Better to have it and not need it...
That’s pretty much my motto too, especially after what happened to my cousin. She barely tapped someone’s bumper in a parking lot—no marks, nothing. A week later, the other driver claimed their sensor was messed up and tried to get her insurance to pay for a whole new system. Ever since then, I always take a few pics and swap info, even if it feels like overkill. I do wonder sometimes if reporting every tiny thing makes insurance rates creep up, though... anyone else worry about that?
I hear you on the insurance thing—my ‘72 Chevelle’s rates are already high enough without adding “mystery parking lot incident” to the mix. I usually snap a few pics too, just in case, but I’ve never actually reported a no-damage bump. Anyone ever had their rates go up just for letting insurance know, even if there was no claim? Feels like a catch-22 sometimes...
I get what you mean about the rates—insurance companies seem to find any excuse to bump things up, especially with older cars. I’ve been in a similar spot with my ‘89 Civic (not as cool as a Chevelle, but still), and I always worry about that “just in case” report coming back to haunt me at renewal time.
Here’s how I usually handle it, for what it’s worth. First, I take a bunch of photos from every angle, even if there’s no damage. That way, if there’s ever a surprise claim later, I’ve got proof of how things looked right after the bump. Then, I jot down the date, time, and any other details I can remember—weather, lighting, whatever. It sounds like overkill, but it’s saved me once before when someone tried to claim I’d done more damage than actually happened.
As for telling insurance... I’ve heard mixed things. Some folks say even just notifying them (without filing a claim) can sometimes show up on your record and nudge your rates up, but others haven’t had any issues. It might depend on your company or even your agent. Personally, unless there’s actual damage or the other driver pushes for it, I keep it between me and my glovebox. That said, if the other party gets your info and decides to file later, you’ll want to be ready with your own documentation.
It does feel like a catch-22. You want to do the right thing, but you also don’t want to pay through the nose for something that didn’t even leave a scratch. The system isn’t exactly set up for common sense sometimes.
Anyway, you’re not alone in overthinking these little parking lot mishaps. Seems like we all just want to keep our cars—and our wallets—intact.
