at the same time and straight into each other, we were both at fault as we were both reversing and our cars were straight. Had one of us been on an angle then the other car would have hit the side making it their fault.

  • Randxyz123 on 13/11/2014 - 11:08

    Question about the incident… I take it you reversed into the park and the other party had gone forwards in.

    Any witnesses? This is really why you need a dash cam… Your insurer is correct, it is technically 50/50 fault because you were both revering, HOWEVER the other party is really at fault because they should've just waited for you to park then reverse out…

    I'd call them again and ask to sort things out privately, some repairers have courtesy cars so try and find one that does as an alternative to a hire car. Say you'll get some quotes and they can just call the repairer and settle up with their credit card or in person or whatever…

    All you need to do now is get some quotes.

    His wife called a few days later and wanted me to go to a specific repairer and offered to pay the bill.

    I suspect this "repairer" could be a a family friend or cousin or brother in law, etc doing it for mates rates…

    Northing wrong with this as long as they do a decent job.

    I might be wrong though. I would doubt their excess is over $600, unless they are a P-plater or new driver… The damage is caused probably more than that from what you have described (post pics?) hence the mates rates.

    • shooting_stars000 on 13/11/2014 - 12:23

      Yeh I was reversing in a parking spot and the other car was parked forward in and reversed out. I also felt that he was at fault as he had to wait for me to finish before moving out. But lady I spoke to on the phone that was from my insurance company felt it was my fault. I also read online and a lot of insurance companies tend to put ar park incidents 50:50.

      I have a dash cam but it was a side impact so it wouldn't have a good view. So you still think it would be fine for me to approach them and ask them to settle privately given I said I'll go to my insurer? I'm just worried I end up getting quotes and fix it and then they dispute it after getting more information from their insurer. Then I'll end up being in a worse off position.

      The damage is minor but quite visible and over a few panels for my car. I believe it will be more then my excess.

  • voteoften on 15/11/2014 - 11:20

    My friend was parked in a car spot. Motor was off. She opened the door to get out. Hesitated to grab something out if the glove box. A big 4wd pulled into the adjoining spot and took her door off. She could just as easily been getting out at the time.

    My friend was told that she, nit the driver of the 4ad was at fault. I had predicted this but n one believed me until she called her insurer.

  • [Deactivated] on 16/11/2014 - 11:59
    +1

    If someone offers you a reasonable deal to resolve the matter privately, you should take it.

    You tried to profit from the situation and get a better deal by contacting your insurance company, and you lost the opportunity. The insurance company doesn't have your best interests at hand, and you've also squandered the relationship with your victim.

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