Q: I just recently got into a no fault accident in a parking lot. my damages are minimal but i dont want my insurance
rate to go up and i really do believe this wasnt my fault there was a million other spaces to park in and instead of waiting for me to pull out and leave she decides to pull in at the same time as me I just recently got into a no fault accident in a parking lot and i just wanted to contact you for some advice on how to go about it. The lady that I hit was pulling into the spot right next to me as I was pulling out and rotating my steering wheel counterclockwise and she was unseeable in any of my mirrors and she claims to have not seen me. We exchanged insurance and didn't file a report because of the no fault law circumstances.
A: If you exchanged insurance information, she might notify your insurance company, so whether or not you notify them is unlikely to make any difference.
Charles M. Baron agrees with this answer
A:
You didn't ask a question, but I guess you are wondering if you must contact your insurance company, and/or whether there's some way to prevent your rate from rising. First, if the other driver decides to make a claim, your insurance co. will find out from her, and your failure to report might be a violation of the policy, which may trigger policy cancelation. Read your policy, which you can likely access online on your insurance company's website. Also, if the estimate for repair of either your car or hers is at least $500, you are supposed to report the accident to police. Probably the only way to be sure the other driver won't make a claim (which could also trigger a future premium increase) is to quickly reach an agreement with her to pay for her repair (though you feel you were not at fault). Also, it is rare for a parking lot accident like yours to be viewed by an insurance company as a "nobody's at fault" accident. The backing-out driver must go slowly and turn his/her head to look back, not just view the mirrors. The pulling-in driver must go carefully and look out for rear white reverse lights. It is possible for both drivers to be at fault, and highly improbable for there to be "zero" fault on the part of both.
Also, depending on which insurance co. you have, it might raise your premium upon renewal even if you were in an accident that was NOT your fault. That is something only your insurance agent or company can advise you on.
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