Sixty-six per cent of drivers have found their car scratched or damaged in a public car park. In only four per cent of cases did the guilty party leave a note or come forward to own up. In 96 per cent of cases the motorist is left to pay for the damage or make a claim against their own insurance. The findings are contained in an AA online poll of 800 motorists countrywide.
“Many people do not want to claim for a small dink on their own insurance because they worry about their no claims bonus, so in effect they are left with a healthy bill because the person that did the damage does not own up,” says director of policy Conor Faughnan. “If they have simply ‘done a runner’, you can be left high and dry.”
Car parking is a hazardous driving activity and information from AA Insurance shows that hitting or being hit by another vehicle is by far the most common car-park claim, followed by ‘door to panel’ collisions with walls, pillars, trolley shelters or barriers. This can occur due to limited space between cars or reversing into tight spaces with often poor visibility. There are also regular claims for damage from rogue shopping trolleys.
While motorists will feel rightly annoyed when their own car is damaged, not all are angels when they cause the scrape themselves. Only 47 per cent of drivers said they did in fact leave a note or contact details.
“It is not simply people being dishonest.” says Faughnan. “There is a fear that the third party might take advantage of the situation, and there is also embarrassment. It is very tempting to simply slip away.”
The AA advises anyone who causes damage in a car park to own up rather than risk being caught later. Quite apart from it being the right thing to do, many modern car parks have CCTV, while witnesses can easily take a picture. Honesty is the best policy.
Common light collision damage includes headlight damage, and dents to bumpers, wings and doors. The cost of the damage can reach up to €1,000 depending on the speed at which the vehicle was travelling, the extent of the damage, and whether or not the panel needs replacing.
Garages report an average cost of €250 plus VAT for bumper buffs, €350 plus VAT for door dents etc (one panel only ), €300 plus VAT for quarter panel dents and €50 plus VAT for mirror covers or complete €150 plus mirror.
The two repair options include smart repairs and full bodyshop repairs. Smart repairs are menu driven (typically costing under €200 a panel and quote a specific small job ). Full bodyshop repairs are charged on an hourly labour rate basis depending on an industry defined time per panel per specific vehicle.
