"Ended up with my premiums going up slightly even though the other driver never filed a claim."
Yep, seen this happen more times than I can count—insurance companies have memories like elephants. Pics are your best friend in these cases... unless there's obvious damage, sometimes less really is more.
Did you actually exchange info with the other driver, or just leave it at a quick look-over? If there's genuinely no visible damage, reporting can sometimes bite you later. I've had buddies who've reported minor taps "just in case," and yep, their premiums crept up even without claims. Insurance companies see any reported incident as a potential risk, claim or not.
On the flip side, if the other driver took your details and decides later there's hidden damage—like bumper clips or sensors—you could be on the hook anyway. Did you snap some clear pics at least? Having solid proof of zero visible damage can save your butt if they come back weeks later claiming issues.
Honestly though, if it's truly a nothing-burger bump and both parties agreed there's no harm done... I'd probably keep quiet myself. Why give insurance another excuse to jack up your rates for no reason?
- Totally agree about not reporting minor taps if there's genuinely no visible damage. Insurance companies love any excuse to bump your rates, even if you never file a claim.
- But I'd be cautious about assuming there's zero hidden damage. Had a similar situation last year—barely touched someone's bumper, looked fine at first glance. Two weeks later, the guy called claiming his parking sensors were acting up. Luckily, I'd snapped a few quick pics showing no visible marks or dents, and that saved me from paying out of pocket.
- If you exchanged info, you're already somewhat exposed anyway. Might as well keep those photos handy just in case they circle back later.
- Bottom line: if both parties agreed it's nothing and moved on without swapping details, I'd probably let sleeping dogs lie. But if info was exchanged... better safe than sorry with some solid photo evidence in your back pocket.
"Had a similar situation last year—barely touched someone's bumper, looked fine at first glance. Two weeks later, the guy called claiming his parking sensors were acting up."
Yeah, I can totally relate to this. A couple of years ago, I was backing out of a tight parking spot downtown and lightly bumped the car behind me. Got out, checked everything—no scratches, dents, nothing. The other driver was there too, and we both agreed it was nothing and moved on without exchanging info. Thought I was in the clear.
Fast forward about a month later, I started noticing my own rear sensors acting up randomly. At first, I didn't connect the dots because the bump was so minor, but eventually took it into the shop just to be safe. Turns out, even though there was zero visible damage, the sensor had shifted slightly inside the bumper, causing intermittent false alarms. Thankfully, it wasn't expensive to fix, but it definitely taught me that sometimes there's more going on beneath the surface than meets the eye.
That said, I still wouldn't rush to report every tiny tap to insurance—like you mentioned, they love any excuse to hike your rates. But snapping a few quick pictures at the scene is always a smart move. Even if you don't exchange info, having those photos can give you peace of mind if something weird pops up later.
If you've already swapped details, I'd just keep those pics handy and maybe jot down a quick note about the date, time, and exactly what happened while it's fresh in your memory. Probably won't need it, but better safe than sorry.
Had something similar happen during my driving lessons. Barely tapped another car while parallel parking—no visible marks, instructor said it was fine. But later, the driving school's car started beeping randomly when reversing. Turns out the sensor got nudged out of alignment. Wasn't pricey to fix, thankfully, but now I always snap a quick pic just in case... insurance hikes are no joke.
