Not at Fault Car Accident - Help

sammyla on 10/02/2025 - 15:40
Last edited 10/02/2025 - 16:04 by 1 other user

Hey Guys, my wife just had someone bump her from behind at an intersection, insurance is under my name so is registration i got footage thanks to rear camera.

I don't want to lodge a claim as it will affect my premium but I'm happy for the other party to repair it through a claim. We got the details of the other party and who their insurer is. My wife had given them details and who our insurer is. Apparently, the drivers husband wants us to talk to our insurance so they can deal with their insurer.

Can't I directly call their insurance and provide footage as I don't want to involve my insurer? I just had a P plater at fault hitting my car writing it off on Jan 28th. I guess it's bad luck and it keeps happening, hire car company told me they have had a large increase of people hiring cars due to accidents.

I feel like increased number of accidents are happening and people are so distracted. My wife is so paranoid that she doesn't want to drive anymore.

Automotive

closed Comments

  • Jimothy Wongingtons on 10/02/2025 - 15:49
    +4

    Do you have comprehensive or no? If yes, just call your insurance and let then deal with it as you’re not at fault?

    • sammyla on 10/02/2025 - 15:51

      i do have comprehensive, if i lodge a claim does it affect my premium?

      • Jimothy Wongingtons on 10/02/2025 - 15:52
        +6

        I don’t know mate, what did the PDS say that you read and agreed to when you signed up?

          • Jimothy Wongingtons on 10/02/2025 - 15:54
            +6

            @sammyla: Yeah so i can figure out what I claim and ensure i have sufficient coverage? Most recent one was to re-check the coverage of our home insurance.

            • sammyla on 10/02/2025 - 15:55
              -6

              @Jimothy Wongingtons: what did your car insurance PDS say? don't think they have anything connecting not at fault claims and premiums

      • jv on 10/02/2025 - 15:57

        If you’re insured with AAMI Comprehensive Car Insurance, and the other driver was entirely at fault, then your policy will help cover any damage to your car – regardless of the other person’s insurance status.

        You also won’t have to pay the excess if you supply their:

        • name
        • address, and
        • the at-fault vehicle’s registration number.
        • It’s best to be proactive and take stock of the scene. You might want to get witness accounts and their details, record photos of the accident and write down > > > * factors that led to the accident. This can help you build a strong case with your insurer.

        You may also be able to provide:

        • a police report
        • camera footage, or
        • expert reports.

        Read the PDS for full details.

        • AustriaBargain on 10/02/2025 - 16:02
          +1

          He's not worried about excess, he's worried about his premiums going up.

  • jv on 10/02/2025 - 15:49

    i don't want to lodge a claim as it will affect my premium

    Why would it affect you premium if you are not at fault and can prove it?

    • sammyla on 10/02/2025 - 15:50

      it doesn't? are you sure? they always ask at renewal the number of claims you had regardless of who's fault.

      • Jimothy Wongingtons on 10/02/2025 - 15:51
        +2

        They usually specify at fault claims?

        It has been many years since I changed insurers though.

      • jv on 10/02/2025 - 15:52
        +1

        they always ask at renewal the number of claims you had regardless

        Why would your insurance company ask you how many claims you made ?

        • sammyla on 10/02/2025 - 15:57

          have you done a quote online? they actually don't need to know they will have a claim history anyway. had a claim in 2023 again not at fault i cant actually remember if they increased premium. have to go back and check.

          • jv on 10/02/2025 - 15:59

            @sammyla:

            have you done a quote online?

            I don't need a quote when I renew, I just pay the invoice.

            • sammyla on 10/02/2025 - 16:01

              @jv: yes me too. but i have checked online QUOTE and cannot say for 100% if not at fault affects insurance.

      • happydude on 10/02/2025 - 15:57

        Yes, and then they ask if an excess was payable.

        If no, then it will have a limited (if any) affect on your premium. If you are in a lot of not at fault accidents then that would be a risk factor for the insurer. A rear ending isn't going to change your risk profile.

        Just make the claim.

        • sammyla on 10/02/2025 - 16:00

          ok thanks, years ago i had a at fault claim and i lodge a claim and gave it to the other party. don't know what they did with it but i was hoping to get it fixed that way.

          • happydude on 10/02/2025 - 16:04

            @sammyla: They probably weren't a spanner and lodged it with their own insurance.

    • sammyla on 10/02/2025 - 16:06

      just checked my renewals premium increased after not at fault in 2023 but by 5%

      • apsilon on 10/02/2025 - 16:10
        +3

        Everyone's premium increases every year even without a claim, you're probably seeing that unless it's specifies the increase was due to the claim.

  • Jaduqimon on 10/02/2025 - 15:53
    +4

    congratulations. you have comprehensive insurance and a dash cam AND a rear dashcam.

    the gold standard for OzBargain.

    Now go claim that insurance like a bauuusss.

    you wont be negatively impacted at all. Make sure to get hire car too.

    • capslock janitor on 10/02/2025 - 16:27
      -1

      dont forget to show his OZBadge and smack 2 eneloops together

  • JimB on 10/02/2025 - 16:02
    +4

    Don't bother.

    Easier to claim under your own insurance.

    1 not at fault claim shouldn't affect your renewal premiums.

