Insurance question

[OBSERVER]

My wife had a knock backing out of a parking space two weeks ago. She was backing out slowly and didn't see a vehicle behind and contact was made between respective rear bumpers. The other driver claims he was stationary, parked in a bay on the opposite side, but my wife insists there is no way she had backed that far across.

Accepting my wife's account, the only way I can see this could have happened is both were backing out at the same time and both failed to see the other.

There is absolutely no damage to my wife's car but the other vehicle has a cracked bumper and the owner has obtained a quotation for repair/replacement - £450. He is only insured third party and I suspect that's why he's looking to avoid a 'knock for knock' agreement and wants my wife to accept full liability. Insurance excess is £200 and NCD is protected so I'm not going to stump out £450.

Question - in a knock for knock situation, does each party's insurance pay for their own repairs or the other party's?

[MilnerR]

Knock for knock are very rare these days but the idea is that each insurance company pays the others expenses I think. Don't admit any liability and get down to the scene of the bump with a disposable camera and tape measure and prove the other guy is talking arse!

[DrDeAtH]

if it happened in a car park, surely insurance is ineffective, as the vehicle is on private land..
i prepare to stand corrected on this though.....


Laterz....

[esselte]

DrDeAtH said:

if it happened in a car park, surely insurance is ineffective, as the vehicle is on private land.. i prepare to stand corrected on this though..... Laterz....

No I think a car park is a public place therefore insurance is needed and valid.Of course I could be wrong.

>> Edited by esselte on Wednesday 23 February 14:39

[kevinday]

Knock for knock is very common, and means each insurance company picks up its own insured costs. This is precisely why the other driver wants your wife to take the blame. She MUST know where she was when the 'collision' happened, surely she got out and had a look?

[pdV6]

esselte said:

DrDeAtH said: if it happened in a car park, surely insurance is ineffective, as the vehicle is on private land.. i prepare to stand corrected on this though..... Laterz.... No I think a car park is a public place therefore insurance is needed and valid.Of course I could be wrong.

No - you're right. Places that the public have access to as if they were part of the road system are now treated the same as the road in the eyes of the law. This was specifically changed in order to cover situations arising in car parks, for example.

[Plotloss]

Public Place - A place where you can reasonably expect the public to be.

Car parks and the like.