Insurance - car damaged by pedestrian

[Answeringwhyquestionssince2002]

I wonder whether anyone has any experience of a situation like this...

I share a drive with my neighbour. Last week during the icy weather I slipped on the ice in front of my house while laden down with a heavy rucksack full of shopping and went careering into the side of my neighbour's car. The impact has left a dent - not particularly deep but about a foot in diameter.

It looks a bit like an empty coke can would look if you prodded it with a finger - like it could be pressed back out from the inside but unfortunately according to the garage it can't be done and will need a new panel for around £600.

The garage says I should be covered under my household insurance and having checked my policy I do have "personal liability" insurance. However having phoned my insurance co they say I'm not covered. I've asked them in writing to clarify why but nothing forthcoming so far.

My question is...what happens if my neighbour claims on her own motor insurance? She is reluctant to do so, but may have to. Will they come after me for the total cost? Should I lean on my own insurers? I could offer to pay my neighbour's excess and a bit extra to cover loss of her no claims bonus, but it would be dodgy as she would have to tell her insurance company she didn't know who caused the damage.

I'm going spare with worry over this - I can't even afford to drive my own car at the moment, hence carrying shopping home on foot, let alone pay a garage bill which is likely to spiral once insurance companies get involved, as there is no incentive for the garage to keep costs low.

Thanks for reading if you've made it this far...any advice gratefully accepted.

[Collaborate]

For you to be liable you'd have to be negligent. Not sure you were TBH. Accidents happen without someone being negligent.

[greenfolder]

Your household contents should cover you. Ours did when dc accidentally rode bike into parked car. Please come back when yours have explained why not.

[bevelino]

It is difficult to understand why your household insurers have advised you why you are not covered without sight of your policy. However, if a motorist makes a claim under their own policy, their insurer will contact another insurer (if one exists) to recover their outlay. Therefore pass your neighbour the policy details of your home insurer. All insurance companies are regulated by the FSA and cannot simply advise over the phone that you are not covered and are required to set out their reasons in writing.

[Answeringwhyquestionssince2002]

Many thanks for all replies. I think I've got to the bottom of the problem, and it seems I am covered but I can't make the claim myself in the first instance because someone else has to hold me liable, eg through a court, and at that point they pay out. However I can apparently supply my details in the way Bevelino suggests so the other party can claim via her own motor insurance and get the costs back via my home policy.

Greenfolder - is this the way you did it when your dc rode into parked car?

[greenfolder]

Yes-asked car owner to write giving details of negligence (dc failed to spot car, brake etc) with estimates. I sent on to insurers with a statement explaining what had happened and left them to it