Was in a Car Accident, Will Making a Claim Affect My Insurance Premiums? (VIC)

pf2 on 17/11/2022 - 10:51
Last edited 17/11/2022 - 11:47

I was just in an accident this morning. The car pulled out from one of those Keep Clear spaces between parked cars without looking and I hit him in the left front. He claims he looked before he turned so I must have been speeding (I was not). I have a witness that agrees I was not at fault. We exchanged details (phone number & license). His car looks worse than mine - my front took minor scratches (from what can be seen), whilst he has a noticeable dent.

I have never been in an accident before - what do I need to do? I am currently on (a super long) hold with the insurance company.
Will they need a police report? Do I get a quote from the mechanic first before making a claim?
Will my premiums be affected even if I was not at fault?
I assume my insurance company will contact his insurance company?

Any advice would be appreciated!

Thank you!

Automotive Car Insurance Insurance

Comments

  • JimB on 17/11/2022 - 11:00
    +6

    If your insurer believes it's not your fault, you won't pay an excess.

    Give the witness's details to your insurer and you should be A-OK.

    Unlikely it will affect your premium if you are deemed not at fault.

    • freefall101 on 17/11/2022 - 11:25
      +2

      Insurers can increase premiums if they have to pay for it because the other party doesn't have insurance. It sucks but it can happen, depending on what the policy says.

      • Tleyx on 19/11/2022 - 20:22

        Even if they dont have to pay it still costs money to chase the other company. Still have to pay to deal with claim and make payment. People don't work for free

        • photonbuddy on 02/12/2022 - 22:55

          People don't work for free

          No they don't, and Insurance companies don't hand out policies for free either!

          You pay your policy so they take care of it.

    • HeWhoKnows on 18/11/2022 - 13:42

      Yes and no
      When you apply for car insurance with another insurer they ask if you have made any claims in last 3 or 5 years regardless of who was at fault.
      So you must reply YES

      I don’t know what effect it has but it’s definitely taken into account

      • JimB on 18/11/2022 - 14:29

        They do ask if you you made any claims and also follow it up with 'were you at fault or was any excess payable?'

        • photonbuddy on 02/12/2022 - 22:57

          They do ask if you you made any claims and also follow it up with 'were you at fault or was any excess payable?'

          Apparently, some of those cheap providers don't ask the qualifying question.

          There are, believe it or not, some people that believe that all parties in an accident must bear at least some of the blame.

  • Seraphin7 on 17/11/2022 - 11:00
    +5

    I have never been in an accident before - what do I need to do? I am currently on (a super long) hold with the insurance company.

    Speak with your insurer. They will guide you through everything you need to do.

    Will they need a police report?

    No.

    Do I get a quote from the mechanic first before making a claim?

    No. The insurer will inform you of your options.

    Will my premiums be affected even if I was not at fault?

    Depends on a range of factors, including who your insurer is.

    I assume my insurance company will contact his insurance company?

    Not sure if they contact the insurer or the other driver directly, but either way your insurer will (should) deal with it.

    • Bruceflix on 17/11/2022 - 11:23

      Depending on your jurisdiction a police report may be mandatory.

  • oscargamer on 17/11/2022 - 11:08

    Fully comp or third party?

  • Porker on 17/11/2022 - 11:09
    +2

    Just wait a little longer for the phone call - all those questions can be answered by the insurance company.

  • jv on 17/11/2022 - 11:12
    +8

    He claims he looked before he turned and I was speeding (I was not).

    Who had the right of way? That is all that matters…

    If they want to use 'speeding' as a defence, they will need to provide proof.

    • 87percent on 17/11/2022 - 11:24
      +2

      if the other car pulled out, op had the right of way

      • jv on 17/11/2022 - 11:27
        +2

        "and I hit him in the left front. "

        It's not clear who had right of way…

        • 87percent on 17/11/2022 - 11:33
          +1

          actually.. how does that work?

          it should have been the front right if anything (if the car was pulling out), unless the car was doing a u-turn or something

          • pf2 on 17/11/2022 - 11:42

            @87percent: Looks like he was doing a u-ey out of the Keep Clear space

            • jv on 17/11/2022 - 11:56
              +4

              @pf2: If you are doing a u-turn, you are required to give way to all traffic.

          • jv on 17/11/2022 - 11:58
            -2

            @87percent:

            actually.. how does that work?

            not sure what the scenario was, either could have been at fault. Not enough info.

    • azonki on 18/11/2022 - 22:48

      A very, very, very long time ago, I T-Boned a car that backed out of its driveway.
      It was a narrow road and I couldn't do anything but hit him, or perhaps something else.
      The police attended. They asked if I had any problems with brakes.
      No, they had just been renewed, and the receipt was in the car. They measured the skid marks.
      Then his wife came down and started ranting to the cop about how I was speeding and hit her husband's brand-new HQ premier.
      The cop asked how could she tell that I was speeding.
      She said she could tell by listening to the cars going past, and I must have been speeding before I hit her husband.
      I forwarded the Police Report with my claim, and insurance paid for all my repairs.
      The cop also charged the other driver with negligence.

  • Xistn on 17/11/2022 - 11:14
    +5

    What is it, have an accident and be clueless day today?

    • bobbified on 17/11/2022 - 11:39
      +1

      ..and be clueless day today?

      It's not just today. It seems to be every day!

  • avoidfullprice on 17/11/2022 - 11:17
    +1

    The main driver for premium increase is whether you are at fault or not.

    In fact, if you get a quote from a mew provider, they will ask you a set of questions before displaying their premiums. Use that as a guide.

