Hi,
Before Christmas I had a minor accident. I reversed into someone:
I'd pulled into the road at a very congested crossroad junction (trying to go straight ahead), my chance to go forward had gone though as a car on the opposite side had pulled out and turned right blocking my gap. Both of the horizontal lanes were moving again so I backed up (thinking no one was behind me). I was a bit panicked being in the middle of the road with no where to go but back and in a rush neglected to check my mirror (was clear before but someone had pulled up behind me in the intervening time). I hope that makes sense, but in essence I backed into someone...
I was unquestionably in the wrong. It was quite loud and the driver behind was a bit shaken up. There was no damage to my car and only minor paint chips had come off the other driver's front (they took some photos, I didn't). I gave my details and drove off. I didn't bother contacting my insurer assuming that if the other driver made a claim I'd hear from them, and the damage was really minor so there was a slim chance that no claim would be made.
I was really stressed at the time and I am also infamiliar with correct protocol surrounding accidents. Now thinking back to this, I'm thinking that I may have made a big mistake not reporting it at the time...
1) Is it true that if you do not report an accident to your insurer that you risk violating the terms of your contract? I only wrote down the other drivers name and license which I have since lost, so I now do not know any specific details about the accident (including the date).
2) If the other driver makes a claim will my insurance company be required to contact me? Presumably, they could make the claim at any point they like - months later...
3) Given that I have no specific details of the other driver/date of the accident, should I contact my insurer now and tell them these vague details? I don't want my insurance to go up, but if the insurer can claim my policy is void because I didn't contact them about this accident then I guess I should phone them even if it was nearly a month ago... or is that just shooting myself in the foot?
Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks
It's been 3+ weeks now.
Before Christmas I had a minor accident. I reversed into someone:
I'd pulled into the road at a very congested crossroad junction (trying to go straight ahead), my chance to go forward had gone though as a car on the opposite side had pulled out and turned right blocking my gap. Both of the horizontal lanes were moving again so I backed up (thinking no one was behind me). I was a bit panicked being in the middle of the road with no where to go but back and in a rush neglected to check my mirror (was clear before but someone had pulled up behind me in the intervening time). I hope that makes sense, but in essence I backed into someone...
I was unquestionably in the wrong. It was quite loud and the driver behind was a bit shaken up. There was no damage to my car and only minor paint chips had come off the other driver's front (they took some photos, I didn't). I gave my details and drove off. I didn't bother contacting my insurer assuming that if the other driver made a claim I'd hear from them, and the damage was really minor so there was a slim chance that no claim would be made.
I was really stressed at the time and I am also infamiliar with correct protocol surrounding accidents. Now thinking back to this, I'm thinking that I may have made a big mistake not reporting it at the time...
1) Is it true that if you do not report an accident to your insurer that you risk violating the terms of your contract? I only wrote down the other drivers name and license which I have since lost, so I now do not know any specific details about the accident (including the date).
2) If the other driver makes a claim will my insurance company be required to contact me? Presumably, they could make the claim at any point they like - months later...
3) Given that I have no specific details of the other driver/date of the accident, should I contact my insurer now and tell them these vague details? I don't want my insurance to go up, but if the insurer can claim my policy is void because I didn't contact them about this accident then I guess I should phone them even if it was nearly a month ago... or is that just shooting myself in the foot?
Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks
It's been 3+ weeks now.