Car insurance question- minor bump

[JustADay]

Hi guys,

My wife had a very minor bump in her car the other day, making a small scrape on her car and a parked car that she misjudged the positioning of. Details swapped at scene, driver of parked car happy to get quotes to deal with out of insurance. No question of blame from our side, happy to accept responsibility.

Now, despite the fact the damage is very minor to both vehicles (no panel damage, literally 10sqcm paint scuffed on both) there is always the chance the third party may want to go through insurance, or the cost may be high enough for their respray that we have to do so. I want to inform our insurers of the accident without issuing a claim just so that we're covered in future (I know this will push up our premiums), but if we were to pass on the third party's details to the insurer I'm worried that they will contact them and they'll end up with the notice recorded on their file too? I'd like to avoid this as it's not their fault that the incident happened and I don't think it should be on their file "just in case".

So, if I pass on these contact details will our/their insurance company note it on their file? The third party have said that they don't have time to look into quotes for a least another week yet so I don't want to leave it completely from our insurers until then.

Thanks!

[TwigtheWonderkid]

Notifying your insurers a few weeks after an accident isn't an issue. It was a minor thing and you've just been too busy to deal with it. They won't bat an eyelid. Just sit on it and wait.

[JustADay]

Thanks for the reply Twig.

Being the nervous, goody goody sort (I know, I know...) we informed our insurers of the incident to cover our backs but made it clear that we didn't wish to make a claim. They have said they will assume the claim is not going ahead if they don't hear from the other party "in the next few months", but we obviously don't want an open claim left on the record, especially with the renewal due at the beginning of June.

The 3rd party have provided some quotes to us for a repair which we are happy to pay, but that would obviously still leave the claim open with our insurer. The insurer said they would close it if they speak to the 3rd party and they confirm they're not claiming, but I don't want them to have the accident on their record. If we were to provide their details to our insurer and they contact them will this happen?

Probably unusual to worry about the 3rd party but it's not their fault and we want to be fair! Thanks.

[e30m3Mark]

Even though you haven't claimed though, they'' expect you to declare the incident come renewal time.

[JustADay]

e30m3Mark said:

Even though you haven't claimed though, they'' expect you to declare the incident come renewal time.

Yup yup, aware of that, adding it on to some quotes through the comparison sites adds about £30 so not the end of the world.

[Pica-Pica]

I had a scrape with another car in a car park a few years ago. Sorted it privately, but informed insurance company, who noted it. No issues at renewal, no uprise in Premium (other than inflation related).