Somebody hit my car which was parked in a parking lot. It's damaged pretty badly, indicator lens broken, scratched and bumper broken. No note was left, no witnesses or cameras etc.
I do have fully comprehensive insurance, but they require a police report. (Woolworths insurance). Police won't take a police report as there are no witnesses, camera footage..
Location is Melbourne. Any advice would be appreciated.
CSI Miami
1 liner opener required too
Good ole Horatio
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Paint analysis and research probably cost more than it does to repair a scratched bumper and broken blinker.
Sarcasm is free though.
Unhelpful too.
Was hoping for constructive feedback. I'm pretty upset about it!
I even have comprehensive insurance, but it's useless as it requires a police report which is not possible to obtain!
Try another cop shop and tell them you need one to lodge your insurance?
Police are right to ask for proof, otherwise, OP could have easily (not disbelieving what really happened) smashed his car elsewhere, and then claimed it was hit in a parking lot.
No way are the police going to give him a report, just because he says that is what happened, without proof.
That's not how comprehensive insurance works. If there is no other party to claim from you will have to pay your excess but your damage will still be covered and repaired under your policy.
As said previously ring 131 44 and lodge a police report with them, advise them it is required by your insurer.
They will give you a reference number, pass this on to your insurance.
And yes insurers generally consider you automatically at fault if your reversing and have a collision, it's a good idea to reverse into car parks for this reason. My wife had a driver flying through a car park take our her rear bumper, we had to pay excess as she was reversing and had to give way to other traffic, even if they were driving like an idiot.
How fast the other party was going is all anecdotal to an insurance company, they don't really care unless it can be proven.
The same being-at-fault result would have applied if your wife were driving forward and got hit.
Why? She was entering a roadway and failed to give due care. i.e the driver flying through has the right of way, regardless of his idiocy or speed etc.
@TheMindsetTraveller: If she was driving forward she would've had a much better chance of seeing them come. Backing out between 2 cars it is difficult to see much at all.
I like the idea of backing into spots just for that reason alone!
@Waltervp: I agree it is easier to go forward out of a spot (newer cars with rear cross-traffic alert reduces the risk though).
My comment was in relation to who would be at fault if leaving a car space - and going backwards or forwards, the at-fault would likely be the same outcome for the driver leaving the car space.
If your insurer has no other party to claim the money from, the claim will be denied.
what
I was at fault due to reversing out of a driveway
Do you have any other completely irrelevant examples that support your claim that comprehensive insurance won't pay out if an at-fault party can't be identified? Because that's news to all of the people who've had their cars vandalised or stolen or had a tree fall on them or been in a single vehicle crash or…
I got slammed into by a cyclist once (of all things) as I was reversing out of my driveway.
So you failed to give way?
Maybe you should buy some dash cams so you're ready for the next one. Make sure they are angled to catch a number plate at close range.
It's not useless, you will just have to pay the excess.
“BuT i DoNt wAnT tO pAy! i’M nOt At fAuLt!”
100% they will pay out on this claim without a police report. What OP is neglecting to say is that the insurer said ok to making a claim, just that OP either pays the excess, comes up with the at fault party details, or if none, a police report. 2 of those options OP can’t supply, one they don’t want to supply.
I even have comprehensive insurance, but it's useless as it requires a police report which is not possible to obtain!
Maybe the Victoristani police are different to NSW, but when I had a very similar issue a while ago I had absolutely no problem in filing a police report.
Make a report to the police and get their report # and go from there. If the police local do not want to take the claim then call 131 444 and ask them to file a report.
In the circumstances stated, in Vic, no police report will be taken.
Was this in Hampton? Saw some video of a hit-run today in Hampton floating around.
That’s the housing commission coles.
A friend used to work there and had their car broken into twice and a third failed attempt in less than a year.
Police won't take a police report as there are no witnesses, camera footage.
Police must take the report. They might need evidence of the damage. They cannot decline it stating lack of evidence. They probably will not do much due to lack of evidence. I had the same but damage was minimal so did not bother with insurance but did file a police report
No police report will be taken, in Vic, in the circumstances stated. It doesn't fit the criteria
Can you make a post on a local FB page asking if anyone else might have cam footage or witnessed this?
Any CCTV at the carpark?
Forensic analysis of the paint residue on your car, followed by running it against a comprehensive state-wide vehicular paint database for a match.
You'll need CSI Miami, NY and Vegas on this one.
I mean, what response are you hoping for? "Oh yeah that was me mate. My bad, I was in a hurry as I left the stove on. I'll message you my details."