    • sammyla on 10/02/2025 - 16:07
      +1

      after last not at fault claim in 2023, 2024 increased by 5% which is not a lot but.

      • soan papdi on 10/02/2025 - 16:12
        +2

        5% is a very low increase for a policy renewal. Are you expecting zero increase year on year?

        • sammyla on 10/02/2025 - 16:22

          lol i had decreases year on year until 2023.

          • soan papdi on 10/02/2025 - 16:28

            @sammyla: Good for you but it does not make sense unless you're on market (not agreed) value and they dropped that number significantly each year. Did you change your excess too?

      • JimB on 10/02/2025 - 16:16

        5% increase?

        Compared to my renewal increase, you probably got a renewal discount due to the at fault claim.

        • sammyla on 10/02/2025 - 16:23

          at fault claim was years ago, not recent, all recent ones are other parties fault.

  • Euphemistic on 10/02/2025 - 16:12

    How bad is the damage this time? If it isnt swrious and you could either live with it, or repair DIY cheaply, the using their insurer and collecting a cash payment (bank transfer) could be to your benefit. I did this recently and came out several hundred ahead, if you dont count my time to do the repair. There were some headaches getting it assessed, and several phonecalls over a month or more but worth it IMO.

    I can understand your hesitation to claim having a second incident so close. It MAY affect your premiums slightly, but shouldn't by a lot. Im sure there is an actuary sitting somewhere mulling over not at fault incident rates and sneaking up the risk factor to increase premiums somehow, but its a small factor.

    If the damage is serious or you need a hire car, just go straight to your insurer.

    Best course of action for a nervous driver after an incident is to get back out there quickly. Rear enders are happening any more than they have in the last 5 years, you are just percieving it due to your recent incidents.

    • jv on 10/02/2025 - 16:14

      swrious ?

      • Euphemistic on 10/02/2025 - 16:35
        +1

        Serious? I thought I fixed most of the typos this time, but i always miss some and often miss a lot.

      • cashless on 10/02/2025 - 16:37
        +1

        That was a Euphemism

    • sammyla on 10/02/2025 - 16:43

      with yours did the other party agree to raise a claim and provide a claim number to you? thats the only way you can get a payout and do yourseld. from the photos i can see there seems to be no dents may be its just paint repair. possibly can be fixed by a service like schmick dent and scratch may be. but i have to check if auto parking sensor is not affected its scratched across where the auto park sensor is have to check properly when wife comes home from work. i don't know what other party thinks as their excess may come in close to the repair cost who knows. i don't think they want to give me a claim number from their side lol other drive has told my wife her husband wants me to contact our insurance so they can deal with their insurance haha, may be don't want me to collect cash and do it myself.

      • Euphemistic on 10/02/2025 - 16:52

        Yes. Other party made a claim and provided a number.

        Your other party probably doesnt want to have an at fault claim against them and just pay for repairs. Particulalry if its a young driver and the relairs might not be too pricey. If they are being difficult, use your insurer without hesitation. You cant make them claim.

        Another recent claim where a person backed into my parked car, he wanted to go outside insurance and use 'his' paintless dent repairer. Initially agreed and got a quote of my own. I wasnt happy with his option, and my quote was more expensive. He arked up and i just made a claim on my insurance straight away.

        I paid direct for repairs to damage my son caused because it was close enough to the (high) excess and woukd have affected premiums for a while to come too.

  • netjock on 10/02/2025 - 16:13

    Like everyone else said, claim it through your insurance

    I feel like increased number of accidents are happening and people are so distracted. My wife is so paranoid that she doesn't want to drive anymore.

    A lot of people driving on self imported road rules. Basically it slows everyone down because you need to treat everyone as an idiot. It is less distractions. I think people just need to budget for a lot more time to get to their destination. It is like they are racing the Google maps ETA to see if they can beat it. It isn't a computer game.

  • soan papdi on 10/02/2025 - 16:15

    Can't I directly call their insurance and provide footage as I don't want to involve my insurer?

    Insurers have lawyers and deal with problematic clients all the time. You are a no-one to the other party's insurer and they will not honour anything you ask if they don't want to. File a claim with your insurer, provide other driver's details and call it done. If you're eligible, you will even get a hire car for free paid for by the other insurer. If not eligible, add it to your policy now for future incidents.

  • OMGJL on 10/02/2025 - 16:26

    I don't want to lodge a claim as it will affect my premium but I'm happy for the other party to repair it through a claim.

    the only accident I've ever had, I also tried to go thru this route, the other party end up not responding to any of my message.

    luckily I still have his ID details etc. I end up lodge to my own insurance, did not have to pay any excess after calling and lodge his details.

    Try it, but don't have high hope, if the other party didn't do what's right, by end of the 2nd day, just lodge it to yours.

  • Empharand on 10/02/2025 - 16:43

    my wife just had someone bump her from behind

    Giggity

  • Simoneee on 10/02/2025 - 16:48
    +1

    Is this the wife?

    https://www.ozbargain.com.au/node/892814

    • sammyla on 10/02/2025 - 16:48

      haha no

  • MS Paint on 10/02/2025 - 17:25

    FFS

  • Moderatorscrimshaw on 10/02/2025 - 17:52

    Thread closed.

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