    Re other questions, see above responses

    • jv on 17/11/2022 - 11:25
      +2

      The main driver for premium increase is whether you are at fault or not.

      The main driver is actually whether the insurance company is likely to recover their costs or not.

  • kenzstar on 17/11/2022 - 11:37

    do i need to report car accident if i believe i'm not at fault, i have comprehensive insurance with racv but the 3rd party only has 3rd party insurance only but wants me to lodged a claim on his behalf

    • 87percent on 17/11/2022 - 11:48

      Whether I’m at fault or not, I always lodge with my insurance. Give them all the details, and let them deal with it. Don’t contact the other party, and ignore their contact

    • Quantumcat on 17/11/2022 - 11:50

      You can lodge a claim on your own behalf, your insurance will recover their costs from him

  • pegaxs on 17/11/2022 - 11:38

    Yes. Because the questions they ask is: Have you made a claim, even if not at fault, in the last X years…

  • BewareOfThe Dog on 17/11/2022 - 11:38

    Did you stop to let them out?
    No
    Did they see you stop to let them out?
    No.
    If you were allegedly speeding, why did he pull out? You had the right of way, and they obviously did not see you, therefor you should not be at fault, therefore no increase in Premiums.
    Time to invest in a Dashcam.

    If all else fails…….Bikies.

    • pf2 on 17/11/2022 - 11:46

      I had one - just hadn't gotten around to installing it! :'(

      I had right of way - I was travelling along the road he was trying to turn into. He should have looked before he pulled out - because he claims he didn't see me there when he turned he deduced I was speeding, when in fact it was him that pulled out too quickly.

  • jellykingdom on 17/11/2022 - 11:41

    I'm pretty sure my premium actually increased after i was the not-at-fault party. Most insurance companies ask if you had any accidents, regardless of who was at fault

  • pf2 on 17/11/2022 - 11:41
    +9

    Thanks everyone. Got through to the insurer eventually. Took down all the details and they have arranged for their mechanic to look at it (like a month away in woop woop) and we will get a hire car during repairs. No excess or premium increase apparently and they have not asked for a police report.
    He said it sounds straight forward it was the other driver at fault but I've passed on the witness's details in case of a dispute.

    • Muzeeb on 17/11/2022 - 11:43
      +4

      Great outcome

    • MollyJ77 on 01/12/2022 - 12:29

      Wow, that's probably the best outcome you could ask for. Is your insurance providing you with a hire car for the entire period your own car will be in for repairs? If so, that's really lucky as sometimes insurers only offer a car for a set number of days, maybe 7 or 14, and repairs can take ages.

  • Caped Baldy on 17/11/2022 - 12:10

    Even if you were speeding it's still on the other car to give way to vehicles on the road that they turn on to.

    Fairly sure that you need to pay the excess to get your insurer to review which will be refunded if found not at fault. Use the money to get a dashcam ;)

    • omguleh on 17/11/2022 - 14:08
      +1

      Depends on the insurer, i just made a claim with Budget Direct where someone hit my parked car in the school car park.

      Need their name, car rego, contact number and address. Budget said no excess payable and no increase in premiums.

  • Drakesy on 17/11/2022 - 12:12

    MS Paint diagram plz.

    • pf2 on 17/11/2022 - 12:23
      +1

      Here you go: https://imgur.com/a/Op4bB23

      • Drakesy on 17/11/2022 - 12:39
        +1

        Ahhh
        Gotchya now.

        • andresampras on 17/11/2022 - 14:08

          Gotchya now.

          That's what the other driver said as he was pulling out

    • askbargain on 17/11/2022 - 13:21

      at what point do we request paint 3D diagrams instead?

      • andresampras on 17/11/2022 - 14:07

        as soon as a majority of people know how to use the damned thing

  • lordra on 17/11/2022 - 14:59

    OP, how fast were you going at time of impact? I ask as you could have taken internal damage - something that's mechanical, that you haven't noticed yet. Usually steering column, suspension, maybe even your tyres. Check everything thoroughly, maybe pay your local mech for 30 mins of work to inspect your car.

    Going off your diagram, you had the right of way. He just pulled out in front like a typical Aussie Dash Cam driver. If they claim you were speeding, do they have evidence? Probably not, unless he was a cop car with a LIDAR.

  • lovepub on 18/11/2022 - 08:41

    You know what?

    They INCREASE the premium every year anyway with or without claims. Tell me one company that doesn’t jack up your premium for the following year??!!

    And yEs. They increase it more I believe by a small margin then normal regardless of you at fault or not when you make a claim

  • 2esc on 18/11/2022 - 10:00

    He should have taken more care pulling out a vehicle has more / greater blind spots to the left.

  • Noblejoker on 18/11/2022 - 12:03

    Accidents in car parks are mostly civil matters and road rules do not strictly apply
    (Obviously common sense applies which in most cases equals road rules)

    Most insurers will say both parties contributed to the accident and offer I will fix my Client - You fix Yours
    Often referred to as 'each bear own cost'
    Both sides know they can't prove the other one is solely responsible
    Both insurers aren't going to waste their time and money on fights they can't win and will just offer for you to make an 'at fault' claim to fix your won damage

    In OP case this seems right - both drivers could have done more to avoid the accident
    Even if OP admits responsibility his insurer may not settle the other party and pursue each bear own

    Decision for OP is - how much is his/her damage and is it worth making an at fault claim to fix it - paying excess and losing no claim bonus

    [source of facts - 30+ years insurance industry]

  • DASHCAM NOW DUDE on 19/11/2022 - 23:58

    GET A DASHCAM.

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