Peopl Insurance Q&A - The More You Know - Minor Damage Claim Skip to main content
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Minor Car Accident

“I parked too close to a car when in a car park over the weekend and unfortunately scratched it. The owner was in the car at the time. I offered to pay for the scratch to be repaired rather than to go through our insurance and she seemed fine with that. Am I okay not to go through my insurance so?”

Paul Walsh, spokesman for Peopl Insurance

No matter how small a car accident, it is crucial that you contact your insurer when you are involved in any collision. Many drivers don’t wish to go through their insurance if there’s only minor damage, particularly if they might lose their no-claims bonus by doing so.

However, even if the damage is minor and you plan on paying for it yourself, the other driver may bring a claim in the future. The other driver may also insist on going through their insurance.

Note too that if you’re in a minor collision for which you are at fault and there’s a tiny amount of damage – such as a tip or scratch – to your car or another’s, even if you mention it to your insurer, it may still be an option for you to cover the cost of the damage yourself without making a claim or affecting your no-claims bonus.  Note though that even a seemingly minor accident could be followed by a substantial claim, particularly if anyone has been injured, so it is always safer to notify your insurer.