Make sure you have sentry mode on!

[Sootica]

Can't believe I've had my car less than 3 weeks and some F&&kwit decides to reverse into it and drive off - having watched the whole coverage it looks deliberate as he (or she) drove past and then drove back round twice - then reversed at quite some speed.

 

[OliLondon]

Sorry to hear that - did you manage to catch their numberplate on sentry?

 

[Sootica]

Sorry to hear that - did you manage to catch their numberplate on sentry?

Yes, reported to insurance company and just doing online report to the police

 

[Cardo]

Definitely report to police as a hit and run. They won’t do much, but it’ll help with your insurance claim.

 

[Durzel]

What's the damage like?

Can't believe people do this and just drive off.

 

[OliLondon]

Yes, reported to insurance company and just doing online report to the police

Ok, well it’s really *sugar* that the car got hit but thank god for sentry mode, should make things a little easier when it comes to claiming - hope you get it sorted ASAP

 

[DigbyChicken]

Sorry to hear that. What an absolute bellend. What is the matter with some people?!?

 

[Dilly]

God… there are some about. Beyond belief. Much sympathy.

 

[spsheridan]

Definitely report to police as a hit and run. They won’t do much, but it’ll help with your insurance claim.

I don’t know, they might take action - they did with us. I was rear-ended on the freeway a couple years ago. The guy who hit me starting pulling over to the side along with me, acting as if he was going to stop. And just as I came to a stop on the shoulder he took off. Fortunately, my wife was quick enough to snap some good pics of the truck as he sped away. Of course, I reported this to the CA Highway Patrol and the officer took a report. We showed the officer the photos that included the truck's license plate and he asked us to send them to him. After receiving the photos, the CHP followed up, found the guy, and served him an order to appear in court for a hit-and-run. He was convicted but I don’t know what he was sentenced since I didn't have to appear. Sometimes justice is served. I realize this case may be different since it was a parked car but it’s definitely worth following up.

 

[john5520]

Sentry mode is always on except for home. Not sure if you have already, but I'd post those pics all over social media.

 

[ItsNotAboutTheMoney]

What's the damage like?

Can't believe people do this and just drive off.

I can believe it.

But I can't believe that people still don't know about the dashcam.

Of course, there's always the possibility it was stolen.

 

[Cardo]

I don’t know, they might take action - they did with us. I was rear-ended on the freeway a couple years ago. The guy who hit me starting pulling over to the side along with me, acting as if he was going to stop. And just as I came to a stop on the shoulder he took off. Fortunately, my wife was quick enough to snap some good pics of the truck as he sped away. Of course, I reported this to the CA Highway Patrol and the officer took a report. We showed the officer the photos that included the truck's license plate and he asked us to send them to him. After receiving the photos, the CHP followed up, found the guy, and served him an order to appear in court for a hit-and-run. He was convicted but I don’t know what he was sentenced since I didn't have to appear. Sometimes justice is served. I realize this case may be different since it was a parked car but it’s definitely worth following up.

Different country, fella. The UK is a very different beast.

 

[Cardo]

Ironic that after reading this thread whilst out doing some jobs I’ve noticed there’s a lovely scuff on the front of our M3.
I don’t leave Sentry mode on at home as we have CCTV, however on this occasion it hasn’t picked up the damage being caused quite clearly enough. I’m pretty sure it was the bin men scraping past with their wheely bins, but our other car was blocking the view so I can’t be certain. Fingers crossed a smart repair can tidy it up!

 

[kavyboy]

Different country, fella. The UK is a very different beast.

I don't know what this implies. Are the police less or more likely to respond? I'm guessing less, by your earlier comment.
In the US, we have so many overlapping jurisdictions (city, township, county, state and others) of all different sizes it's hard to tell what would happen in any given circumstance. I am curious about the UK and how it would compare.

 

[GRiLLA]

So what actually happens in this sort of case? They will be traced by their registration but will their insurance pay out if it's malicious? I guess a court will get involved to decide whether it was an accident or a malicious act, but who would be the plaintiff? OPs insurance, other parties insurance?

 

[Durzel]

Court won't get involved. Police probably won't pursue the "failure to stop/failure to report accident" so long as the driver makes contact and has insurance. It's pretty cut and dried I think, regardless of circumstances. Person who hit OP's car has no chance of success arguing that it is not their fault.

 

[GRiLLA]

Court won't get involved. Police probably won't pursue the "failure to stop/failure to report accident" so long as the driver makes contact and has insurance. It's pretty cut and dried I think, regardless of circumstances. Person who hit OP's car has no chance of success arguing that it is not their fault.

Why would their insurance pay for their damage if it was deliberate? I can see they are liable, but surely they would take some actions against their insured party?

 

[MrBadger]

What typically happens is that everything gets sorted by your own insurance company then they will go and claim back their losses from the third party. If the third party are insured for this situation, then the third parties insurance will pay and your insurance record will be updated accordingly. If they are not insured, then there is likely to be some form of legal application to recover the costs. Your policy will probably be in limbo whilst this is sorted out and premiums/NCB may well be (hopefully only) temporarily affected. This probably will not happen until the final outcome is known. It may be that even if the third party is found to be at fault (ie as you would hope to be in this case, but there may be a dispute who the driver is) but still not recover the losses - that may go either way depending on your insurers viewpoint.

Many years ago, I had a third party hit me. Insurance details swapped, my car promptly repaired. Then it transpired that the third party was not insured. I can't remember how long it took, but significant amount of time, but we (as in my insurers) won the court case and all costs awarded. But they didn't pay and when bailiffs went in to recover the money, there was apparently nothing in the property owned by the third party. Everything was in sons name... However, as far as my insurance went, everything got reinstated, NCB etc. although I am sure I would have been a higher risk to higher premiums. But in those days, insurance was relatively inexpensive and there was probably no computer to say no or do advanced risk analysis. I'm pretty sure no matter whose fault any claim is these days, its still going to increase your personal risk and affect your premium, even if your NCB is unaffected.

 

[Durzel]

Why would their insurance pay for their damage if it was deliberate? I can see they are liable, but surely they would take some actions against their insured party?

The insurance company is obligated to deal with third party (the OP) claims.

If they want to try and claw back their outlay from the guy who hit him because it was deliberate or for any other reason, that’s their call, but it doesn’t affect them paying out to the OP.

 

[Dickybeau]

I was a victim of a hit and run while parked in my local town. Video was clear as was the model of car, registration and the driver who got out to check. £2200 worth of damage. Police took one look at the clarity of the 4 videos (front wings, front and rear of car) and waited until the limits of reporting timeframe were past and charged the driver with leaving the scene and failing to report. It went to court and she plead guilty to failing to report. Presumably she couldn’t see the damage in the dark so they let her off. I can’t remember the fine but I think around £400 and 5 penalty points. Insurance paid out when they saw the video. Always park up with sentry mode on and I always check the video of items flagged up before moving off. Good luck. Btw I’m in Scotland